ABOUT US
For over 130 years with the same passion and desire to innovate
The story of Cicli Olympia is a long and compelling one, the story of a late 19th century company and of a sport that was just beginning, cycling. It all started in 1893, since then every year of experience has represented a piece of knowledge, improvement and passion to be passed down over time.
In the heart of Milan, near Porta Romana, Olympia was founded by Carlo Borghi. At the beginning the company dedicated itself to both bicycles and motorcycles, but cycling soon became its true vocation.
Cycling excites the crowds and Olympia is one of the most acclaimed names: with the famous white jerseys crossed by a black band, Olympia accompanies athletes such as Enrico Mollo, who won second place in the 1940 Giro d’Italia, and Pietro Chiappini, winner of the Milan-Turin in 1941.
Starting in 1959, under the guidance of the Fontana family, Olympia moved to Veneto, where it grew and transformed into a symbol of Italian cycling excellence. Today the company operates in a modern factory in Piove di Sacco (Padua), keeping alive the values that have made it great: love for cycling, technological research and attention to detail. The sporting legacy, fueled by the successes of the official Olympia teams, continues to inspire every new project.
Olympia is not only a historical reality, but a brand projected with great enthusiasm towards the future. The passion for our work, the desire to innovate, are the driving force that guides us every day and that allows us to represent an ideal meeting point between our tradition and modernity, combining excellent performance with an unmistakable style.
Our story
1893
In 1893, Carlo Borghi founded the Olympia brand in Milan.
1938
Italy, 1938 Olympia cycle Specialissimo corsa model, with Vittoria Margherita gear.
A history of excellence in the field of bicycles and also motorcycles.
1959
In 1959 the brand passed into the hands of the Fontana family, who moved production to Veneto. With simple but ambitious intentions, to offer all enthusiasts bikes: reliable, finished with first-rate technological content.
1990
Forerunners in the Off-Road field, always alongside and supporting the best athletes on the national scene and beyond.
OGGI
Among the first to develop top-of-the-range products in the e-mtb world.
Avant-garde, Design and Innovation remain the fundamental characteristics of Olympia’s DNA.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND INITIATIVES
Olympia in competitions: a history studded with successes
Olympia and competition, an inseparable pairing that has endured since the heroic times and that still remains a distinctive feature of our company. From the Giro d’Italia of the 1940s to the XCO World Cup trials of today, races have always represented the most extreme testing ground, where each component is put to the test in conditions of maximum intensity. Furthermore, the race courses are a precious source of feedback for testing new technologies and developing innovative solutions.
Cicli Olympia of modern times has established itself in particular in off-road, understood as mountain biking and cyclocross. It is impossible to list all the successes achieved by the dozens of athletes who have worn our jersey in recent decades.
The splendid seasons we spent alongside Marzio Deho, a true institution of Italian mountain biking, belong to the history of cycling.
The quality of the official Olympia teams is demonstrated by the numerous blue and tricolor jerseys worn by our standard-bearers, in particular the Olympia Factory Team and the Centro Sportivo Carabinieri Olympia. An important chapter was written by the twins Luca and Daniele Braidot. Luca’s seventh place at the Rio Olympics coincided with one of the moments of maximum splendor experienced in recent decades.
We also defended ourselves well in the women’s field thanks to Claudia Peretti, an undisputed protagonist of the international marathon scene in recent years, with two Italian titles and a podium at the European Championship.
The satisfactions achieved in cyclocross were no less. The most emblematic athlete is the Italian elite champion Filippo Fontana, the most authoritative exponent of the discipline in the national field.
Olympia’s commitment to competition will continue with the same enthusiasm as always, because every success in competition is a recognition of the quality of our work and a continuous stimulus to give the best of ourselves. We will see you soon on the competition fields!
