Bartali remains one of cycling's most heroic riders, and was fabled to be the second most popular man at the time in Italy after Benito Mussolini, the leader of Italy's fascist party, following his first Tour de France win in 1938
Bartali who was a devout Christian, continued his long training rides, bordering on daily audaxes around northern Italy. Later he was given a job to do by the Cardinal of Florence, the Archbishop Elia Dalla Costa.
Until 1943, Italy was a safe place for Jewish people until the Nazis began operating in the northern regions and sending them, as well as those who fought against the regime, to concentration camps. Bartali joined the underground Assisi Network run by the Catholic church, which protected those at risk.
On his long training rides he would deliver false identity documents in the handlebars and seatpost of his bike to families across Italy from a secret printing press, enabling them to escape their fate, in turn saving the lives of at least 800 people.
On occasion he was stopped and questioned by the secret fascist police, but since he was high profile - the equivalent of Chris Froome or Bradley Wiggins meandering solo on their bikes around rural areas in the UK - most were hesitant to thoroughly search him and his bike, fearing possible repercussions.
He asked that it not be touched as to disrupt his aerodynamic set-up, thus never revealing the real mission of his long rides.
Not only did Bartali deliver documents, but he harboured his Jewish friend Giacomo Goldenberg and his family in his home with his wife. It was risky business - anyone caught doing such a thing would be killed