Felice Gimondi. L’eroe dell’escapismo del miracolo Italiano

This paper investigates the popular imaginary of the world cycling champion Felice Gimondi (1942-2019), focusing on media narrative and relationship with his fandom. The analysis considered archival and journalistic documentary contents; furthermore, it continued in digital talkative arenas with qualitative quantitative web questionnaire and netnographic analysis of social media contents. Results highlight that Gimondi’s victories created mythical narration in his era and popular symbolic memory nowadays through celebrative and commemorative contents and activities. These point out the profiling of correspondence with yesteryears’ fans and the yesterday and today’s ideal fans, as well as typical activities on social media of the latter.