Arnaldo Carli

Arnaldo Carli formed part of the team pursuit quartet that took the gold medal at Antwerp in 1920, but the Italian victory was all but uncontroversial. In the semi-finals, the Italians faced South Africa. While enjoying a clear lead, the finishing pistol was fired for the South Africans with half a lap to go, and they slowed down. Despite a protest, the Italians continued to the final. One of their British opponents, White dropped from the group. The Italians assumed he was trying to interfere with their changeovers, and went wide to avoid him, while a French cyclist ran onto the track to punch White. Eventually, the British won the race narrowly, but now the Italians filed a protest, which was eventually awarded. Carli later turned professional, and twice competed in the Giro d'Italia (1926 and 1931), although he didn't finish on either occasion.