Ciao, Claudio

The life and times of the late Claudio Castiglioni were celebrated in Varese, Italy recently with a massive turnout of enthusiasts on all sorts of motorcycles. A giant of the Italian industrial and racing scene, Claudio rescued and revived brands such as Ducati, Aermacchi, Husqvarna, Cagiva and especially, MV Agusta. In the courtyard of the MV factory in Varese, a luscious display of bikes was assembled, including Eddie Lawson’s 500 Cagiva, the Elefant that dominated the early Paris-Dakar, and numerous prototypes and significant production models. Giacomo Agostini and Marco Lucchinelli, both synonymous with the Castiglioni brands, were present, along with fans from as far away as USA and Australia. One lucky man took home a brand new MV Agusta Rivale 800 which was first prize in a lottery with proceeds to the European Oncology Institute.