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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
\GdI May 19 - June 10, 1951 |
4,153 Km |
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Finishers: 75 |
Average Speed: 34.217 km/h |
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Titanic Battle between Magni and Van Steenbergen
The 1951 Giro d'Italia was the 34th edition of Italy’s Grand Tour.
Pre-Race Notes:
Media pundits believed this Giro was the most international in years. A wide range of great cycling champions entered:
- Reigning champion Hugo Koblet (Guerra-Ursus) entered the race to defend his crown.
- Fausto Coppi and his Bianchi team entered as the strongest team.
- Gino Bartali (Bartali-Pirelli) and Fiorenzo Magni’s (Ganna) participationcreated excitement, but Nouvelliste Valaisan predicted that Coppi was the only hope for an Italian victory.
- France's Louison Bobet (Bottecchia) came to Italy with great form.
- Fritz Schar (Arbos) was seen as a candidate to win the race.
- Ferdinand Kubler (Frejus) came with strong hopes of victory.
- Belgian Rik Van Steenbergen rounded out a star-studded field of riders.
There were rules changes prior to the 1951 edition. Due to complaints regarding Hugo Koblet's 1950 Giro victory, which fans credited to the time bonuses, officials change the rules in 1951:
- Removal of all “time bonuses” from the race.
- Removal of the Intermediate Sprint Classification from the race.
- Punctured tires rules were changed, riders would have to change the inner tube rather than change entire wheels.
SPECIAL NOTE: French Champion Louison Bobet felt a harsh ruling by the race officials on stage 16 (Venice to Trieste, 182 km) after he punctured and changes wheels with a teammate. Although the rule would have normally been suspended because of the team car delay in the mountains, Bobet was assigned a 5-minute penalty. The Frenchman dropped from fourth to eighth and out of contention in the General Classification. Bobet chose to continue and did win the Mountain Classification.
Teams:
The teams entering the race were:
- Atala
- Bianchi-Pirelli
- Legnano
- Arbos
- Bartali-Pirelli
- Benotto-Ursus-Fiorelli
- Bottecchia-Ursus
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- Girardengo-Ursus
- Stucchi
- Wilier Triestina
- Frejus
- Taurea
- Ganna
- Guerra-Ursus
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Classification Leadership:
The leader of the General Classification, calculated by adding each stage times of each rider and subtracting time bonuses, wore the Maglia Rosa (Pink Jersey).
The Mountains Classification was contested on various mountain climbs to the riders who crossed them first accumulated “climbing points.”
There was a Maglia Nera (Black Jersey) awarded to the rider placed last in the GC.
The Maglia Verde (Green Jersey) was given to the highest ranked non-Italian cyclist in the General Classification,
The Maglia Bianca (White Jersey) was given to the highest ranked Independent cyclist in the General Classification.
Race Summary:
An incredibly talented field of riders saw Italian Fiorenzo Magni and Belgian Rik Van Steenbergen trade the race lead five times before Magni took control of the race for good on stage 18 into Bolzano.
Stage 18: Race leader Rik Van Steenbergen surprised everyone by climbing well in the tough Dolomite Mountains. He maintained a +1’30” GC lead on Magni going into the stage. On the descent of the Passo di San Lugano Magni launched a suicide attack. Plummeting down the mountain and taking all risks the Italian distanced Van Steenbergen. In Bolzano Magni finished eighth but gained +3’16” on the race leader.
