Castellania pays homage to its foremost Champion, the "Campionissimo". Today, Castellania, a town in the province of Alessandria that saw the birth of Fausto Coppi, inaugurated the statue of the cyclist. It is a bronze statue created for the 1960 Rome Olympics by artist Volterrano Volterrani.

The initiative, promoted by the Fausto and Serse Coppi Association of Castellaria, led by Claudio Pesci, was possible thanks to the receptiveness of CONI, which conceded as a free loan to the Municipality the use of the sculpture.

The inauguration occurred with the presence of Giovanni Malagò, President of CONI, and Alberto Miglietta, Managing Director of Coni Services, together with His Excellency Vittorio Viola, Bishop of Tortona, the children of the "Campionissimo", Marina and Fausto, and Sergio Vallenzona, Mayor of Castellania.

The statue, once on display in front of the Rome Velodrome, has remained in Eur's warehouses for a long time. "We managed to overcome many problems and to bring this important work of art to its natural home", said the President of CONI, Giovanni Malagò,  "It took five years to get all the authorisations, including the one from the Monuments and Fine Arts Office, to bring the work of art back to its splendour and display it in the town that Fausto Coppi made famous."

"Sport has always been my addiction", added Malagò, "and my father is a great fan of Coppi.  He always told me that, whatever I did in life, I should always have only one idol: Fausto Coppi, an athlete that was and is unique in the world". In Castellania, the President of CONI also visited the mausoleum dedicated to the cycling champion.