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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian |
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Another Great Italian Cyclist Emerges
Fiorenzo Magni won the first of his three Giro d'Italia victories in 1948, but not without controversy.
Magni riding brilliantly into the Alps began to struggle under Fausto Coppi's relentless pressure. On the final climbing stage, featuring the famous Passo di Pordoi (always a famous Coppi launching pad) Magni began to slow. He was ‘relayed’ up the climb being pushed by the tofosi (Italian fans). Magni managed to limit his time loss to 2’31” in Trento, but race officials issued an additional 2 minute time penalty for the infraction. The penalty was not enough to prevent Magni from taking the Maglia Rosa.
Fausto Coppi and his Bianchi teammate were furious that the penalty given was too light. Team Bianchi withdrew from the Giro in protest of the rules infraction.
Over the final two stages Fiorenzo Magni maintained his slim 11 second race lead over Ezio Cecchi and rode into Milan for the Giro victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: Fausto Coppi won the Mountain Classification despite abandoning on stage 17 in protest. The Giro rules of the time allowed the prize to be awarded without finishing the race.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Milan-Torino, 190 km |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Stage 2 Torino-Genova, 226 km |
Mario Ricci (Ita) |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Stage 3 Genova-Parma, 243 km |
Luciano Maggini (Ita) |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Stage 4 Parma-Viareggio, 166 km |
Luigi Casola (Ita) |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Stage 5 Viareggio-Siena, 165 km |
Adolfo Leoni (Ita) |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Stage 6 Siena-Rome, 256 km |
Luigi Casola (Ita) |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Stage 7 Rome-Pescara, 230 km |
Antonio Bevilacqua (Ita) |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Stage 8 Pescara-Bari, 347 km |
Adolfo Leoni (Ita) |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Stage 9 Bari-Napoli, 306 km |
Nedo Logli (Ita) |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 10 Napoli-Fiuggi, 184 km |
Italo De Zan (Ita) |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 11 Fiuggi-Perugia, 265 km |
Desire Keteleer (Bel) |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 12 Perugia-Firenze, 164 km |
Oreste Conte (Ita) |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 13 Firenze-Bologna, 194 km |
Bruno Pasquini (Ita) |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 14 Bologna-Udine, 278 km |
Oreste Conte (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 15 Udine-Auronzo, 125 km |
Vincenzo Rossello (Ita) |
Ezio Cecchi (Ita) |
Stage 16 Auronzo-Cortina d'Ampezzo, 90 km |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Ezio Cecchi (Ita) |
Stage 17 Cortina d'Ampezzo-Trento, 160 km |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 18 Trento-Brescia, 239 km |
Elio Bertocchi (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 19 Brescia-Milan, 231 km |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
 Fiorenzo Magni (Ita)
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Mountain Classification |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
GdI May 15 - June 6, 1948 |
| 4,164 Km |
1. Fiorenzo MAGNI (Ita) 124h51'52" |
| 2. Ezio Cecchi (Ita) +11" |
| 3.
Giordano Cottur (Ita) +2'37" |
Starters: 77 |
Finishers: 41 |
Average Speed: 33.116 km/h |
GdI 1949
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