1946 Giro d'Italia

1946 Giro d'Italia Gino Bartali - 29° Giro d'Italia.jpg Gino Bartali, winner, brought in triumph to Milan 15 June - 7 July 1946 16, including three split stages 3039.5 km 95h 32' 20" Gino Bartali ITA Legnano pink Fausto Coppi ITA Bianchi Vito Ortelli ITA Benotto Gino Bartali ITA Legnano Benotto 1940 1947 The 1946 Giro d'Italia was the 29th edition of the Giro d'Italia, organized and sponsored by the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. The race began on 15 June in Milan with a stage that stretched 185 km 0 on to Turin, finishing back in Milan on 7 July after a 176 km 0 on stage and a total distance covered of 3039.5 km 0 on. The race was won by Gino Bartali of the Legnano team, with fellow Italians Fausto Coppi and Vito Ortelli coming in second and third respectively. Participants List of teams and cyclists in the 1946 Giro d'Italia The 1946 Giro d'Italia was contested by seven teams and six groups.http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=5434&p=1#page/2/mode/1up Le squadre partecipanti Corriere dello Sport 15 June 1946 2 7 July 2013 it The participating teams https://web.archive.org/web/20141223192627/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=5434&p=1 23 December 2014 live Each team consisted of seven riders, while each group was made up of four cyclists. This made the starting peloton total 79 riders.Foot 2011 77 Nearly half of the riders were starting their first edition of the Giro.Foot 2011 77 Of the riders that began the race, only 40 were able to complete the race.http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1946.html 1946 Giro d'Italia Bike Race Info Bill and Carol McGann Dog Ear Publishing 2012-07-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20140227203159/http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1946.html 2014-02-27 live Joseph Magnani became the first American, and by the virtue North American, to compete in the Giro.http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/riderhistories/JosephMagnani.html Joseph Magnani: Illinois Rider Challenged Coppi and Bartali in Giro Bike Race Info Dog Ear Publishing Nye Peter Joffre 29 May 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170529131431/http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/riderhistories/JosephMagnani.html 29 May 2017 live http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/usa-pioneer-joe-magnani/ USA pioneer Joe Magnani Cycling News 28 June 2008 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 29 May 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170529131619/http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/usa-pioneer-joe-magnani/ 29 May 2017 live The peloton was entirely Italian as Italy was technically still at war with most other countries. After having ridden together on Legnano at the last Giro and until World War II halted professional cycling in Italy, Fausto Coppi (Bianchi) and Gino Bartali (Legnano) entered the Giro now on different teams. Coppi started the season in great form and won the Milan–San Remo by over fourteen minutes after riding nearly the whole race alone. Tensions between the two riders elevated after May's Züri-Metzgete, where Bartali asked Coppi to help him to the finish and, if so, he would not contest the race to the line. Coppi agreed, but Bartali attacked as Coppi adjusted his toe straps and won the race, angering Coppi. Together, they were seen as favorites to win the race.https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1946/06/15/page_001.pdf Oggi ha inizio il 29 "Giro d'Italia" it 15 June 1949 1 l'Unità PCI 27 May 2012 Today begins the 29th "Tour of Italy" https://web.archive.org/web/20191026125142/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1946/06/15/page_001.pdf 26 October 2019 live Mario Ricci, Adolfo Leoni, Aldo Bini, and Glauco Servadei also received consideration as riders to win the opening stage. Vito Ortelli was another other main contenders for the race win. In interview with the Unione Velocipedistica Italiana president Borroni, Bartali stated that he only wanted to ride the Giro in order to get granted permission to ride the Tour de Suisse. Fermo