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46th Giro d'Italia 1963 (Italy)

 
   
 
By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
 

Balmamion's Giro Victory with NO Stage Wins… Again

SPECIAL NOTE: During this edition of the Giro d’Italia 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 race until the Italian government mediated the dispute and put the Giro back on track.

Defending champion Franco Balmamion again used consistently strong finishes to fight off all challenges and win his second Giro d’Italia.

Balmamion took over the Maglia Rosa after the stage 12 climb to Leukerbad. He faltered slightly on the 56 km ITT in Treviso and lost the race lead. The General Classification remained very close with only 24 seconds between race leader Diego Ronchini and Franco Balmamion in fifth place.

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 minute down in the GC, ride solo to the stage win while the contenders watched Balmamion ride away in a secondary 2 rider breakaway. He finished third and took the race lead for good.

The defending champion rode into Milan for the final victory. Franco Balmamion became the first rider to successfully defend his Giro Championship since Fausto Coppi in 1953.

SPECIAL NOTE: Live television came to1963 Giro. TV covered live the final 10 kms of each stage.

SPECIAL NOTE: During this edition of the Giro d’Italia 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 race until the Italian government mediated the dispute and put the Giro back on track.

SPECIAL NOTE: Pope Giovanni XXIII received the Giro entourage in the yard of S. 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.  A rider is thought to have given himself an intravenous dose of an unknown substance.  Race doctor Frattini protests the riders and starts an investigation into the practice.

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 (Esp)

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)

 

Mountain Classification

Vito Taccone (Ita)



GdI May 18 - June 8, 1963

4,063 Km

1. Franco BALMAMION (Ita) 116h50'16"

2. Vittorio Adorni (Ita) +2'24"
3. Giorgio Zancanaro (Ita) +3'15"
Starters: 120

Finishers: 86

Average Speed: 34.774 km/h

GdI 1962

GdI 1964

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