Girardengo DQ'd, Corlaita Leads an Italian Sweep
The 9th edition of Milan-San Remo was held on March 28, 1915.
Rain and cold temperatures returned to Milan in 1915, but the racing remained spirited.
SPECIAL NOTE: Due to WW1 foreign riders did not compete, only forty-one all Italian riders participated (the start list included amateur riders).
The adverse weather, bad road conditions, and an unusually large number of falls kept the peloton together at the start of the Passo Turchino climb.
Race Status:
Over the summit of the Turchino (131 km / 289 km), a trio of Bianchi riders escaped the peloton. Gaetano Belloni (Bianchi), Angelo Gremo (Bianchi), and Luigi Lucotti (Bianchi) quickly gained +20” on Carlo Galetti (Dei), and +58” on Costante Girardengo (Bianchi) and 1914 M-SR winner Ugo Agostoni (Maino).
In the breakaway Belloni crashed heavily on the descent and abandoned the race. Gremo punctured leaving Lucotti alone in the lead.
When the race reached the Ligurian Coast in Arenzano (168 km / 289 km), Enzo Corlaita (Dei), Galetti and Agostoni joined Lucotti in the lead.
Shortly after Arenzano (182 km / 289 km), in 'heavy rain' a fatigued Agostoni slowed and abandoned the race. The lead trio held a +4’00” gap on a hard charging quartet made up of Girardengo, Gremo, Giuseppe Azzini (Bianchi) and Ottavio Pratesi (Isolati).
The decisive turning point in the race occurred at 23 km from the finish. Following the climb of the Capo Berta (266 km / 289 km) the race route included a longer stretch on flat roads along the Mediterranean sea. Italian National champion Girardengo (Bianchi), driven by the eagerness to catch Lucotti (Bianchi) and Galetti (Dei), attacked and took a “short cut” through the center of Oneglia (271 km / 289 km). Gira’s Bianchi teammate Angelo Gremo tried to persuade him to return to the proper race route. His urging was ignored by ‘Gira.’
When Girardengo caught the leaders, he attacked again.
In San Lorenzo del Mare (277 km / 289 km) ‘Gira’ rode alone in the lead.
Constante Girardengo arrived first at the finish in San Remo with a +3'00” advantage over Enzo Corlaita (Dei). Naturally Corlaita protested the cutting of the route made by Girardengo.
SPECIAL NOTE: ‘Gira’ defended his move by stating that the route was not precisely marked and that there was no “officials pace car” in front of him.
Race officials upheld the protest and disqualified the winner for his failure "to properly follow the racecourse".
Arriving second, Ezio Corlaita was officially pronounced the winner. Luigi Lucotti and Angelo Gremo completed the Italian sweep of the podium positions.
SPECIAL NOTE: The 1916 edition of Milan-San Remo would be cancelled when battles of World War 1 broke out on the Northern border of Italy. The race resumed in 1917.
M-SR March 28, 1915 / 289 Km |
1. DQ'd Constante Girardengo |
1.
Ezio CORLAITA (Ita) 10h36'03" |
2.
Luigi Lucotti (Ita) +1'07" |
3.
Angelo Gremo (Ita) +6'57" |
Starters: 41 / Finishers: 20  Average Speed: 27.263 km/h |
|
M-SR 1914
Not held in 1916 (WW1)
M-SR 1917
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