New Arena 1981 frameset from Battaglin celebrates the Giro’s final stage in Verona

Officina Battaglin has a new limited edition lugged steel frameset out to celebrate the Giro’s final stage time trial into the Roman amphitheatre in Verona.

It marks the race’s return to the site of Giovanni Battaglin, founder of Officina Battaglin’s, crowning as the winner of the Giro in 1981. Battaglin went on to win the Vuelta a Espana that same year.

The final stage of the 1981 Giro was a 42km individual time trial, finishing in the amphitheatre and Battaglin was in pink, having taken the maglia rosa the day before in a stage finishing at the Tre Cime di Laverado in the Dolomites. There were two contenders, Prim and Saronni, within a minute of him, so as with many of the Giro’s more recent editions, the race finished on a knife edge.

>>> Giro d'Italia 2019 route analysis

So naturally Battaglin wanted to celebrate the return of the Giro’s final stage to Verona, with a special edition pink framset produced in a run of just 38. Each frame will be custom made to the owner’s sizing and will come with a series number plate on its side.

The new Arena 1981 frameset is built from top of the range Italian Columbus SL tubing and comes with chromed lugs, for a true retro style. The highly prized pink cromovelato finish, typical of premium bikes from the era, is produced by polishing the frame to a mirror finish, before chrome plating and painting with coloured lacquer.

Battaglin has also produced a video, part of a series of seven, telling how he got into racing and explaining the frame making process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK3SmrpJ444

And Battaglin will include a magnum of Astoria bubbly – as presented to the Giro’s stage winners – with each Arena 1981 frame. A massive package with a preview bottle has arrived at Cycling Weekly’s offices too, courtesy of Battaglin, so we can celebrate his win with him.