Multiple Italian Motorcycle Champion. Tommaso Omobono Tenni was born in Tirano, Lombardy, Italy. At the age of 15 he and his family moved to Treviso where he became an apprentice in a motorcycle workshop. Four years later he opened his own workshop and began motorcycle racing. Although he won his first race whilst still a teenager, it wasn't until his club members contributed enough money for him to buy a Velocette that in 1931 he gained a 3rd place in the Italian Grand Prix followed by a victory in the GP Reale of Rome. The following year he beat Ghersi, Moto Guzzi's star rider, and was picked for their team for the following year. During the next few years, he won the Italian Championship many times as well as becoming the first Italian to win an Isle of Man TT, the Lightweight in 1937. He received serious injuries in 1938 and 1940 then the War intervened. He returned to racing after the War setting fastest lap in the 1948 IoM TT before mechanical problems intervened. Between 1933 to 1948 he gained 47 victories for Moto Guzzi. In the late Thirties he dabbled with motor racing driving for Maserati; his highlight was a 5th place in the daunting 1936 Mille Miglia. During practise for the 1948 Swiss GP at Bremgarten, he crashed with fatal results. He was a local hero at Treviso and flowers were scattered in front of his funeral cortege on the way to a service at the Treviso Cathedral.
Multiple Italian Motorcycle Champion. Tommaso Omobono Tenni was born in Tirano, Lombardy, Italy. At the age of 15 he and his family moved to Treviso where he became an apprentice in a motorcycle workshop. Four years later he opened his own workshop and began motorcycle racing. Although he won his first race whilst still a teenager, it wasn't until his club members contributed enough money for him to buy a Velocette that in 1931 he gained a 3rd place in the Italian Grand Prix followed by a victory in the GP Reale of Rome. The following year he beat Ghersi, Moto Guzzi's star rider, and was picked for their team for the following year. During the next few years, he won the Italian Championship many times as well as becoming the first Italian to win an Isle of Man TT, the Lightweight in 1937. He received serious injuries in 1938 and 1940 then the War intervened. He returned to racing after the War setting fastest lap in the 1948 IoM TT before mechanical problems intervened. Between 1933 to 1948 he gained 47 victories for Moto Guzzi. In the late Thirties he dabbled with motor racing driving for Maserati; his highlight was a 5th place in the daunting 1936 Mille Miglia. During practise for the 1948 Swiss GP at Bremgarten, he crashed with fatal results. He was a local hero at Treviso and flowers were scattered in front of his funeral cortege on the way to a service at the Treviso Cathedral.
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