25th Milan-San Remo 1932 (Italy)

Bovet Wins in Record Time

The 25th Milan-San Remo Classicissima was held on March 20, 1932.

The race departed Milan at 6:27 am under cloudy skies and rode into a strong headwind racing across the plains of Lombardia. The premes (monetary cash prizes) awarded in the villages along the plains kept the early paces high. A vigilant peloton did not allow a breakaway to form.

Race Status:

The first real action came on the ascent of the Turchino Pass (131 km / 285 km). An elite group of five, including Charles Pelissier (Génial Lucifer), Michele Mara (Bianchi), Luigi Barral (Olympia), Angelo Rinaldi (Maino), and Leonida Frascareli (Ilvea) rode away from the peloton. Barral, the best climber in the group, sprinted over the summit to win the Gran Premio della Montagna (a monetary mountain preme).

On the descent the five fugitives built a lead of more than a minute on the first elite-chase group.

In Piani d'Invrea (170 km / 285 km), Alfredo Bovet (Bianchi) joined the breakaway. He attacked immediately on the short but difficult climb of the "Doganella" and escaped the group solo.

Bovet’s advantage in Savona (185 km / 285 km), to the five pursuers grew to 1'03", with the peloton 5'00” behind.

After the Savona control point (201 km / 285 km), Bovet's pace did not drop in spite of having to fight an annoying headwind. His lead grew to 4’00” over the Pelissier led chase group.

At a closed level crossing in Andora (270 km / 285 km), a regrouping of the chasers occurred. Alfredo Binda joined and forced the pace.

When he was unable to breakaway from his companions, the pace slowed.

Inspired in the closing kms Bovet rode confidently into San Remo. Alfredo Bovet rode across the finish line first with a 3'00 advantage over Alfredo Binda, who won the four-rider sprint for second place.

With the 1932 M-SR victory Bovet crossed the finish line with the new record average for the race (34.433 km/h). *

SPECIAL NOTE: On the start list were aging heroes of Italian cycling:

Costante Girardengo, Campionissimo, at the age of 39. He did not finish the race.

Gaetano Belloni (Olympia), also at the age of 39, finished in 13th place 6’35” behind the winner.

Giovanni "red devil" Gerbi (Team Gerbi), at the age of 46, finished 81st at 9h44'45". His time in 1932 was over 1h20’00” faster than his third palce time in the 1907 M-SR!

M-SR 1931

M-SR 1933

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