On July 22, Giovanni Battaglin turned 69. The Italian marked the occasion with the release of his new memoir, 48 Days, which will be released on August 1. Specifically, the 48 days are divided between April 21 and June 7, 1981.

These 48 days saw the highlights of Battaglin's career as a professional cyclist. He won both the Vuelta a España and the Giro d'Italia with Italy's Inoxplan.

His new book details the full story of his double Grand Tour win and highlights of his extensive career.

"The project of writing a book about these 48 days and 7,500 km in the saddle has been in my mind for several years," Battaglin said.

He is one of only three people to win the Giro and Vuelta in a single season, along with Eddy Merckx, who achieved the feat in 1973, and Alberto Contador in 2008. He is also one of 10 riders to stand on the Grand Tour podium twice in one season, but no rider has matched Battaglin's brief period of double victories.

1981 was a unique year in that the Giro began just three days after the end of the Vuelta, which had been held in April until it was moved to the fall in 1995 to avoid direct competition.

Coincidentally, in 2020, due to an unprecedented mass postponement, the Giro and Vuelta will overlap on a compact calendar, with the two Grand Tours and Paris-Roubaix clashing.

And 48 days will be available starting August 1, the same day the 2020 season resumes in Strade Bianche, Italy.

For the avid collector, an Edizione Collezionista (collector's edition), signed by Battaglin himself and accompanied by a replica of the 1981 Maglia Rosa made by Castelli with the Inoxplan brand and sponsor logos, will be 150 copies will be available.

The book's foreword features a special appearance by Bataglin's longtime rival and friend, Eddy Merckx. Although Merckx had retired three years earlier and was not present in 1981, the two had faced off many times throughout the 1970s.

"I'm very happy that Eddie is involved in this project," Battaglin explained. 'That's how it was in the peloton when I was racing. There was definitely a strong sense of rivalry, but there was also genuine respect. The riders were fierce competitors on the bike and friends off the bike."

This healthy competition seems to continue in a different way now that both have entered the world of bicycle manufacturing. Officine Battaglin, on the other hand, makes a variety of steel road bikes, including the Power+ EVO, the first to combine a steel frame with an integrated cockpit.