WW2 Escalated but Lombardia goes on as Scheduled
The 38th edition of the Giro di Lombardia was held on October 17, 1942.
World War 2 escalated in throughout Europe and inched eerily close to Italy. Race resources and race support supplies were limited, which resulted in a minimal number of officials and control vehicles. The event bravely proceeded as scheduled.
The race route was designed to cross the wartime roads of northern Italy, where the escalating conflict prompted organizers to shorten the race distance to 184 kms. The sixty-seven starters left Milan (Niguarda) at 10:50 a.m. and rolled through the “neutralized zone” in heavy fog.
Race Status:
The peloton rode passively through the early kms.
The calm pace exploded on the descent from Valbrona (49 km / 184 km), when the powerful Bianchi team with Cino Cinelli, Fiorenzo Magni, Glauco Servadei, and Adolfo Leoni took control and launched an aggressive attack.
On the Madonna del Ghisallo climb (91 km / 184 km), Magni (Bianchi) and Leoni (Bianchi) accelerated and past the summit off the front. An elite chase group including Gino Bartali (Legnano), Fausto Coppi (Legnano), Mario Ricci (Legnano), Primo Volpi (Legnano), Giovanni Destefanis (Bianchi), Ezio Ortelli (Bianchi), Olimpio Bizzi (Bianchi), and Diego Marabelli (Battisti), formed.
Eleven riders regrouped on the descent of the Ghisallo. Bianchi and Legnano controlled the group’s affairs with no further attacks.
On the flat roads near Como (138 km / 184 km), additional riders managed to bridged the gap to the leaders.
SPECIAL NOTE: Because of the wartime restrictions the tifosi along the race route were sparse, but those present were passionate.
Team Bianchi’s numerous late attacks failed, and control of the peloton went to Team Legnano.
The race entered the Vigorelli Velodrome, a lead group of twenty-nine tactically jockeyed for position. Fausto Coppi (Legnano) led the group onto the track, but Aldo Bini (Bianchi) jumped on Coppi’s wheel. Around the final turn of the velodrome Bini sprinted to the lead and held off a late Gino Bartali (Legnano) charge to win the 1942 Giro di Lombardia.
GdL October 17, 1942 |
184 Km, Milan (Niguarda) - Milan (Vigorelli Velodrome) |
1.
Aldo BINI (Ita) 5h06'03" |
2.
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
3.
Quirino Toccaceli (Ita) |
Starters: 67 / Finishers: 45 Average Speed: 36.720 km/h |
|
Lomb 1941 No Race 1943-1944 Lomb 1945
Return to the Timeline ToC
Return to the Race Snippets ToC |