Camellini and Oreste Conte received attention as threats to win the race. A notable exclusion was Fiorenzo Magni who was not allowed to participate due to a suspension by the UVI.Magni N The exact reason for Magni's suspension is unknown, but thought to be either due to his allegiance to the Italian Fascists,Foot 2011 76 while others believe he had been caught riding under another name.Foot 2011 182–3 The squads entering the race were: Trade teams 20em Benotto 1946 BIA 1946 Legnano Olmo Viscontea 1946 Welter 1946 Wilier 1946 Groups 20em Milan-Gazzetta V. C. Bustese Fronte Della Gioventu'-Duluz Enal-Campari Azzini-Freni Universal Centro Sportivo Italiano Route and stages The Italian Cycling Federation announced on 7 December 1945 that several of bike races would be return the following season including the likes of the Giro, Giro di Lombardia, Milan–San Remo, and more.http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,2/articleid,0013_01_1945_0120_0002_13879845/anews,true/ Il congresse della F.C.I. it 6 December 1945 2 La Nuova Stampa Editrice La Stampa 22 June 2012 The F.C.I. congresshttp://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=7373&p=1&c=1#page/2/mode/1up Osvaldo Ferrari Risorge l'Unione Velocipedistica Italiana Corriere dello Sport 8 December 1945 1 & 2 7 July 2019 it The Italian Velocipedistica Union rises again https://web.archive.org/web/20191015055950/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=7373&p=1&c=1 15 October 2019 live The significance of the restart was noted by a l'Unità writer who wrote: "... this Giro makes the idea of unity of our nation concrete..."Foot 2011 74 The paper even took to referring it as the Giro della Rinascita (en Tour of Rebirth).McConnon McConnon 2012 172 Cities in Italy submitted requests to be hosts for the stages of the Giro by 28 January 1946.http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5308&p=1&c=1#page/1/mode/1up Quali sono le tappe del Giro d'Italia? Corriere dello Sport 20 February 1946 1 7 July 2013 it What are the stages of the Giro d'Italia? https://web.archive.org/web/20191015063230/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5308&p=1&c=1 15 October 2019 live As planning started, there were problems that arose:http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5312&p=1&c=1 Le difficolta logistiche sovrastano tutti i problemi del prossimo Giro d'Italia Corriere dello Sport 3 February 1946 1 7 July 2013 it "The logistical difficulties dominate all the problems of the next Giro d'Italia" https://web.archive.org/web/20191015064007/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5312&p=1&c=1 15 October 2019 live as the bombing from the war had destroyed bridges and roads significantly.Foot 2011 74 The damages to the railroad system and the southern roads in particular, limited the Giro to the land north of Naples.Foot 2011 76 A main concern of race organizers was the date of the Italian elections, which was announced to be on 2 June by the Council of Ministers.http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5351&p=1&c=1#page/1/mode/1up Il Giro d'Italia si iniziera il 15 giugno Corriere dello Sport 14 March 1946 1 7 July 2013 it The Giro d'Italia will begin on June 15th https://web.archive.org/web/20191015183159/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5351&p=1&c=1#page/1/mode/1up 15 October 2019 live To avoid overlapping with the election, on 13 March the event was announced, and that it would start on 15 June and end on 7 July. The route was fully revealed on 11 April.http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5378&p=1&c=1%23page/2/mode/1up Giro d'Italia Corriere dello Sport 12 April 1946 1 & 2 7 July 2013 it Tour of Italy https://web.archive.org/web/20191015185419/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5378&p=1&c=1%23page%2F2%2Fmode%2F1up 15 October 2019 live The route was viewed to be largely symbolic in nature as it visited sites that were related to events from the First and Second World Wars like Trento, Bassano del Grappa, and Piave.Foot 2011 76 Pope Pius XII wrote to La Gazzetta dello Sport and mentioned he would offer an audience if the race were to pass through