The Helvetia Plan
The 1990 Giro di Lombardia feature a course change. The start and finish were move to Monza. Home town hero and World Cup leader Gianni Bugno was the heavy favorite for the win.
Robert Millar of the Z-team lead the race over the Madonna di Ghisalio climb as the peloton began to dwindle. The final selection came on the Valico di Valcave. Charly Mottet’s pace on the incredible steep section of the climb split the pack and formed a five rider breakaway. Bugno struggled and was dropped from the lead group.
Charly Mottet and Helvetia’s Giles Delion were the strongest of the 5 in the breakaway. The group held a 3 minute lead with 30 kms to go. Helvetia with Delion the strongest rider in the group and a teammate in sprinter Pascal Richard began planning the finishing strategy.
When the race hit the 8 kms to go banner Helvetia’s director sportif Paul Koechli wanted Delion to attack in the final kilometer to tire the pack for Richard. But it was Helvetia teammate Richard who attacked not Delion. Predictably Mottet chased down the Swiss rdier with the others on his wheel.
Delion's big surprise
24 year old Giles Delion (Fra) jumped out of Richard’s slipstream with 40 meters to the finish line to score the biggest win of his career.
| GdL October 20, 1990 |
| 246 Km, Monza-Monza |
1. Gilles DELION (Fra) 6h11’45” |
2. Pascal Richard (Sui) |
3. Charly Mottet (Fra) |
Starters: 208 |
Finishers: 83 |
Average Speed: 39.704 km/h |
Lomb 1989
Lomb 1991
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