The "Corriere dei Piccoli" CHILDREN magazine offered a number of cycling games during the sixties. As far as I know, these include (but there might be more):

a) 1961 (july 2nd): "Il Gioco del Tour". Game on the inside of the magazine.

b) 1962 (may 20th) : "Campioni e Gregari". Game on the cover of the magazine.

c) 1962 (june 24th): "Fabie e Pedali". Game on the cover of the magazine

d) 1962 (september 23rd): "Il Vigorelli". Game on the cover of the magazine.

e) 1964, nº 21 (may 24th): "Il Gioco del Giro". Game on the cover of the magazine.

f) 1964, nº 36 (september 6th): "I Campionati Mondiali di Ciclismo". Game on the cover of the magazine.

g) 1966, nº 35 (august 28th): "Campionati mondiali di ciclismo". Game on the inside of the magazine. (It is exactly the same "Il Vigorelli" game offered in 1962). Non-related cut-up cycling figures on the cover.

h) 1967, nº 35 (august 27th). "Campionati mondiali di ciclismo". Game on the inside of the magazine. Non-related cut-up cycling figures on the cover.

i) 1969, nº 28 (july 13). "Il Giro di Francia". Game on the inside of the magazine. Non related cycling drawing on the cover.

CdP also offered cut-up cycling figures on at least 10 other issues of the magazine. My friend Donato Pompei (the maker of "I Corridori") is the one you should contact if you want to know more.

 

          

         

         

 

 

TRACK CYCLING GAMES

IL VIGORELLI

Game offered with the september 23rd, 1962, issue, as the cover of the magazine. It was titled "Il Vigorelli" after Milano's famous velodrome. It was inclided again in the inside pages of august 28th, 1966, issue, this time called "Il Gioco Dei Campionati Mondiali su Pista".

 

IL VIGORELLI We are presented with a nice track of 90 squares and eleven riders, and the possibility to play two races: Sprint and Team Pursuit. We will also need a deck of cards. a)      VELOCITÀ (Sprint) Any number of players can take part, but a second deck of cards will be needed if there are more than two players (er… not really: that’s what the rules say, but they also say that you reshuffle the cards when all have been played). The players draw one card at a time and then play it. Any number between two and seven advances the rider the number of squares shown in the card. Red FIGURES are bonuses (one, two or three extra squares, plus redraw). Black FFF are minuses (one, two or three squares backwards, but redraw nevertheless). Some cards (aces and kings of hearts and spades) are bonuses or minuses of  5 (kings) or even 10 (aces) squares. The length of the race can be of one or more laps. b)      INSEGUIMIENTO A SQUADRE (Team Pursuit) Game for two players. Each team has four riders marke with hearts, clubs, diamonts and spades. The four riders of each team start on the same square, each team starting at opposite ends of the tracks. Again, the players draw one card at a time and then play it. Any number between two and seven advances all the riders in the team rider the number of squares shown in the card. Queen and king represent a bonus of two or three squares for all the team plus redraw. Aces represent 10 extra squares for the rider of the same suit. Js (valets) represent a penalty of 10 squares backwards for the rider of the same suit. The winner is the first team to have two riders that complete one lap.

 

I CAMPIONATI MONDIALI DI CICLISMO by G. Crepax

This one was offered on september 6th, 1964. AT CDP, they were not original with the names of the games, but they were with the rules. With all its simplicity, the "Velocità" (Sprint) race included here is one of the best track cycling games ever.