Rome, which the organizers obliged and the riders had the opportunity to meet the Pope.Foot 2011 77 The day before the race started, organizers announced the stage from Rovigo to the Allied controlled Trieste could not finish in Trieste and its finish would be moved to Vittorio Veneto.Foot 2011 85–6 Trieste was then under British and American control as Italy and Yugoslavia disputed the land.Foot 2011 81–2 This decision caused controversy both within Trieste and across Italy and the government soon began to negotiate for a finish in Trieste.Foot 2011 86 After the race had started, on 22 June, the Allied Military Command announced that the originally planned finish in Trieste would be allowed.Foot 2011 86 + Stage characteristics and resultshttps://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1946/06/14/page_002.pdf Le tappe del Giro d'Italia it 14 June 1949 2 l'Unità PCI 27 May 2012 The stages of the Tour of Italy https://web.archive.org/web/20191026124210/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1946/06/14/page_002.pdf 26 October 2019 live StageDateCourseDistanceTypeWinner115 JuneMilan to Turin 185 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Giordano Cottur ITA216 JuneTurin to Genoa 190 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Antonio Bevilacqua ITA317 JuneGenoa to Montecatini Terme 222 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Stage with mountain(s) Adolfo Leoni ITA18 June Rest day4a19 JuneMontecatini Terme to Prato 30 km 0 on 20px|link= Individual time trial Antonio Bevilacqua ITA4bPrato to Bologna 112 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Stage with mountain(s) Fausto Coppi ITA5a20 JuneBologna to Cesena 80 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Olimpio Bizzi ITA5bCesena to Ancona 128 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Aldo Bini ITA21 June Rest day622 JuneAncona to Chieti 170 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Vito Ortelli ITA723 JuneChieti to Naples 244 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Stage with mountain(s) Mario Ricci ITA24 June Rest day825 JuneNaples to Rome 226 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Elio Bertocchi ITA926 JuneRome to Perugia 191 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Aldo Baito ITA1027 JunePerugia to Florence 165 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Renzo Zanazzi ITA28 June Rest day1129 JuneFlorence to Rovigo 245 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Oreste Conte ITA1230 JuneRovigo to Trieste 132 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Stage Cancelled1 July Rest day132 JulyUdine to Auronzo di Cadore 124.5 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Stage with mountain(s) Fausto Coppi ITA143 JulyAuronzo di Cadore to Bassano del Grappa 203 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Stage with mountain(s) Fausto Coppi ITA4 July Rest day155 JulyBassano del Grappa to Trento 186 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Stage with mountain(s) Aldo Ronconi ITA16a6 JulyTrento to Verona 90 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Oreste Conte ITA16bVerona to Mantua 72 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Elio Bertocchi ITA177 JulyMantua to Milan 176 km 0 on 22px|link=|alt=Plain stage Oreste Conte ITA Total 3039.5 km 0 on Race overview The twelfth leg of the race started at 6:25 am local time.Foot 2011 86 British radio (A.I.S.) stated that a large trunk was placed on the road two kilometers after Pieris, on the border of Venezia Giulia.http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5450&p=1&c=1#page/1/mode/1up La versione nella trasmissione della radio inglese Corriere dello Sport 1 July 1946 1 7 July 2013 it The version in the English radio broadcast https://web.archive.org/web/20200502122301/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5450&p=1&c=1 2 May 2020 live Stones were thrown at the riders and the local police followed the race and dispersed the crowds. Shots were fired and the police responded, which led to people hiding in the bushes shooting upon the police and them retaliating until the crowd and the shooters dispersed. The