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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
GdI May 18 - June 8, 1963 |
4,063 Km |
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Finishers: 86 |
Average Speed: 34.774 km/h |
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Balmamion's Giro Victory with NO Stage Wins… Again
The 1963 Giro d'Italia was the 46th running of the Italy’s Grand Tour.
SPECIAL NOTE: During this edition of the Giro two political factions of Italian cycling butted heads. Bruno Mealli of the Italian Cycling Federation and Mario Fontana of the League of Professional Cyclists vied for control of the race. Both parties left the Giro until the Italian government mediated the dispute and put the Giro back on track.
Defending champion Franco Balmamion used consistently strong finishes to fight off all challenges and win his second Giro d’Italia.
SPECIAL NOTE: Live television came to the 1963 Giro. TV covered the final 10 kms of each stage live.
SPECIAL NOTE: Pope Giovanni XXIII received the Giro entourage in the yard of San Damaso. Sadly, Pope Giovanni would pass away before the race finished. Race leader Franco Balmamion leads the peloton in mourning with an arm band to honor the Pope.
SPECIAL NOTE: The specter of doping began to appear in 1963. Officials had suspicions that riders were giving themselves an intravenous dose of an unknown substance. Race doctor Frattini voiced disapproval and started an investigation into the practice.
Teams:
The teams entering the race were:
- CITE
- Cynar-Frejus
- Legnano
- GBC-Libertas
- Carpano
- IBAC-Molteni
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- Gazzola
- Molteni
- Lygie
- San Pellegrino-Firte
- Salvarani
- Spring Oil-Fuchs
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Race Summary:
Stage 12- On the finishing climb to Leukerbad Balmamion finished fifth in the breakaway and took over the race leader’s Maglia Rosa after stage 12.
Stage 16- Balmamion faltered slightly on the 56 km ITT in Treviso and lost the race lead. The race leader finished the stage 16 Individual time trial 1’17” behind Diego Ronchini and had to give-up the Maglia Rosa.
Stage 19- The race remained close with 24 seconds separating the top five in the GC. The mountainous stage 19 climbed the Duran, Staulanza, Cereda, Rolle, Valles, and San Pellegrino. Balmamion's very tactical ride on stage 19 let Vito Taccone, more than 15 minutes down in the GC, ride solo to the stage win while the contenders watched Balmamion ride away in a secondary two rider breakaway. He finished third and took the race lead for good.
Stage 21- The defending champion rode into Milan for the final victory. Franco Balmamion equaled Fausto Coppi’s 1953 successful repeat of a Giro victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: An incredibly talented rider Vito Taccone won five difficult stages (Stg 10, 11, 12, 13 and 19).
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Napoli-Potenza, 182 km |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Stage 2 Potenza-Bari, 185 km |
Pierino Baffi (Ita) |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Stage 3 Bari-Campobasso, 252 km |
Jaime Alomar (Spa) |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Stage 4 Campobasso-Pescara, 213 km |
Guido Carlesi (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 5 Pescara-Viterbo, 263 km |
Vendramino Bariviera (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 6 Bolsena-Arezzo, 192 km |
