A Riminiwhich today hosts for the first time the arrival of the first stage of the Tour de Francea 5 meter high and 4 meter wide installation has been positioned dedicated to Mark Pantanithe champion from Romagna, who became a cycling legend, passed away in the city on 14 February 2004. This was announced by the municipal administration of Rimini, which defined Pantani as “a legendary profile” That “from sport he ascended directly to myth for the daring descents and ascents that characterized his entire life“. The structure, wanted by a group of private entrepreneurs who still have in their eyes the legendary feats of the “Pirate”, at the Tour as at the Tour of Italyforever fixes the image of Pantani at the end of one of his most famous performances: the arrival at the finish line in Oropa at the 1999 Giro d’Italia. The international designer Aldo Drudi, who collaborated with Pantani for a long time, taking care of his image for a period, was involved in the creation of this work.
The statue dedicated to Pantani
Made of high-density polystyrene, this ‘colossus’ is supported by a sturdy metal frame and covered with a rigid, weather-resistant polyurea coating. The positioning of the work in the waterfront square in Rimini metaphorically symbolises a return to the origins for Pantani, a reunion with one’s home. The Marecchia park is in fact a place full of symbolism, a point of union and border, where the sea meets the land, reflecting the cyclist’s journey between competitions and his return home, to Rimini which has welcomed him so many times, whether he was returning from Cippo del Monte Carpegna or taking a break from racing. “This project, created with lightweight technologies and materials, is the result of the work of an extraordinary team – explained the designer Aldo Drudi -. Our goal is to touch the hearts of the fans, paying homage to a person who was a dear friend to me. For the first time, I allowed myself to deal with Marco’s image after his passing, hoping to have done so in a respectful way.“. The installation will remain in the setting of the two-thousand-year-old Tiberius Bridge until the Pink Night and will then be moved permanently to an equally important area for the city which will be chosen together with the citizens.