I CAMPIONATI MONDIALI DI CICLISMO by G. Crepax We have a track of 30 squares, 18 cyclists plus 9 teams composed of a cyclist and a derny. One regular D6 die is needed. We have two different races, Sprint and Motor Pacing. a)      VELOCITÀ (Sprint) This race is run by two cyclists. (18 riders are provided, though: a tournament is played in different legs). Both riders start at the same square and the race will last one lap. Who goes first is drawn by lot. The rider ahead always throws first and is at disadvantage. If the number thrown is even, the cyclist is advanced the full number shown on the die. If the number is odd, though, it is not necessary to advance the full number. A rider may even stay “sur place” (no advance), trying to be overtaken by the other rider. If both cyclists end their turn on the same square, the rider who was first has the right to play second. The second rider may double his move at any moment in the race, to start the final sprint. From this moment on, all numbers shown in the dice will be doubled (for both riders) until the end of the race. The winner is the one who goes further past the finishing line (the turn has to be completed). In the case of a tie, an extra turn is thrown. According to the rules, the race could be run by three riders. Unfortunately, “for the sake of simplicity”, only the rules for two riders are explained. b)       MEZZO FONDO A MOTORE (Motor Pacing) The lenght of the race is decided beforehand, preferably 4 to 8 laps. Any number of teams (composed of a cyclist and a derny) can take part in the race (9 are provided). The cyclists are placed one after the other (in consecutive squares of the board, starting on the square behind the red line). The dernys are all placed on the square behind the yellow line. Phase 1: The race start with the dernys. In this part of the game they move with a single throw of the die (the player ahead moves first all through the game). Phase 2: Eventually the dernys overtake their teammates. At this moment, the derny will stop and wait for the cyclist to couple with it. The next throw of the die is for the cyclists who will try to place himself just behind the derny (if the throw is too high, the pips in excess are neglected). Phase 3: When the cyclist and the derny are coupled, the move is as follows: The dice is thrown twice for the movement of the derny. The player decides if he wants to use the complete throw or less. Then he throws the die once more (just once), he adds seven to the result and moves the rider that number of squares or less, leaving coupled with the derny. If the cyclist loses contact with the derny, the latter stops and the cyclist will have to move with just one throw of the die (as in phase 2) until he catches the derny. To win the race the team must cross the finishing line coupled. (The rules fail to state, though, what happens if the first team to cross the line has lost contact).

 

 

I CAMPIONATI DEL MONDO DI CICLISMO by Piero Savi and Gioia

Offered inside the august 27th, 1967, magazine, this is the last game appeared with the Corriere dei Piccoli, as far as I know.

 

I CAMPIONATI DEL MONDO DI CICLISMO by Piero Savi and Gioia The track has thirty squares again. We have a custom dice which is not used to advance the riders but to win counters. The counters are red (=more energy); yellow (= descent/sprint); and blue (=burst of speed). At the beginning of any race each rider receives three red counters and three blue counters. When a rider falls on one of the darker squares in the curves, he must throw the special die. He receive the counters marked on the die. Nevertheless, if the die shows the side marked “advance three squares” (actually, it should be marked but it is not: it is the blank side, of course), he must do so. The movement of the riders is not controlled by the trow of dice. Instead, riders move one or two squares (at the player’s choice) in each movement. Furthermore they can add two extra squares (for a total move of 3 or 4) by adding a red counter and 2 more extra squares (for a total of 5 or 6) by adding a blue counter on top of the red counter. The yellow counters can only be played for the external part of the curves, on which the rider will have arrived on the previous move (notice that the external part of the curve is never dark. A rider who climbs there loses his right to throw the die). By adding a yellow counter, the move is doubled. A yellow counter can be added to any of the previous combinations of counters for a move of 4 (just a yellow counter), 8 (red and yellor counters) or 12 (red, blue and yellow counters) squares.  With this mechanics, 4 different races are offered to play: a) VELOCITA (Sprint)       For two riders. Who goes first is drawn by lot. The competition consists of two (or three) races of two laps each. (Each race is started with three bleu and three red counters. In the second race the starting order is reversed and the third race is only necessary in the case of a tie. The winner is the first to cross the finishing line (the turn is not completed). b) INSEGUIMENTO (Pursuit) For two riders. Three laps. Each rider starts at one side of the track. If a rider catches the other, the race ends immediately. c) TRAGUARDI (Points) For any number of cyclists (though only five are provided). Ten laps. Points are awarded at the end of the even laps (5 pts to the first, 3 pts to the second, 1 pt to the third). Points are double in the final lap. Riders do not stop until the end of the race. d) ELIMINAZIONE (Elimination) For any number of riders. The last to cross the line at each lap is out of the race.

 

STAGE RACES

IL GIOCO DEL TOUR

Game offered on 1961, june 2nd. It was the first of the series.

