Armando Cougnet

At eighteen, Cougnet began writing for La Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy’s first sports newspaper. In 1902, he became its administrative director, a role he maintained through changes in ownership (1913 and 1922). For two years (1911 and 1912), he was the sole owner of the Gazzetta, and during World War II, he also served as its director (1943–1944).

A passionate cycling enthusiast, he helped organize races created by the Gazzetta, notably Milan–San Remo, which debuted in 1907. He later conceived the idea of organizing a national stage race in Italy. In 1909, he became the patron of the newly founded Giro d’Italia,^[1] managing it until 1948. Cougnet is credited with the idea of dressing the race leader in a different-colored jersey: the pink jersey (maglia rosa), introduced in 1931.^[2] In his later years, he was assisted by the young Vincenzo Torriani.

In addition to being the "father" of the Giro d’Italia, Cougnet played a key role in the success of Dorando Pietri, the marathon runner from Emilia who won the 1908 London Olympics marathon but was later disqualified. Acting as a mix of sports agent and public relations expert, Cougnet organized professional races in the United States that brought Pietri lasting fame and wealth. It’s unclear when they first met, but it was Armando who negotiated with the American side and advised his fellow Reggio native and near-contemporary — as in a telegram dated October 22, 1908, where he wrote: “Be more modest if you want to succeed.”

Their relationship lasted for years, and it’s believed that Cougnet ghostwrote some of Pietri’s more polished letters to newspapers, especially during controversies, a plausible theory, considering Pietri had only completed elementary school.