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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
GdI May 12-June 2, 1953 |
4,035 Km |
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Finishers: 72 |
Average Speed: 34.021 km/h |
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Late Heroics Gained the Victory for Coppi
A star-studded field started the 1953 Giro d'Italia.
Teams:
The teams entering the race were:
- Atala-Pirelli
- Bianchi-Pirelli
- Legnano-Pirelli
- Spagna Ideor-Fiorelli
- Arbos-Pirelli
- France
- Benotto-Levriere
- Bottecchia-Ursus
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- Welter-Ursus
- Ganna-Ursus
- Belgium-Girardengo
- Nilux
- Frejus
- Torpado-Ursus
- Holland-Locomotief
- Suisse-Guerra
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Classification Leadership:
The leader of the General Classification, calculated by adding each stage times of each rider and subtracting time bonuses, wore the Maglia Rosa (Pink Jersey).
The Mountains Classification was contested on various mountain climbs to the riders who crossed them first accumulated “climbing points.”
Race Summary:
Through the middle stages Suisse Hugo Koblet seemed well on his way to the victory with Italian Fausto Coppi entering stage 19 +1'59” behind with only three stages until the finish in Milan.
Race Notes: The race started outside the Piazza del Duomo in Milan.
Stage 1: Suisse superstar Ferdi Kubler came to the Giro in poor condition. He was unable to hold the peloton and abandoned before finishing the first stage.
Stage 4: On the way to Roccaraso Suisse contender Hugo Koblet crashed, when a young girl tried to grab a dropped musette as the peloton passed. Koblet lost conscienceless in the collision and struggled to continue. Teammates scrambled to get their leader a new bike and relayed him back into the peloton. In a sporting gesture Coppi and Bobet slowed the peloton until Koblet made contact. At the finish with a torn and bloody jersey and sporting a bandage on his head Koblet finished sixth and save his GC position.
Stage 8 (Individual Time Trial): Riding brilliantly Koblet shook off the effects of his stage 4 crash and took the stage win. His time gain vaulted him into the race leader’s Maglia Rosa.
Stage 18: 186 km from Vicenza to Auronzo race leader Koblet attacked and broke away with Bruno Monti and Rino Benedetti on a descent. The breakaway rode into Auronzo one minute ahead of the Coppi group. Koblet’s GC lead over Coppi was now +1’59”.
Stage 19: The nineteenth stage was brutal with 4 major Mountain Passes (the Misurina, Falzarego, Pordoi, and Sella). Koblet broke away on a famous Coppi launching pad, the climb of the Passo Pordoi. Coppi regained contact early on the stage’s final climb, the Sella. Coppi then dropped the Swiss rider before the summit. Koblet descended with skill and closed the gap. The two riders came into the Bolzano velodrome together. When Coppi stood up to sprint Koblet could not answer Coppi’s sprint. Coppi easily won the stage by several lengths. Generously the officials gave Koblet the same time as Coppi. Koblet held onto the Maglia Rosa.
Stage 20:
SPECIAL NOTE: 1953 marked the first inclusion of the Passo di Stelvio to the race route from Bolzano to Bormio.
The race route was 125 km from Bolzano to Bormio and included the brutal climb of the Passo di Stelvio. Fausto Coppi entered the stage in second place standings in the GC and thought the Giro may be over…?
Early on the ascent of the Stelvio Koblet began to weaken. Coppi’s Bianchi teammate Nino Defilippis attacked. Only Koblet answered the move but began to struggle with the effort. Coppi counter-attacked and rode away from the GC leader. On the descent of the Stelvio Koblet launched his chase. Recklessly he crashed twice and finished the stage +2’18” behind Coppi. The race lead went to Coppi.
Fausto Coppi rolled into Milan for his record tying fifth and final Giro d'Italia victory.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Milan-Albano, 263 km |
Wim Van Est (Ned) |
Wim Van Est (Ned) |
Stage 2 Albano-Rimini, 278 km |
Pasquale Fornara (Ita) |
Guido De Santi (Ita) |
Stg 3 Rimini-San Benedetto/Tronto, 182 km |
Albino Crespi (Ita) |
Guido De Santi (Ita) |
Stg 4 San Bene/Tronto-Roccaraso, 171 km |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Pasquale Fornara (Ita) |
Stage 5 Roccaraso-Napoli, 149 km |
Ettore Milan (Ita) |
Pasquale Fornara (Ita) |
Stage 6 Napoli-Rome, 285 km |
Giuseppe Minardi (Ita) |
Guido De Santi (Ita) |
Stage 7 Rome-Grossetto, 178 km |
Giovanni Corrieri (Ita) |
Giovanni Corrieri (Ita) |
Stage 8 Grossetto-Follonica, 48.5 km ITT |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 9 Follonica-Pisa, 114 km |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 10 Pisa-Modena, 189 km |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 11 Modena Autodrome, 30 km TTT |
BIANCHI |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 12 Modena-Genova, 278 km |
Giorgio Albani (Ita) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 13 Genova-Bordighera, 256 km |
Oreste Conte (Ita) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 14 Bordighera-Torino, 242 km |
Pietro Giudici (Ita) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 15 Torino-San Pellegrino, 232 km |
Nino Assirelli (Ita) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stg 16 San Pelleg.-Riva del Garda, 279 km |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 17 Riva del Garda-Vicenza, 166 km |
Bruno Monti (Ita) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 18 Vicenza-Auronzo, 186 km |
Bruno Monti (Ita) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 19 Auronzo-Bolzano, 164 km |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Stage 20 Bolzano-Bormio, 125 km |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Stage 21 Bormio-Milan, 220 km |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
 Fausto Coppi (Ita)
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Mountain Classification |
Pasquale Fornara (Ita) |
General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Fausto COPPI (Ita)  |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
118h37'26" |
2 |
Hugo Koblet (Sui)  (1st Foreign rider) |
Suisse-Guerra |
+1'29" |
3 |
Pasquale Fornara (Ita) |
Bottecchia-Ursus |
+6'55" |
4 |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
Bartali |
+14'08" |
5 |
Angelo Conterno (Ita)  (1st Independent) |
Frejus |
+20'51" |
6 |
Stan Ockers (Bel) |
Belgium-Girardengo |
+24'14" |
7 |
Giovanni Roma (Ita) |
Bottecchia-Ursus |
+24'35" |
8 |
Guido De Santi (Ita) |
Benotto-Levriere |
+25'06" |
9 |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+25'39" |
10 |
Vincenzo Rossello (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+26'21" |
11 |
Pietro Giudici (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+29'02" |
12 |
Nino Defilippis (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+29'26" |
13 |
Wim Van Est (Ned) |
Holland-Locomotief |
+29'57" |
14 |
Fritz Schaer (Sui) |
Suisse-Guerra |
+30'32" |
15 |
Giorgio Albani (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+31'17" |
16 |
Donato Zampini (Ita) |
Benotto-Levriere |
+31'54" |
17 |
Arrigo Padovan (Ita) |
Atala-Pirelli |
+32'23" |
18 |
Elio Brasola (Ita) |
Torpado-Ursus |
+33'29" |
19 |
Danilo Barozzi (Ita) |
Atala-Pirelli |
+35'25" |
20 |
Agostino Coletto (Ita) |
Frejus |
+36'49" |
21 |
Silvio Pedroni (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+36'54" |
22 |
Andrea Carrea (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+42'06" |
23 |
Bruno Monti (Ita) |
Arbos-Pirelli |
+42'15" |
24 |
Roger Pontet (Fra) |
France |
+44'25" |
25 |
Primo Volpi (Ita) |
Arbos-Pirelli |
+45'16" |
26 |
Serafino Biagioni (Ita) |
Bartali |
+47'17" |
27 |
Ettore Milano (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+50'01" |
28 |
Walter Serena (Ita) |
Welter-Ursus |
+51'02" |
29 |
Bernardo Ruiz (Spa) |
Spain-Fiorelli |
+54'17" |
30 |
Raphael Géminiani (Fra) |
France |
+54'28" |
31 |
Oreste Conte (Ita) |
Bottecchia-Ursus |
+56'53" |
32 |
Marcello Pellegrini (Ita) |
Welter-Ursus |
+57'17" |
33 |
Tranquillo Scudellaro (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+58'18" |
34 |
Giulio Bresci (Ita) |
Bartali |
+58'37" |
35 |
Stefano Gaggero (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+1h02'07" |
36 |
Rinaldo Moresco (Ita) |
Arbos-Pirelli |
+1h05'29" |
37 |
Franco Franchi (Ita) |
Bottecchia-Ursus |
+1h07'24" |
38 |
Michele Gismondi (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+1h09'28" |
39 |
Vittorio Rossello (Ita) |
Frejus |
+1h13'09" |
40 |
Livio Isotti (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+1h15'04" |
41 |
Andres Trobat (Spa) |
Spain-Fiorelli |
+1h19'52" |
42 |
Armando Barducci (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+1h20'12" |
43 |
Jesus Lorono (Spa) |
Spain-Fiorelli |
+1h20'44" |
44 |
Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) |
Belgium-Girardengo |
+1h23'48" |
45 |
Aldo Zuliani (Ita) |
Bottecchia-Ursus |
+1h26'06" |
46 |
Giovanni Pettinati (Ita) |
Benotto-Levriere |
+1h29'05" |
47 |
Giuseppe Doni (Ita) |
Torpado-Ursus |
+1h29'32" |
48 |
Marcello Ciolli (Ita) |
Frejus |
+1h32'25" |
49 |
Luciano Frosini (Ita) |
Arbos-Pirelli |
+1h34'11" |
50 |
Mario Ciabatti (Ita) |
Frejus |
+1h36'57" |
51 |
Thijs Roks (Ned) |
Holland-Locomotief |
+1h38'42" |
52 |
Fiorenzo Crippa (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+1h40'06" |
53 |
Mario Baroni (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+1h42'26" |
54 |
Antonio Medri (Ita) |
Bottecchia-Ursus |
+1h45'48" |
55 |
Remo Pianezzi (Sui) |
Suisse-Guerra |
+1h50'13" |
56 |
Virgilio Salimbeni (Ita) |
Ganna-Ursus |
+1h50'50" |
57 |
Miguel Gual (Spa) |
Spain-Fiorelli |
+1h52'15" |
58 |
Luciano Maggini (Ita) |
Atala-Pirelli |
+1h52'25" |
59 |
Dante Rivola (Ita) |
Bartali |
+2h00'39" |
60 |
Alois Van Steenkiste (Bel) |
Belgium-Girardengo |
+2h17'33" |
61 |
Nino Assirelli (Ita) |
Arbos-Pirelli |
+2h19'20" |
62 |
Mario Gestri (Ita) |
Arbos-Pirelli |
+2h19'25" |
63 |
Cesare Olmi (Ita) |
Bottecchia-Ursus |
+2h19'27" |
64 |
Luciano Pezzi (Ita) |
Atala-Pirelli |
+2h20'48" |
65 |
Alfio Baronti (Ita) |
Bartali |
+2h24'48" |
| 66 |
Donato Piazza (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
+2h29'45" |
| 67 |
Jose Vidal-Porcar (Spa) |
Spain-Fiorelli |
+2h38'50" |
| 68 |
Annibale Brasola (Ita) |
Torpado-Ursus |
+2h54'15" |
| 69 |
Walter Diggelmann (Sui) |
Suisse-Guerra |
+2h54'25" |
| 70 |
Aldo Bini (Ita) |
Bartali |
+2h56'31" |
| 71 |
Adri Suykerbuyk (Ned) |
Holland-Locomotief |
+3h02'02" |
| 72 |
Hein Van Breenen (Ned) |
Holland-Locomotief |
+3h05'24" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Pasquale Fornara (Ita) |
Bottecchia-Ursus |
33 |
2 |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
20 |
3 |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
Bartali |
16 |
4 |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
Suisse-Guerra |
15 |
5 |
Primo Volpi (Ita) |
Arbos-Pirelli |
10 |
6 |
Andrea Carrea (Ita) |
Bianchi-Pirelli |
8 |
7 |
Stan Ockers (Bel) |
Belgium-Girardengo |
5 |
8 |
Danilo Barozzi (Ita) |
Atala-Pirelli |
4 |
9t |
Nino Defilippis (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
3 |
Giovanni Roma (Ita) |
Bottecchia-Ursus |
GdI 1954
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