cyclists met to determine if they would still ride, some rode to Udine, while others rode to Miramare reached the Montebello race course by bicycle. The race jury released a statement stated that an unexpected event happened where stones were thrown at riders, along with nails and other obstacles being placed in the road.http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5450&p=1&c=1#page/1/mode/1up Il comunicato ufficiale Corriere dello Sport 1 July 1946 1 7 July 2013 it The official press release https://web.archive.org/web/20200502122301/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5450&p=1&c=1 2 May 2020 live The same time was awarded to all the riders. After a long pause in action, the riders continued to race to Trieste's finish, in the Montebello hippodrome for the stage victory. The start of the stage from Udine to Auronzo was moved to Tuesday. Trieste's Giro d'Italia committee announced that no riders had been seriously injured. Marangonni and Pasquini had abrasions and could continue racing. Classification leadership The leader of the general classification – calculated by adding the stage finish times of each rider – wore a pink jersey. This classification is the most important of the race, and its winner is considered as the winner of the Giro.Laura Weislo http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/giro08/?id=/features/2008/giro_classifications08 Giro d'Italia classifications demystified 13 May 2008 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 13 July 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130508234448/http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/giro08/?id=/features/2008/giro_classifications08 8 May 2013 live There were no time bonuses in 1946.van den Akker 2023 68 A similar classification to the general classification was the "aggruppati" classification which was calculated in the same fashion as the general classification, but it was excluse to the riders competing from groups rather than teams, and its leader wore a white jersey.van den Akker 2023 62 In the mountains classification, the race organizers selected different mountains that the route crossed and awarded points to the five riders who crossed them first.van den Akker 2023 88 The winner of the team classification was determined by adding the finish times of the best three cyclists per team together and the team with the lowest total time was the winner.http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=4078&p=1&c=1#page/2/mode/1up L'ultima tappa in una immensa cornice di folla e la vittoria di Leoni 10 June 1940 Il Littoriale 2 7 July 2013 it The final step in a huge frame of the crowd and the victory of Leoni https://web.archive.org/web/20140514070849/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=4077&p=1&c=1#page/1/mode/1up 14 May 2014 livevan den Akker 2023 80 If a team had fewer than three riders finish, they were not eligible for the classification. The group classification was decided in the same manner, but the classification was exclusive to the competing groups.van den Akker 2023 62 There was a black jersey (maglia nera) awarded to the rider placed last in the general classification. The classification was calculated in the same manner as the general classification. The rows in the following table correspond to the jerseys awarded after that stage was run. + Classification leadershiphttps://web.archive.org/web/20240725064106/https://www.tourdefrancestatistieken.nl/giro.php?jaar=1946 25 July 2024 https://www.tourdefrancestatistieken.nl/giro.php?jaar=1946 tourdefrancestatistieken.nl Informatie over de Giro d'Italia van 1946 Stage WinnerGeneral classification25px|link=|alt=Best Group rider classification25px|link=|alt=Mountains classificationLast in General classification25px|link=|alt=Team classificationGroup classification 1 Giordano Cottur Giordano Cottur Enzo Coppini not awarded Mario Spinazzi Wilier-Triestina multiple shared 2 Antonio Bevilacqua Antonio Bevilacqua Egidio Marangoni Elio Bertocchi Milan-Gazzetta 3 Adolfo Leoni Serse Coppi Enal Campari 4a Antonio Bevilacqu ? 