Vendramino Bariviera (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 7 Arezzo-Rio Terme, 173 km |
Nino Defilippis (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 8 Riolo Terme-Salsomagg., 203 km |
Adriano Durante (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 9 Salsomaggiore-Spezia, 173 km |
Giorgio Zancanaro (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 10 La Spezia-Asti, 225 km |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 11 Asti-Oropa, 130 km |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 12 Biella-Leukerbad, 214 km |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 13 Sierre-St Vincent, 152 km |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 14 St Vincent-Cremona, 260 km |
Marino Vigna (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 15 Mantova-Treviso, 155 km |
Franco Magnani (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 16 Treviso, 56 km ITT |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 17 Treviso-Gorizia, 213 km |
Vendramino Bariviera (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 18 Gorizia-Belluno/Nevegal, 248 km |
Arnaldo Pambianco (Ita) |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Stage 19 Belluno-Moena, 198 km |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 20 Moena-Lumezzane, 240 km |
Guido Carlesi (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 21 Brescia-Milan, 136 km |
Antonio Bailetti (Ita) |
 Franco Balmamion (Ita)
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Mountain Classification |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Franco BALMAMION (Ita)  |
Carpano |
116h50'16" |
2 |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Cynar-Frejus |
+2'24" |
3 |
Giorgio Zancanaro (Ita) |
San Pellegrino-Firte |
+3'15" |
4 |
Guido De Rosso (Ita) |
Molteni |
+6'34" |
5 |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Salvarani |
+10'11" |
6 |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Lygie |
+11'50" |
7 |
Imerio Massignan (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+16'52" |
8 |
Guido Carlesi (Ita) |
Molteni |
+17'08" |
9 |
Graziano Battistini (Ita) |
IBAC-Molteni |
+23'38" |
10 |
Carlo Brugnami (Ita) |
Gazzola |
+25'36" |
11 |
Renzo Fontona (Ita) |
IBAC-Molteni |
+26'16" |
12 |
Franco Cribiori (Ita) |
Gazzola |
+32'02" |
13 |
Arnaldo Pambianco (Ita) |
Salvarani |
+32'42" |
14 |
Vittorio Casati (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+33'42" |
15 |
Jaime Alomar (Spa) |
CITE |
+35'45" |
16 |
Ernesto Bono (Ita) |
San Pellegrino-Firte |
+38'05" |
17 |
Bruno Mealli (Ita) |
Cynar-Frejus |
+40'00" |
18 |
Italo Zilioli (Ita) |
Carpano |
+41'06" |
19 |
Pietro Partesotti (Ita) |
Lygie |
+45'42" |
20 |
Giancarlo Ferreti (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+49'56" |
21 |
Marino Fontana (Ita) |
San Pellegrino-Firte |
+50'23" |
22 |
Enzo Moser (Ita) |
San Pellegrino-Firte |
+51'57" |
23 |
Alberto Assirelli (Ita) |
Salvarani |
+55'11" |
24 |
Roberto Poggiali (Ita) |
Lygie |
+55'41" |
25 |
Franco Panicelli (Ita) |
IBAC-Molteni |
+1h00'59" |
26 |
Ercole Baldini (Ita) |
Cynar-Frejus |
+1h04'06" |
27 |
Angelo Conterno (Ita) |
Carpano |
+1h06'16" |
28 |
Franco Bitossi (Ita) |
Spring Oil-Fuchs |
+1h07'45" |
29 |
Luigi Maserati (Ita) |
Gazzola |
+1h08'07" |
30 |
Giuseppe Sartore (Ita) |
Carpano |
+1h08'57" |
31 |
Bruno Martinato (Lux) |
Gazzola |
+1h12'28" |
32 |
Germano Barale (Ita) |
Carpano |
+1h16'27" |
33 |
Danilo Ferrari (Ita) |
IBAC-Molteni |
+1h17'36" |
34 |
Sante Ranucci (Ita) |
