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By Barry Boyce,
CyclingRevealed Historian
 Jean Dotto
VaE April 23 - May 8, 1955 |
2,776 Km |
Starters: 106 |
Finishers: 63 |
Average Speed: 34.232 km/h x
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Return of a Grand Event!!!
After a four-year interruption in the schedule of this Grand event, the 1955 Vuelta a Espana returned under the new direction of Bilbao’s leading newspaper 'El Correo Espanol-El Pueblo Vasco'. The Vuelta’s 10th edition marked the return of a Grand Event in 1955!!! Slowly over time this race organization will lift the Vuelta to a level equal to the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France. The Vuelta will become one of the Big 3 Grand National Tours.
1955 Vuelta a Espana Race Raoute Details |
The new promoters for the re-started Vuelta edition designed a shorter race route covering 2,776 km over fifteen stages. The departure and finish of the 1955 Vuelta was moved from Madrid to Bilbao. This emphasis established the Basque Region as the new capital of the Spanish cyclisme.
The Spanish fans were treated to an excellent race in 1955, mainly because of the fierce battle between the Spanish and French riders. The tremendous lack of team organization amongst the Spanish riders would prove to be disastrous.
Teams:
Spanish Trade Teams
- Baleares
- Castille
- Catalonia
- Catalonia-Aragon
- Galicia-Asturies-Leon-Valladolid
- Gipuzkoa-Navarra
- Levante
- Vizcaya
- France Sud-Est (Regional Team)
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National Teams
- Espana A
- Espana B
- Germany
- Belgium/Luxembourg
- France
- Great Britain
- Italy A
- Italy B
- Suisse
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Race Summary:
Stage 1: The fierce fight for the General Classification began on Stage 1, which included the ascension of four mountain-passes: Puerto de Altube, Elgeta, Azcarate, and Vidania. Gilbert Bauvin (Fra) broke away from the peloton. At the finish in San Sebastian Gilbert Bauvin's breakaway succeeded, but the time gain was only 34 second on second place and 1'18” on the peloton. Bauvin did put on the first Amarillo Jersey of 1955.
Stage 3: The Puerto de Velata on the third stage doomed the French leader. A 5-rider breakaway formed, Antonio Gelabert (Spa), Raphael Geminiani (Fra), Jesus Lorono (Spa), Gabriel Company (Spa), and Giuseppe Buratti (Ita) rode away from the struggling race leader. Bauvin lost over 5 minutes and handed the race leader's jersey to Jesus Lorono.
Stage 5: This was the beginning of a confusing time in the race. The French National team destroyed the peloton on fifth stage as small groups formed. The relentless French attacks send the Spanish teams into a tailspin. After the stage Spanish team director Julian Berrendero faced critical questions about his race tactics and team members began to quarrel. Lorono, under constant attacks on Stage 5, relinquished the race lead to Frenchman Raphael Geminiani.
Stage 8: Geminiani remained in control of the race until eighth stage, when the Spanish riders managed to mount an attack of their own. A four-rider breakaway, Rene Marigil (Spa-Levant), Vicente Iturat (Spa-Catalogne), Louis Caput (Fra-France Sud-Est), and Mario Baroni (Ita-Italia A), escape the peloton. The group rode into Tortosa where Iturat won the stage and young Spanish regional rider Rene Marigil (Spa-Levant) retook the race leader's Amarillo Jersey for Spain.
Stage 10: The homogenous French team battled back on Stage 10. Jean Dotto (Fra) broke away with three others and finished third on the stage but gained 6’38” to reclaim the race lead for France. The lead would not change hands again.
