Fabrizio Macchi

Fabrizio Macchi had his left leg amputated when he was 16 due to a tumour and yet has gone on to become one of Italy’s finest cyclists.

Four years after his operation, he broke the hour record with a distance of 38.53 km, only 10 less than that of able-bodied cyclists. He won a Silver Medal in the time trials at the 2002 World Championships, Gold in the time trials at the 2006 Panamerican Games and Bronze at the 2004 Athens Paralympics.

But Fabrizio is an all round sportsman, has achieved honours in many other sports such as ski slalom, rowing, javelin, long jump and track in addition to his prolific cycling career.