The Italian Duke

Giuliano Maoggi is the man with determination and a cigarette between his teeth on a Ducati Marianna 125cc in one of the most famous images of the Gran Fondo races. This picture was taken in 1956 when Maoggi won overall 1^st place in the “Motogiro d’Italia”, a victory that played a large part in saving Ducati from possible closure. As a result of his look, personality and riding style, Maoggi was nicknamed “il duca italiano” (the Italian duke).

The notoriety of the Italian resistance races was one of the main reasons motorcycling was so popular in Italy in the 1950s. The most famous races were the “Motogiro d’Italia” and the “Milano-Taranto”, two races that crossed the Italian peninsula, allowing people across the country to learn about the people and the motorcycles involved. A triumph in the “Motogiro d’Italia” meant fame for the pilot and increased sales for the motorcycle company. In the mid 1950s, when the Managing Director Of Ducati, Giuseppe Montano, hired the now famous engineer, Fabio Taglioni, it was specifically to make a bike that would win the Motogiro.

Ever since it appeared on the scene in 1955, the Ducati Gran Sport caught the imagination of enthusiasts everywhere. Even Today, the bike remains part of the collective consciousness of the motorcycling world.

The list of its victories is staggering, but this is not enough to explain its fame. The Marianna could probably be described as the aesthetic manifesto of racing machine. It was not designed with styling as an objective. It represents a rare and pure intersection of form and function.

The true history of Ducati sporting began in 1955. Everything that had come before must be considered no more than an appetizer.