Stage 20: In Milan two stages later three years after his first victory, Fiorenzo Magni claimed his second exciting Giro d'Italia victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: Grand champion Fausto Coppi experienced the saddest year of his life with the death of his brother Serse. He did compete in the Giro but finished in a lackluster fourth place over four minutes behind the winner.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Milan-Torino, 202 km |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Stage 2 Torino-Alassio, 202 km |
Antonio Bevilacqua (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 3 Alassio-Genova, 252 km |
Rodolfo Falzoni (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 4 Genova-Firenze, 265 km |
Guido De Santi (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 5 Firenze-Perugia, 192 km |
Pietro Giudici (Ita) |
Fritz Schaer (Sui) |
Stage 6 Perugia-Terni, 81 km ITT |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Fritz Schaer (Sui) |
Stage 7 Terni-Rome, 290 km |
Angelo Menon (Ita) |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Stage 8 Rome-Napoli, 234 km |
Luigi Casola (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 9 Napoli-Foggia, 181 km |
Giovanni Corrieri (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 10 Foggia-Pescara, 311 km |
Giuseppe Minardi (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 11 Pescara-Rimini, 246 km |
Serafino Biagioni (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 12 Rimini-San Marino, 24 km ITT |
Giancarlo Astrua (Ita) |
Giancarlo Astrua (Ita) |
Stage 13 Rimini-Bologna, 249 km |
Luciano Maggini (Ita) |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Stage 14 Bologna-Brescia, 220 km |
Adolfo Leoni (Ita) |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Stage 15 Brescia-Venezia, 188 km |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Stage 16 Venezia-Trieste, 182 km |
Luciano Frosini (Ita) * |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Stage 17 Trieste-Cortina, 255 km |
Louison Bobet (Fra) |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Stage 18 Cortina-Bolzano, 242 km |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 19 Bolzano-St Moritz (Sui), 165 km |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 20 St Moritz (Sui)- Milan, 242 km |
Antonio Bevilacqua (Ita) |
 Fiorenzo Magni (Ita)
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Mountain Classification |
Louison Bobet (Fra) |
General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Fiorenzo MAGNI (Ita)  |
Ganna-Ursus |
121h11'37" |
2 |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel)  |
Girardengo-Ursus |
+1'46" |
3 |
Ferdi Kubler (Sui) |
Frejus-Ursus |
+2'36" |
4 |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+4'04" |
5 |
Giancarlo Astrua (Ita) |
Taurea |
+4'07" |
6 |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Guerra-Ursus |
+6'05" |
7 |
Louison Bobet (Fra) |
Bottecchia |
+9'45" |
8 |
Arrigo Padovan (Ita) |
Atala |
+14'41" |
9 |
Vincenzo Rossello (Ita) |
Taurea |
+14'49" |
10 |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
Bartali |
+21'12" |
11 |
Pasquale Fornara (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+21'12" |
12 |
Elio Brasola (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+25'32" |
13 |
Giulio Bresci (Ita) |
Bottecchia |
+27'09" |
14 |
Bruno Pasquini (Ita) |
Frejus-Ursus |
+28'31" |
15 |
Bruno Pontisso (Ita) |
Arbos-Talbot |
+30'59" |
16 |
Luciano Maggini (Ita) |
Atala |
+31'18" |
17 |
Donato Zampini (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+33'06" |
18 |
Virgilio Salimbeni (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+33'37" |
19 |
Dino Rossi (Ita) |
Guerra-Ursus |
+33'50" |
20 |
Alfredo Martini (Ita) |
Taurea |
+34'38" |
21 |
Rinaldo Moresco (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+37'26" |
22 |