4b Fausto Coppi Fermo Camellini Salvatore Crippa Gino Bartali 5a Olimpio Bizzi Legnano 5b Aldo Bini Severino Canavesi 6 Vito Ortelli 7 Mario Ricci Vito Ortelli 8 Elio Bertocchi Enea Antolini 9 Aldo Baito Antonio Giauna 10 Renzo Zanazzi Leopoldo Ricci 11 Oreste Conte Luigi Malabrocca Wilier-Triestina 12 Stage Cancelled 13 Fausto Coppi Gino Bartali Benotto 14 Fausto Coppi Bianchi Fronte Della Gioventu Dulux 15 Aldo Ronconi Benotto 16a Oreste Conte 16b Elio Bertocchi 17 Oreste Conte Final Gino Bartali Salvatore Crippa Gino Bartali Luigi Malabrocca Benotto Fronte Della Gioventu Dulux Final standings Legend   20px|alt=A pink jersey   Denotes the winner of the General classification   20px|link=|alt=White jersey   Denotes the best grouped rider General classification + Final general classification (1–10)http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5457&p=1&c=1 Il Giro d'Italia Corriere dello Sport 8 July 1946 2 7 July 2013 it The Tour of Italy https://web.archive.org/web/20190429221025/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&f=5457&p=1&c=1 29 April 2019 liveRankNameTeamTime 1 Gino Bartali ITA 20px|link=General classification in the Giro d'Italia|alt=Pink jersey Legnano 95h 32' 20" 2 Fausto Coppi ITA Bianchi + 47" 3 Vito Ortelli ITA Benotto + 15' 28" 4 Salvatore Crippa ITA 20px|link=|alt=White jersey ENAL-Campari + 15' 31" 5 Aldo Ronconi ITA Benotto + 24' 31" 6 Giulio Bresci ITA Welter + 27' 35" 7 Ezio Cecchi ITA Centro Sportivo Italiano + 37' 58" 8 Giordano Cottur ITA Wilier Triestina + 38' 28" 9 Alfredo Martini ITA Welter + 39' 54" 10 Primo Volpi ITA Velo Club Bustese + 43' 12" Mountains classification + Final mountains classification (1–6)http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,1/articleid,0040_01_1946_0158_0001_24623154/ Aspra lotta sui monti e appassionante finale di gara it 6 July 1946 1 La Stampa Editrice La Stampa 22 June 2012 Bitter struggle over the mountains and exciting final raceRankNameTeamPoints 1 Gino Bartali ITA 20px|link=General classification in the Giro d'Italia|alt=Pink jersey Legnano 27 2 Fausto Coppi ITA Bianchi 20 3 Vito Ortelli ITA Benotto 17 4 Aldo Ronconi ITA Benotto 8 5 Serse Coppi ITA Bianchi 5 Ezio Cecchi ITA Centro Sportivo Italiano 6 Giordano Cottur ITA Wilier Triestina 4 Group rider classification + Final Group rider classification (1–10)RankNameTeamTime 1 Salvatore Crippa ITA 1861 20px|link=|alt=White jerseyENAL–Campari 95h 47' 51" 2 Ezio Cecchi ITA 1861Centro Sportivo Italiano + 22' 27" 3 Primo Volpi ITA 1861V. C. Bustese + 27' 42" 4 Aldo Baito ITA 1861V. C. Bustese + 28' 44" 5 Serafino Biagioni ITA 1861Fronte Della Gioventu'-Duluz + 31' 25" 6 Bruno Pasquini ITA 1861Milan-Gazzetta + 35' 46" 7 Enzo Coppini ITA 1861Fronte Della Gioventu'-Duluz + 43' 20" 8 Diego Marabelli ITA 1861ENAL–Campari + 46' 31" 9 Augusto Introzzi ITA 1861Azzini-Freni Universal + 1h 2' 32" 10 Andrea Giacometti ITA 1861 Fronte Della Gioventu'-Duluz + 1h 14' 47" Team classification + Final team classification (1-5)https://web.archive.org/web/20250208225457/https://www.tourdefrancestatistieken.nl/giroak.php?jaar=1946 8 February 2025 https://www.tourdefrancestatistieken.nl/giroak.php?jaar=1946 tourdefrancestatistieken.nl Informatie over het ploegenklassement in de Giro van 1946TeamTime 1 Benotto 288h 55' 43" 2 Welter + 33' 05" 3 Bianchi + 33' 07" 4 Wilier-Triestina + 58' 24" 5 Legnano + 1h 15' 36" Group classification + Final group classification (1-4)TeamTime 1 Fronte Della Gioventu Dulux 289h 53' 05" 2 Velo Club Bustese + 3' 54" 3 Enal Campari + 24' 00" 4 Milan-Gazzetta + 3h 34' 21" Aftermath Bartali after the victory, stated "I had become Ginettaccio, but 'Giant of the Mountain' was a nickname no one would yet take away."McConnon McConnon 2012 172 References Footnotes N Citations 30em Bibliography Foot John Pedalare! Pedalare! Bloomsbury Publishing 2011 https://books.google.com/books?id=eGBRfzR_onUC 978-1-4088-1755-1 McConnon Aili McConnon Andres Road to Valour: Gino Bartali – Tour De France Legend and World War Two Hero https://books.google.com/books?id=DrBzPgAACAAJ 2012 Weidenfeld & Nicolson London 978-0-297-85999-4 van den Akker Pieter Giro d'Italia, Rules and Statistics 2023 979-8863173719 1946 Giro d'Italia 1 8 9 17 1946 Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia