50th Milan-San Remo 1959 (Italy)

Milan-San Remo Turns a Golden 50

The Golden 50th Anniversary of Milan-San Remo went off at exactly 9:20AM. The weather conditions at the start were typical Northern Italian spring, cool with periods of rain. A start list of 177 riders left the famed Conca Fallata and headed to the sunny and warm "Via Roma" in San Remo.

Across the plains of Lombardy breakaway groups collected the lucrative monetary premes (cash prizes) given by the small villages along the route. The real racing began on the climb of the Passo del Turchino. Belgian Gustave Van Vaerembergh (Tricofilina-Coppi) and Idrio Bui (Ghigi) went over the summit together with a small gap, but were caught on the descent.

The peloton exploded on the Capo Berta, the final climb of the race, as Agostino Coletto (Carpano) and Vito Favero (Atala-Pirelli) broke away from a strung-out pack.  The finish was still 40 kms away and the powerful Ignis team led the chase.  The breakaway was caught as the 90 rider peloton approached the Via Roma. 

Down the finishing stretch Spaniard Miguel Poblet (Ignis) launched a perfectly timed sprint and held off the late charge of Belgian Rik Van Steenbergen for the prestigious victory. The victory was Problet’s second M-SR win in three years.

M-SR 1958

M-SR 1960

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