27th Giro d'Italia 1939 (Italy)

 
   
 
By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
 

Valetti Battle Bartali Again

Political turmoil was looming and the turmoil of World War 2 was rapidly closing-in, the organizers of the Giro d'Italia promoted a diminished race. Prizes were reduced and participation was nearly all an Italian start list.

Defending champion Giovanni Valetti took control of the race on stage 6b, the 14 km individual time trial up the famed Monte Terminillo. Valetti beat rival Gino Bartali by 28 seconds and moved into 4th place in the GC, 1’50” ahead of Bartali.

Valetti climbed into the Maglia Rosa on mountain stage 9b. Bartali took the stage win, while Valetti took the race lead from Secundo Magni (Ita).

Bartali regained the race lead in the mountains with an inspired stage win in Trento (Stg.15, two stages before the finish in Milan).

The very next stage featured miserable weather conditions with snow on the mountain passes. Valetti broke away from the Bartali group on the climb of the Aprica and soloed for a brilliant stage win. Valetti's nearly 7 minute time gain on Bartali put him back in the race lead with one stage to go.

An always aggressive Gino Bartali made one last attempt to drop Valetti on the climb of the Madonna di Ghisallo. Giovanni Valetti answered the attack and rode into Milan for the victory.

Stage and Distance

Stage Winner

Race Leader

Stage 1 Milan-Torino, 180 km

Vasco Bergamaschi (Ita)

Vasco Bergamaschi (Ita)

Stage 2 Torino-Genova, 226 km

Gino Bartali (Ita)

Gino Bartali (Ita)

Stage 3 Genova-Pisa, 187 km

Cino Cinelli (Ita)

Cino Cinelli (Ita)

Stage 4 Pisa-Grosseto, 154 km

Carmine Saponetti (Ita)

Cino Cinelli (Ita)

Stage 5 Grosseto-Rome, 222 km

Olimpio Bizzi (Ita)

Cino Cinelli (Ita)

Stage 6a Rome-Rieti, 85 km

Carmine Saponetti (Ita)

Cino Cinelli (Ita)

Stage 6b Rieti-Terminillo, 14 km ITT

Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

Cino Cinelli (Ita)

Stage 7 Rieti-Pescara, 191 km

Adolfo Leoni (Ita)

Cino Cinelli (Ita)

Stage 8 Pescara-Senigallia, 177 km

Diego Marabelli (Ita)

Cino Cinelli (Ita)

Stage 9a Senigallia-Forli, 116 km

Glauco Servadei (Ita)

Secundo Magni (Ita)

Stage 9b Forli-Firenze, 106 km

Gino Bartali (Ita)

Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

Stage 10 Firenze-Bologna, 120 km

Olimpio Bizzi (Ita)

Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

Stage 11 Bologna-Venezia, 231 km

Pietro Chiappini (Ita)

Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

Stage 12 Venezia-Trieste, 173 km

Giordano Cottur (Ita)

Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

Stage 13 Trieste-Gorizia, 39.8 km ITT

Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

Stage 14 Gorizia-Corti d'Ampezzo, 195 km

Secondo Magni (Ita)

Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

Stage 15 Corti d'Ampezzo-Trento, 256 km

Gino Bartali (Ita)

Gino Bartali (Ita)

Stage 16 Trento-Sondrio, 166 km

Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

Stage 17 Sondrio-Milan, 168 km

Gino Bartali (Ita)

* Giovanni Valetti (Ita)

 

Mountain Prize

Gino Bartali (Ita)

 

GdI April 28- May 18, 1939

3,007 Km

1. Giovanni VALETTI (Ita) 88h02'00"

2. Gino Bartali (Ita) +2'59"
3. Mario Vicini (Ita) +5'07"
Starters: 89

Finishers: 54

Average Speed: 34.150 km/h

GdI 1938

GdI 1940

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