Stage 15: Jean Dotto rode into Bilboa to become the first French winner of the Vuelta a Espana. Italian Fiorenzo Magni (Italia A) won the Points Classification and compatriot Giuseppe Buratti (Italia B) took the climbing prize.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Bilbao-San Sebastian, 240 km |
Gilbert Bauvin (Fra) |
Gilbert Bauvin (Fra) |
Stg 2 San Sebastian-Bayonne (Fra), 211 km |
Gilbert Bauvin (Fra) |
Gilbert Bauvin (Fra) |
Stage 3 Bayonne (Fra)-Pamplona, 157 km |
Antonio Gelabert (Spa) |
Jesus Lorono (Spa) |
Stage 4 Pamplona-Zaragoza, 229 km |
Jesus Galdeano (Spa) |
Jesus Lorono (Spa) |
Stage 5 Zaragoza-Lerida, 195 km |
Gabriel Company (Spa) |
Raphael Geminiani (Fra) |
Stage 6 Lerida-Barcelona, 230 km |
Pierino Baffi (Ita) |
Raphael Geminiani (Fra) |
Stage 7 Barcelona/Montjuich, 29 km ITT |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Raphael Geminiani (Fra) |
Stage 8 Barcelona-Tortosa, 213 km |
Vicente Iturat (Spa) |
Rene Marigil (Spa) |
Stage 9 Tortosa-Valencia, 190 km |
Pierino Baffi (Ita) |
Rene Marigil (Spa) |
Stage 10 Valencia-Cuenca, 222 km |
Antonio Uliana (Ita) |
Jean Dotto (Fra) |
Stage 11 Cuenca-Madrid, 168 km |
Donato Piazza (Ita) |
Jean Dotto (Fra) |
Stage 12 Madrid 15 km TTT |
ITALY |
Jean Dotto (Fra) |
Stage 13 Madrid-Valladolid, 222 km |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Jean Dotto (Fra) |
Stage 14 Valladolid-Bilbao, 308 km |
Donato Piazza (Ita) |
Jean Dotto (Fra) |
Stg 15 Bilbao/Circuito Santo Domingo, 147 km |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
 Jean Dotto (Fra)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
 Giuseppe Buratti (Ita)
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POINTS COMPETITION |
 Fiorenzo Magni (Ita)
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General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Time |
1 |
Jean DOTTO (Fra) |
France |
81h04'02" |
2 |
Antonio Jimenez-Quilez (Spa) |
Catalonia-Aragon |
+3'06" |
3 |
Raphael Geminiani (Fra) |
France |
+5'05" |
4 |
Jesus Lorono (Spa) |
Espana A |
+5'52" |
5 |
Vicente Iturat (Spa) |
Catalonia |
+6'24" |
6 |
Gabriel Company (Spa) |
Balearics |
+6'30" |
7 |
Jose Serra (Spa) |
Catalonia |
+7'31" |
8 |
Giuseppe Buratti (Ita) |
Italy B |
+8'42" |
9 |
Cosme Barrutia (Spa) |
Biscay |
+9'37" |
10 |
Georges Gay (Fra) |
France Sud-Est |
+9'44" |
11 |
Salvador Botella (Spa) |
Espana A |
+10'09" |
12 |
Carmelo Morales (Spa) |
Biscay |
+10'15" |
13 |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Italy A |
+12'29" |
14 |
Bernardo Ruiz (Spa) |
Espana A |
+13'53" |
15 |
Andres Trobat (Spa) |
Espana B |
+13'53" |
16 |
Jose Gomez del Moral (Spa) |
Espana B |
+16'13" |
17 |
Arsene Bauwens (Bel) |
Benelux |
+18'55" |
18 |
Gastone Nencini (Ita) |
Italy B |
+20'12" |
19 |
Francisco Moreno (Spa) |
Galicia-Asturias-Valladolid |
+20'49" |
20 |
Antonio Gelabert (Spa) |
Balearics |
+20'51" |
21 |
Federico Bahamontes (Spa) |
Espana A |
+21'29" |
22 |
Manuel Rodriguez (Spa) |
Espana B |
+22'27" |
23 |
Nello Lauredi (Fra) |
France |
+23'00" |
24 |
Emilio Rodriguez (Spa) |
Espana B |
+25'27" |
25 |
