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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian |
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The Last Milan-San Remo during the War
The 36th Milan-San Remo Classicissima was held on March 19, 1943.
Again, this year, M-SR was the first race of the 1943 Giri di Guerra (Giro d’Italia ‘of War’), a ten-race competition with “points classification” organized to replace the Giro d'Italia.
SPECIAL NOTE: While WW2 raged the 10-race schedule had to be cancelled on July 24, 1943. Only 4 races were completed:
1943 Giro d’Italia ‘of War’ - (Giro, a Giri di Guerra)
Race |
Date |
Winner |
Milan-San Remo |
Friday, March 19, 1943 |
Cino Cinelli (Bianchi) |
Trofero Moschini |
Sunday, April 11, 1943 |
Olimpio Bizzi (Viscontea) |
Giro Della Toscana |
Sunday, April 25, 1943 |
Glauco Servadei (Bianchi) |
Gran Premio Roma |
Sunday, May 30, 1943 |
Olimpio Bizzi (Viscontea) |
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Final General Classification |
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1. Glauco Servadei - 21 points |
2. Olimpio Bizzi - 13 points |
3. Gino Bartali - 10 points |
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Giri di Guerra was interrupted after 4 races |
Bernocchi Cup |
scheduled July 25, 1943, not held, cancelled from Giri |
Milan-Modena |
scheduled August 8, 1943, not held, cancelled from Giri |
Tre Valli Varesine |
scheduled August 29, 1943, not held, cancelled from Giri |
Tour of Piedmont |
scheduled September 19, 1943, not held, cancelled from Giri |
Tour of Campania |
scheduled ??? not held, cancelled from Giri |
Tour of Lombardy |
scheduled ??? not held, cancelled from Giri |
Decent Italian spring weather greeted the fifty-five starts in Milan.
SPECIAL NOTE: one notable absentee was young superstar Fausto Coppi, who had enlisted in the Italian army in early March 1943 and was deployed to Tunisia.
The race left Milan aggressively with an early 7-rider breakaway, Mario Fazio (Viscontea), Severino Canavesi (Isolated), Augusto Introzzi (Isolated), Ennio Nardini (Isolated), Romano Pontisso (Isolated), Valerio Berteotti (Isolated), and Primo Zuccotti (Isolated), competing for the "village premes" in the Lombardia region.
Race Status:
Passing through Ovada (110 km into the race / 282 km), Pontisso and Introzzi dropped from the lead group.
During the climb of the Turchino Pass (131 km into the race / 282 km), action in the chasing peloton heated up. Vito Ortelli (Bianchi), Mario De Benedetti (Olm), and Elio Bertocchi (Legnano) bridge the gap to the leaders. Ortelli sprinted across the summit to win the mountain preme.
At the Arenzano feed station (162 km into the race / 282 km), the 12-rider breakaway held a 1’30” lead on pre-race favorites Pierino Favalli (Legnano) and Gino Bartali (Legnano) and Adolfo Leoni (Bianchi).
On the Colletta climb in Piani d'Invrea (170 km / 282 km), Bianchi’s Olimpio Bizzi attacked but without success. The breakaway expanded to seventeen.
After Savona (190 km / 282 km), elite teams of Bianchi, Legnano and Viscontea controlled the race.
Twenty riders (predominately Bianchi) came into San Remo to compete for the victory.
Cino Cinelli (Bianchi) cleverly used the Bianchi lead out and sprinted past teammate Glauco Servadei and Quirino Toccaceli (Olmo) for the grand M-SR victory.
M-SR March 19, 1943 / 282 Km |
1.
Cino CINELLI (Ita) 8h06'00" |
2.
Glauco Servadei (Ita) |
3.
Quirino Toccacelli (Ita) |
Starters: 55 / Finishers: 45  Average Speed : 34.753 km/h |
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M-SR 1942
M-SR 1946
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Return to the Race Snippets ToC |
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