Cyclingnews.com — Italian Bibi Ballandi is directing a fictional film based on the life of Marco Pantani, winner of the 1998 Giro d’Italia and Tour de France, who passed away on February 14, 2004. Il Pirata-l’orgoglio ritrovato will star Rolando Ravello as Marco Pantani and will be aired on Italian television this spring.

Filming was underway the this last week in Pantani’s hometown of Cesenatico, where Ballandi was working with his film crew to reproduce the “Pantani Day,” from eight years ago, on August 12th, when Marco Pantani was celebrated after returning from winning the Tour de France. Ravello, dressed in street clothes to resemble Il Pirata, was surrounded by yellow and pink-clad fans for the scene.

“I feel a great responsibility,” said Ravello in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Pantani is not like Bartali or Coppi; his record is still fresh in the eyes of everyone…It is a very delicate story.”

“I was a huge fan of his,” continued Ravello. “For me he was like a rock legend. It was him who made me passionate for cycling.” The main actor described how he played the role of Pantani,”The jacket, the jeans with the pockets, the open shirt…I lowered the cap, I slimmed down, and adopted his posture.”

Ballandi’s film has taught Ravello about cycling and “the experience of pain and love for fatigue. When they would ask Pantani why he went so strong on the climbs he would respond, ‘So the agony will end earlier.’”

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