CITE |
+1h20'32" |
35 |
Franco Magnani (Ita) |
Salvarani |
+1h24'10" |
36 |
Giancarlo Gentina (Ita) |
Carpano |
+1h24'34" |
37 |
Italo Mazzacurati (Ita) |
Cynar-Frejus |
+1h28'16" |
38 |
Giancarlo Ceppi (Ita) |
Spring Oil-Fuchs |
+1h30'50" |
39 |
Rino Benedetti (Ita) |
Cynar-Frejus |
+1h36'10" |
40 |
Arturo Sabbadin (Ita) |
Spring Oil-Fuchs |
+1h41'02" |
41 |
Giuseppe Dante (Ita) |
Molteni |
+1h41'31" |
42 |
Antonio Bailetti (Ita) |
Carpano |
+1h43'33" |
43 |
Giuseppe Fallarini (Ita) |
Molteni |
+1h44'38" |
44 |
Giampero Pancini (Ita) |
Lygie |
+1h48'14" |
45 |
Idrio Bui (Ita) |
Lygie |
+1h48'30" |
46 |
Vendramino Bariviera (Ita) |
Carpano |
+1h54'00" |
47 |
Guido Neri (Ita) |
San Pellegrino-Firte |
+1h55'09" |
48 |
Corrado Consigli (Ita) |
Spring Oil-Fuchs |
+1h55'09" |
49 |
Roberto Falaschi (Ita) |
Molteni |
+1h55'19" |
50 |
Silvano Ciampi (Ita) |
Spring Oil-Fuchs |
+1h55'19" |
51 |
Mario Minieri (Ita) |
Salvarani |
+1h56'02" |
52 |
Gilberto Vandemiati (Ita) |
Gazzola |
+1h56'24" |
53 |
Giuseppe Fezzardi (Ita) |
Cynar-Frejus |
+1h58'32" |
54 |
Loris Guernieri (Ita) |
Carpano |
+1h59'27" |
55 |
Lorenzo Carminati (Ita) |
San Pellegrino-Firte |
+2h01'58" |
56 |
Battista Babini (Ita) |
Salvarani |
+2h05'27" |
57 |
Vittorio Chiarini (Ita) |
Spring Oil-Fuchs |
+2h07'47" |
58 |
Luigi Sarti (Ita) |
Salvarani |
+2h11'18" |
59 |
Bruno Giorza (Ita) |
IBAC-Molteni |
+2h12'30" |
60 |
Jesus Galdeano (Spa) |
CITE |
+2h19'40" |
61 |
Alberto Marzaioli (Ita) |
San Pellegrino-Firte |
+2h23'00" |
62 |
Armando Pellegrini (Ita) |
IBAC-Molteni |
+2h23'42" |
63 |
Emilio Ciolli (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+2h26'17" |
64 |
Aldo Pifferi (Ita) |
Lygie |
+2h33'00" |
65 |
Mario Tramontin (Ita) |
IBAC-Molteni |
+2h35'26" |
66 |
Attilio Moresi (Sui) |
Cynar-Frejus |
+2h37'22" |
67 |
Graziano Vitali (Ita) |
Spring Oil-Fuchs |
+2h39'22" |
68 |
Romano Piancastelli (Ita) |
Salvarani |
+2h39'53" |
69 |
Antonio Franchi (Ita) |
Lygie |
+2h40'40" |
70 |
Renato Giusti (Ita) |
Salvarani |
+2h46'21" |
71 |
Augusto Marcaletti (Ita) |
Cynar-Frejus |
+2h50'28" |
72 |
Nello Velucchi (Ita) |
Molteni |
+3h02'55" |
73 |
Alessandro Rimessi (Ita) |
Gazzola |
+3h09'25" |
74 |
Mario Zanchi (Ita) |
Salvarani |
+3h23'39" |
75 |
Luigi Zaimbro (Ita) |
CITE |
+3h24'15" |
76 |
Daniele Alberti (Ita) |
CITE |
+3h24'33" |
77 |
Pierino Baffi (Ita) |
Molteni |
+3h24'33" |
78 |
Ernesto Minetto (Ita) |
IBAC-Molteni |
+3h33'30" |
79 |
Guerrando Lenzi (Ita) |
Spring Oil-Fuchs |
+3h34'23" |
80 |
Giacomo Fornoni (Ita) |
Molteni |
+3h35'57" |
81 |
Renato Spinello (Ita) |
Lygie |
+3h37'57" |
82 |
Dino Bruni (Ita) |
Gazzola |
+3h38'39" |
83 |
Luigi Mele (Ita) |
Gazzola |
+3h39'24" |
84 |
Renzo Accordi (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+3h46'43" |
85 |
Raffaele Marcoli (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+3h55'14" |
86 |
Giuseppe Tonucci (Ita) |
Gazzola |
+3h57'04" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Lygie |
420 |
2 |
Giorgio Zancanaro (Ita) |
San Pellegrino-Firte |
120 |
3 |
Franco Bitossi (Ita) |
Spring Oil-Fuchs |
100 |
4 |
Enzo Moser (Ita) |
San Pellegrino-Firte |
80 |
5 |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Cynar-Frejus |
60 |
6 |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Carpano |
50 |
7t |
Giancarlo Ceppi (Ita) |
Spring Oil-Fuchs |
40 |
Imerio Massignan (Ita) |
Legnano |
9t |
Arnaldo Pambianco (Ita) |
Salvarani |
30 |
Italo Zilioli (Ita) |
Carpano |
GdI 1964
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