 

IL GIOCO DEL TOUR A game for two to six players. The six riders are divided between the players (it must be therefore difficult to play for 4 or 5 players). The game uses a custom dice 123CFG where C, F and G (Caduta –fall-, Foratura –puncture-, Guasto –avería-) are equivalent The race is composed of 21 stages of three squares each. For every stage, all riders are placed at the beginning of the stage. Then each rider throws the dice in his turn and advances the number displayed. If he throws G, F or C he loses on point on the overall classment (he may not go under zero points, nevertheless), and he rethrows. When a rider reaches the end of the stage, all the other riders complete their turn and the stage ends. Every rider advances so many points in the overall classment as squares has completed during the stage (never more than three), and the next stage begins. Two of the stages are a time trial. The rider who wins one of those gets three extra points (it is not specified what happens in case of a tie). There are three mountains on the board (two of them in the same stage in the Pyrenées!). Three points are awarded to any rider who falls on these squares. On the other hand, there are three penalties (marked with red arrows) on the board. One point is lost by any rider who falls on them. The winner, of course, is the one with most points when the riders reach Paris.

 

 

IL GIOCO DEL GIRO by Piero Savi

Game offered on 1964, may 24th. Different stages can be built with the road segments. Two custom dice are used for this one.
 

 

IL GIOCO DEL GIRO by Piero Savi A game for two to five players. There is no board but 30 road segments are offered to build different stages. Two custom dice are provided. The game is very simple. The riders throw the white die. If the result matches the road they are on (pianura=flat, salita=uhphill, discesa=downhill, tutto= all) the rider advances one space. If the die shows a question mark, then the green die must be thrown. With the green die you may advance two or three squares, you may miss next turn (caduta –fall-, foratura –puncture, or penalità –disgrace) or you may join the rider in front of you (“raggiunge il corridore che lo precede”). The first rider to arrive to the last square of the stage is the winner. All the riders who finish the stage in the same turn score the same time (0 seconds) in this stage. Every additional turn is one second. For time trial stages the number of turns represent the number of seconds spent. The winner, of course, is the cyclist with less seconds at the end of the Giro.

 

IL GIOCO DEL GIRO DI FRANCIA by Piero Savi

Game offered on 1969, july 3rd.

 

IL GIOCO DEL GIRO DI FRANCIA by Piero Savi This Tour consists of 9 stages, 2 of which are them trial (a mountain time-trial and a flat one). At the beginning of each stage all riders are placed on the squared line. Each rider, in his turn, throws a regular D6. If the number is featured on the following square, he moves. If it is not, he stays. Exception, If the number thrown is a 6 and the stage is not a time trial, then the movement is according to the 6-table: 1,2=puncture, miss next turn; 3=join the rider in front of you; 4,5=advance 1 in flat land or uphill, advance 2 in descent; 6=stay where you are. During time trial stages a 6 is just a 6 (and since there is no sixes in any squares, throwing a six means staying). The winner of the stage is the firs to reach the last sqare of the stage. The other riders qualify in order of arrival. Each stage awards 10 points to the winner, 5 pts to the second and 1 pt to the third. The rules do not state if the rider throwing first is the rider ahead, or if the turn has to be completed at the end of the stage. They say, however, that if two riders finish the time-trial in the same number of throws, they should be awarded the same number of points in that stage. This is not a tactical game, of course, but it is a cute little kiddies game.

 

 

OTHER GAMES

 

CAMPIONI E GREGARI

Game offered on may 20th, 1962. 

This is just a game of goose, on which you have two riders and the winner is the first to get his second rider across the finishing line. The cyclists featured are Ronchini, Van Looy, Daems, Plankaert, Suarez, Carlesi, Pambianco, Battistini, Baldini, De Filipis, Nencini and Massignan. Probably the least interesting of the CDP cycling games.

FABIE E PEDALI

Game offered on 1962, june 24th.

The weirdest game in the lot. This game translates for “Fables and Pedals” and is what his name says. The rules start with: “Since France is the country of fables, we have thought of a game that unites sport to the fascination of fables”. The game, of course, is just another game of goose.

 

 

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