Arnaldo Benfenati was an Italian cyclist who first starting winning races prior to and in the early years of World War II. Benfenati resumed competing after the war and in 1947 won the Italian amateur pursuit title and then on the road won the Liberation Grand Prix in Roma. Chosen for the Paris World Championships in the individual pursuit, he won the title by beating the Uruguayan Atilio François in the final. In 1948 Benfenati won the national title in Padova by beating Anselmo Citterio and the Olympic silver medal in London in the team pursuit behind France.
Turning pro in 1949, Benfenati had little success in the peloton, racing professionally only one year as he retired in 1950 following a crash that occurred in a race in Barcelona. Benfenati was awarded the Gold Medal of the Italian Olympic Committee for his cycling achievements.
Italy