Wilier

Wilier bikes were first made in 1906 in Bassano del Grappa, Italy, near the base of the famous Monte Grappa climb, by local businessman Pietro Dal Molin. A professional team riding distinctive copper-coloured bicycles was set up after the Second World War, and by 1950 the team had won at the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia.

The company was forced to close in 1952 and it is only thanks to the Gastaldello family, who bought the rights to use the Wilier Triestina name in 1969, that the brand survives to this day. The first pro team of the Gastaldello era was Mecap Hoonved which won a stage at the 1979 Giro d’Italia, and in 1985 Supermercati Brianzoli rider Claudio Corti triumphed at the Italian Road Championships on a Wilier.

Marco Pantani won the Alpe d’Huez and Morzine stages of the Tour de France in 1997 riding a Wilier, as was Serhiy Honchar when he won the 2000 World Time Trial Championship. In 2004, Wilier rider Davide Rebellin scored the historic triple of Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and in 2008 Alessandro Ballan won at the World Road Championships on a Wilier.

The company’s success has continued in recent years with victories in the green jersey competition at the 2010 Tour de France through Alessandro Petacchi, and at the 2011 Giro d’Italia through Michele Scarponi. For a while it looked like Wilier would be without a pro team for the 2013 season following its split with Lampre-ISD, but a deal was soon agreed with Team Colombia.