RIP Fred Mengoni

[fiamme red]

http://www.gazzetta.it/Ciclismo/03-02-2018/morto-fred-mengoni-ciclismo-stati-uniti-usa-lemond-hincapie-bauer-25032239795.shtml

http://www.usbhof.org/inductee-by-year/39-fred-mengoni

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/features/?id=2004/fred_mengoni

http://blog.hincapie.com/furthering-the-mengoni-legacy/

George Hincapie wrote on Twitter: "RIP Fred Mengoni .. Thank you for all you did for me , cycling in NY and in the US ... you will be missed .."

Steve Bauer wrote: "Fred was a huge influence on me as I found my way into the pro peloton from our GS Mengoni Team. A proud mentor and a passionate supporter, a great person. His spirit willl last always RIP Fred"

[jumphigher]

Sounds like a sad loss, alright.

[the bottle ride]

Amazing dude-
Rode bikes with him a bunch of times in the park (he was always on a Colnago and could still pedal pretty good) and caught a ride back to NYC from the Philadelphia race and he was in the back of the car one year- super interesting while still being super old school in terms of his outlook

One of the greats of our sport

RIP

[paredown]

Cool read, thanks. I knew the 7-11 story since one of my friends went racing with them, but I didn't know about GS Mengoni.

[fiamme red]

http://www.velonews.com/2018/02/news/cycling-community-mourns-passing-mentor-benefactor-mengoni_456279

Article about his "White House" in East Hampton: http://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/06/nyregion/a-rare-glimpse-inside-one-man-s-hard-won-white-house.html.

Mr. Mengoni, by his account, has made four fortunes and gone broke three times. He came to America from his native Italy in 1957 after having lost major sums on horse racing.

''I only had a one-way ticket,'' he recalled. ''So I couldn't go back.''

His motive in seeing America was Marilyn Monroe, whom he had seen in a movie. ''I like blondes,'' Mr. Mengoni, a bachelor who is now in his 70's, said. ''I have many.''

He bought a building in Manhattan, borrowing most of the money, remodeled it and sold it in a year, earning a $90,000 profit.

''I did everything myself,'' he said. ''I worked 16 hours a day seven days a week.''

About 40 years ago he took a train ride to the Hamptons on the advice of a friend. ''I fell in love,'' he said. ''This is one of the most beautiful places in the world. I told myself I would come back here and buy a beautiful house.''

[54ny77]

He's the patriarch of US cycling in modern era. What a loss.

Can remember many times riding park laps and seeing him pedaling along, had occasion to have brief chat once in awhile.

Sounds like he had a life well lived. RIP Mr. Mengoni.

[fiamme red]

he was always on a Colnago and could still pedal pretty goodThese photos were posted by Will Schneider on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10213370075021298&set=gm.583781575290724&type=3&theater).

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/27545310_1971042486243450_8570974883310697228_n.jp g?oh=39bdd67c140ab14a9b84cdaa18aeea27&oe=5AE4C941

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/27458967_1971043349576697_7702348456358608873_n.jp g?oh=a10c4243a337021ed2f3a66c3a0a75c4&oe=5B1B7993

[54ny77]

Yeah, go Mr. Mengoni!!!!

Thanks for posting that announcement.

Sad day. Tailwinds, sir, tailwinds!