Vittorio Rossello (Ita) |
Taurea |
+39'05" |
23 |
Luciano Pezzi (Ita) |
Atala |
+39'45" |
24 |
Pietro Giudici (Ita) |
Stucchi-Ursus |
+40'30" |
25 |
Alfredo Pasotti (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+51'56" |
26 |
Antonio “Toni” Bevilacqua (Ita) |
Benotto-Ursus-Fiorelli |
+52'24" |
27 |
Ugo Fondelli (Ita) |
Stucchi-Ursus |
+53'42" |
28 |
Silvio Pedroni (Ita) |
Frejus-Ursus |
+53'58" |
29 |
Ettore Milano (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+57'50" |
30 |
Armando Barducci (Ita) |
Frejus-Ursus |
+1h00'20" |
31 |
Andrea Carrea (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+1h00'25" |
32 |
Danilo Barozzi (Ita) |
Atala |
+1h03'52" |
33 |
Angelo Menon (Ita) |
Stucchi-Ursus |
+1h05'25" |
34 |
Fiorenzo Crippa (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+1h10'05" |
35 |
Cesare Olmi (Ita) |
Stucchi-Ursus |
+1h10'28" |
36 |
Franco Franchi (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+1h10'35" |
37 |
Giacomo Zampieri (Ita) |
Arbos-Talbot |
+1h13'45" |
38 |
Remo Sabatini (Ita) |
Bartali |
+1h17'46" |
39 |
Giovanni Pettinati (Ita) |
Benotto-Ursus-Fiorelli |
+1h19'08" |
40 |
Waldemaro Bartolozzi (Ita) |
Atala |
+1h20'21" |
41 |
Giovanni Roma (Ita) |
Bottecchia |
+1h25'32" |
42 |
Sergio Vitali (Ita) |
Stucchi-Ursus |
+1h26'25" |
43 |
Oreste Conte (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+1h27'19" |
44 |
Nedo Logli (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+1h28'20" |
45 |
Mario Baroni (Ita) |
Taurea |
+1h29'49" |
46 |
Giuseppe Minardi (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+1h29'52" |
47 |
Umberto Drei (Ita) |
Benotto-Ursus-Fiorelli |
+1h30'51" |
48 |
Adolfo Grosso (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+1h30'56" |
49 |
Lino Sartini (Ita) |
Stucchi-Ursus |
+1h43'53" |
50 |
Franco Giacchero (Ita) |
Girardengo-Ursus |
+1h44'41" |
51 |
Pietro Zappon (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+1h46'23" |
52 |
Luigi Casola (Ita) |
Atala |
+1h47'26" |
53 |
Marcello Ciolli (Ita) |
Frejus-Ursus |
+1h49'22" |
54 |
Serse Coppi (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+1h49'31" |
55 |
Serafino Biagioni (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+1h52'38" |
56 |
Luciano Frosini (Ita) |
Arbos-Talbot |
+1h57'14" |
57 |
Tranquillo Scudellaro (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+2h01'54" |
58 |
Dante Rivola (Ita) |
Benotto-Ursus-Fiorelli |
+2h05'53" |
59 |
Giovanni Corrieri (Ita) |
Bartali |
+2h06'46" |
60 |
Desire Keteleer (Bel) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+2h07'39" |
61 |
Ersilio Dordoni (Ita) |
Arbos-Talbot |
+2h08'09" |
62 |
Adolfo Leoni (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+2h09'03" |
63 |
Attilio Lambertini (Ita) |
Bartali |
+2h11'30" |
64 |
Mario Gestri (Ita) |
Bartali |
+2h12'59" |
65 |
Guido De Santi (Ita) |
Benotto-Ursus-Fiorelli |
+2h14'10" |
| 66 |
Annibale Brasola (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+2h16'38" |
| 67 |
Mario Fazio (Ita) |
Bottecchia |
+2h21'28" |
| 68 |
Emilio Croci-Torti (Sui) |
Frejus-Ursus |
+2h35'23" |
| 69 |
Rodolfo Falzoni (Ita) |
Guerra-Ursus |
+2h42'32" |
| 70 |
Luciano Cremonese (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+2h45'04" |
| 71 |
Jacques Marinelli (Fra) |
Stucchi-Ursus |
+2h49'47" |
| 72 |
Bartolomeo Bof (Ita) |
Benotto-Ursus-Fiorelli |
+2h50'10" |
| 73 |
Martin Metzger (Sui) |
Guerra-Ursus |
+3h04'55" |
| 74 |
Olimpio Bizzi (Ita) |
Guerra-Ursus |
+3h18'04" |
75 |
Giovanni Pinarello (Ita)  |
Bottecchia |
+3h26'11" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Hugo KOBLET (Sui) |
Guerra-Ursus |
43 |
2 |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
Bartali-Gardiol |
29 |
3 |
Jean Robic (Fra) |
Viscontea-Ursus |
21 |
4 |
Vittorio Rossello (Ita) |
Taurea |
11 |
5 |
Fritz Schaer (Sui) |
Arbos-Talbot |
11 |
GdI 1952
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