bartali's feat of winning three consecutive mountain stages (13, 14 and 15) in the 1948 tour de france has never been equaled. it is one of the most astonishing accomplishments in the history of road cycling. it would be 50 years before anyone again won three consecutive stages, when italian cyclist mario cipollini did so in the early (flat) stages of the 1999 tour de france, winning four consecutive sprint finishes in stages 4, 5, 6 and 7.