At first, many believed that only devout sportsmen like Gino Bartali honored the Madonna del Ghisallo as their protector. They were wrong, because the first to believe in the Madonna del Ghisallo as a protector were the champions themselves who prayed to her in the most dramatic moments of their careers. Their numerous votive offerings that adorn the Sanctuary are a confirmation of this. Don Ermelindo, a keen observer who sees them returning to the foot of the Madonna, is sure that that little seed of devotion will bear fruit. His belief is that the return itself is an act of faith and devotion: “The young come to pray because they are inspired by the champions, the elderly turn to the Madonna because they want to continue to pedal for as long as possible.”

Inside the Sanctuary, a small space houses an incalculable number of ex-votos. Champions such as Coppi, Bartali and Magni donated their victorious bicycles to the Madonna, and others, such as Eddy Merckx, Gianni Motta, Felice Gimondi, Francesco Moser, Maurizio Fondriest and Fausto Casartelli, followed their example. The bicycle of the Bersaglieri of the First World War, that of Alfonsina Strada, the first woman to compete in the Giro d’Italia in 1924, and that of Evelina Bianchetti, who died in a road accident, are also testimonies of faith.” Initially, these bicycles were on the ground, but when the saddle of Magni’s bike disappeared, Don Ermelindo decided to hang them on the walls already covered with votive offerings.

The jerseys of champions such as Binda, Bartali, Coppi, Gimondi, Moser and many others were also on display as a sign of devotion. Jacques Goddet, known as the “Patron” of the Tour de France, had donated a yellow jersey in his name. The news of the Madonna del Ghisallo as the Patron Saint of Italian cyclists has attracted cyclists and sportsmen from all over Europe, as evidenced by the plaques and testimonials on the walls of the Sanctuary.

The lamps of the regional committees, the flags, the photographs, the posters and other forms of devotion invite visitors to offer a thought and a prayer to the Madonna. On the left wall, two plaques commemorate the cyclists who died during the races, highlighting the sacrifice of their young lives. Don Ermelindo observes with consolation that many cyclists of different categories, young and old, Italian and foreign, visit the Sanctuary not only to make a pilgrimage to their Patron Saint, but also to find comfort and inspiration in the wonderful panorama of the Lombard Prealps, facing the Grigne mountains and the lakes. In this place, they seek not only physical rest for tired limbs but also the moral strength to face life’s challenges and disappointments.