Virginio Pizzali Death – Cause of Death – Virginio Pizzali, Olympian and multiple track cycling champion, has passed away at the age of 87. According to report, Pizzali who had been ill for some time, died of heart failure on Sunday evening, 14th of November 2021. He represented Italy in the men’s Track 4000 metres Team Pursuit at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games, where he won the Gold medal with the Italian team. Pizzali together with fellow footballer Ezio Pascutti(also late) were the two sports stars under the tallest bell tower in Italy.
In 1956, Pizzali made it to the qualifying stages for the Melbourne Olympics as a member of the team pursuit quartet but unfortunately, he fell and fractured a collarbone, not being able to get back on the bicycle in the following days. The second fall, happened at the 1959 World Championships at the Amsterdam velodrome. Reports says that he had a misunderstanding with the rider Arthur Pasquier, which made him fall back to the ground and could not continue in the competition.
Overlooking his failures, Pizzali had his glory days also. From 1958 to 1962, he won two Italian titles as an amateur and was four times Italian champion of professionals, always on the track. He was a successful sports emigrant, living and competing in Paris, in the golden years. Messaggero Veneto said the memory of Pizzali lives on in the Renato Bulfon Ciclismuseo, in the center of Mortegliano, where all the main relics of the pistard are kept.
Lost Olympians said in a tweet; “November 14th, Italian Cyclist Virginio Pizzali passed away at the age of 86. He represented Italy in the men’s Track 4000 metres Team Pursuit at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games, where he won the Gold medal with the Italian team. 🥇”
Photo Credit – Lost Olympians