PEZZOS RETIREMENT?MAY 1
PEZZO?S RETIREMENT?MAY 1
Mountain Bike Action was informed by Paola Pezzo that she will not be racing on the World Cup circuit in this year’s edition. She only attended the Napa World Cup to sign autographs and display the 24-karat-gold coated bike Fisher had made her. MBA spoke to Paola who has won two Olympic mountain biking gold medals for womens division. Later, she told us that her plans to race in the World Cup series were not in place. We are waiting to see if her attendance at Big Bear for the NORBA series kickoff weekend on June 1-3. She did not mention the World Championships and the NORBA race series.
Please take the time to see her bike. Pezzos bike frame for this year was covered with gold leaf, a thinner-than-tissue-paper sheet of gold, that was more or less glued in place over a regular frame, one small section at a time. To protect the gold leaf from the elements, a clear coat was applied. The coating, which is thinner than paint and weighs almost as much as gold leaf, is applied to protect the bike from the elements. It is yet to be determined if Paolas will be racing it this season.
We inquired at Fisher about the people who had the idea for the bike in gold. We were told by Fisher that Paola had told them she wanted gold for her 2001 color scheme and clothing. She has previously chosen pink and silver themes for her wardrobe and bike in the past. Fisher was the one who decided to cover the bike in real gold and hired a jeweler.