Miguel Gual (Spa) |
Balearics |
+25'56" |
26 |
Theo Brunswyck (Bel) |
Benelux |
+32'21" |
27 |
Pierino Baffi (Ita) |
Italy A |
+34'01" |
28 |
Mario Baroni (Ita) |
Italy A |
+34'39" |
29 |
Silvio Pedroni (Ita) |
Italy A |
+38'02" |
30 |
Jose Escolano (Spa) |
Espana B |
+39'01" |
31 |
Francisco Masip (Spa) |
Espana A |
+39'36" |
32 |
Juan Bibiloni (Spa) |
Balearics |
+40'55" |
33 |
Miguel Chacon (Spa) |
Catalonia |
+45'13" |
34 |
Philippe Agut (Fra) |
France Sud-Est |
+53'50" |
35 |
Victorio Garcia (Spa) |
Castille |
+55'32" |
36 |
Gilbert Bauvin (Fra) |
France |
+56'46" |
37 |
Tomas Onaederra (Spa) |
Biscay |
+58'29" |
38 |
Jaime Calucho (Spa) |
Catalonia |
+1h03'33" |
39 |
Senen Blanco (Spa) |
Galicia-Asturias-Valladolid |
+1h10'25" |
40 |
Franco Giachero (Ita) |
Italy B |
+1h11'59" |
41 |
Gunther Penkoke (Ger) |
Germany |
+1h12'55" |
42 |
Raoul Remy (Fra) |
France |
+1h17'57" |
43 |
Donato Piazza (Ita) |
Italy A |
+1h19'06" |
44 |
Francisco Alomar (Spa) |
Espana B |
+1h19'21" |
45 |
Joaquin Filba (Spa) |
Catalonia-Aragon |
+1h21'31" |
46 |
Alfredo Martini (Ita) |
Italy A |
+1h25'34" |
47 |
Giuseppe Pintarelli (Ita) |
Italy B |
+1h26'40" |
48 |
Ricardo Catalan (Spa) |
Catalonia-Aragon |
+1h32'29" |
49 |
Antonio Uliana (Ita) |
Italy B |
+1h37'27" |
50 |
Armin Russenberger (Sui) |
Suisse |
+1h42'38" |
51 |
Gabriel Saura |
Catalonia |
+1h43'16" |
52 |
Miguel Vidaurreta (Spa) |
Gipuzkoa-Navarra |
+1h46'24" |
53 |
Oscar Von Buren (Sui) |
Suisse |
+1h46'47" |
54 |
Jose-Antonio Landa (Spa) |
Biscay |
+1h56'58" |
55 |
Louis Caput (Fra) |
France Sud-Est |
+2h01'18" |
56 |
Julio San Emeterio (Spa) |
Galicia-Asturias-Valladolid |
+2h22'37" |
57 |
Fernando Manzaneque (Spa) |
Castille |
+2h22'57" |
58 |
Salvador Jarque (Spa) |
Levante |
+2h24'16" |
59 |
Hans Rudolf (Sui) |
Suisse |
+2h26'02" |
60 |
Kurt Schneider (Aut) |
Benelux |
+2h45'24" |
61 |
Amadeo Gil (Spa) |
Castille |
+3h15'19" |
62 |
Max Meier (Sui) |
Suisse |
+3h32'18" |
63 |
Jose Perez de la Heras (Spa) |
Levante |
+5h06'32" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Giuseppe BURATTI (Ita) |
Italy B |
35 |
2 |
Antonio Gelabert (Spa) |
Balearics |
31 |
3 |
Gilbert Bauvin (Fra) |
France |
20 |
4 |
Jesus Lorono (Spa) |
Espana A |
17 |
5 |
Federico Bahamontes (Spa) |
Espana A |
16 |
6 |
Jean Dotto (Fra) |
France |
16 |
7 |
Andres Trobat (Spa) |
Espana B |
14 |
8 |
Carmelo Morales (Spa) |
Biscay |
9 |
9 |
Jose Serra (Spa) |
Catalonia |
8 |
10 |
Cosme Barrutia (Spa) |
Biscay |
7 |
11 |
Manuel Rodriguez (Spa) |
Espana B |
7 |
Final Points Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Fiorenzo MAGNI (Ita) |
Italy A |
128 |
2 |
Gabriel Company (Spa) |
Balearics |
161 |
3 |
Jesus Lorono (Spa) |
Espana A |
177 |
4 |
Salvador Botella (Spa) |
Espana A |
180 |
5 |
Giuseppe Buratti (Ita) |
Italy B |
181 |
6 |
Vicente Iturat (Spa) |
Catalonia-Aragon |
195 |
7 |
Bernardo Ruiz (Spa) |
Espana A |
202 |
8 |
Andres Trobat (Spa) |
Espana B |
202 |
9 |
Antonio Jimenez-Quilez (Spa) |
Catalonia-Aragon |
204 |
10 |
Carmelo Morales (Spa) |
Biscay |
207 |
VaE 1950
VaE 1956
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