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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
GdI June 15 - July 7, 1946 |
3,039 Km |
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Finishers: 40 |
Average Speed: 33.948 km/h |
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Bartali Beats Coppi…THE Rivalry Continued to Grow
The Italian Cycling Federation announced on December 7, 1945 that the 1946 Giro d’Italia would be return. The significance of the restart was noted by a l'Unita writer, who wrote: "... this Giro makes the idea of unity of our nation concrete..." The paper even referred to the restart as the Giro della Rinascita (Giro of Rebirth).
Following the War, defending champion (Giro 1940) Fausto Coppi moved from Gino Bartali's Legnano team to the Bianchi team. Now riding for separate teams their rivalry would flourish.
The two superstars of Italian cycling battled from the start in Milan, around Italy and back to the finish in Milan. Along the way, one of the two rivals won every major climb. Through the Alps Coppi went on a 3-stage rampage but could only gain seconds on an ever-vigilant Bartali.
The two superstars of Italian cycling battled from the start in Milan, around Italy and back to the finish in Milan. Along the way, one of the two rivals won every major climb. Through the Alps Coppi went on a 3-stage rampage but could only gain seconds on an ever-vigilant Bartali.
SPECIAL NOTE: Cycling fans were witnessing one of the greatest rivalries in sports history. This rivalry would continue to flourish for a decade to come and would entertain sports fans everywhere.
Teams:
There were seven Trade Teams and six Teams from Groups:
- Benotto-Superga
- Bianchi
- Legnano-Pirelli
- Olmo-Fulgor
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- Viscontea
- Welter-Ursus
- Wilier Triestina
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Each trade team was composed of seven riders.
There were six teams from special Groups, which entered five riders each:
- Milan-Gazzetta (Groups)
- Velo Club Bustese (Groups)
- Fronte Della Gioventu-Duluz (Groups)
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- Enal-Campari (Groups)
- Azzini-Freni Universal (Groups)
- Centro Sportivo Italiano (Groups)
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Race Summary: (Race Controversy)
Stage 12: 132 km from Rovigo to Trieste, the stage started at 6:25 AM local time. Reports along the race route stated that a large trunk was placed on the road two kilometers after Pieris. While stopped riders had stones thrown at them. The local police following the race were call upon to disperse the crowds. The crowd fired guns, and the police responded. Riders met to determine if they would continue. A number of riders rode part of the racecourse by bicycle.
When race officials released a statement saying that stones were thrown at riders, along with nails spread on the road and other obstacles, officials cancelled the stage. The officials determined that each rider would receive the same time. A few riders did continue riding to the finish in Trieste, while others went to the finish on trucks.
Classification Leadership:
The leader of the General Classification wore the Maglia Rosa (Pink Jersey). There was a new Maglia Nera  (Black Jersey) awarded to the rider placed last in the GC.
Like the GC the "Aggruppati" (Groups) Classification was calculated in the same fashion as the Overall GC, but it was exclusively for the riders competing from Groups rather than Trade Teams.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Milan-Torino, 185 km |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Stage 2 Torino-Genova, 190 km |
Ant. Bevilacqua (Ita) |
Antonio Bevilacqua (Ita) |
Stage 3 Genova-Montecatini, 222 km |
Adolfo Leoni (Ita) |
Antonio Bevilacqua (Ita) |
Stage 4a Montecatini-Prato, 40 km ITT |
Antonio Bevilacqua (Ita) |
Antonio Bevilacqua (Ita) |
Stage 4b Prato-Bologna, 112 km |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Fermo Camellini (Ita) |
Stage 5a Bologna-Cesena, 80 km |
Olimpio Bizzi (Ita) |
Fermo Camellini (Ita) |
Stage 5b Cesena-Ancona, 128 km |
Aldo Bini (Ita) |
Fermo Camellini (Ita) |
Stage 6 Ancona-Chieti, 170 km |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Fermo Camellini (Ita) |
Stage 7 Chieti-Napoli, 244 km |
Mario Ricci (Ita) |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 8 Napoli-Rome, 226 km |
Elio Bertocchi (Ita) |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 9 Rome-Perugia, 191 km |
Aldo Baito (Ita) |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 10 Perugia-Firenze, 165 km |
Renzo Zanazzi (Ita) |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 11 Firenze-Rovigo, 245 km |
Oreste Conte (Ita) |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 12 Rovigo-Trieste, * Canceled |
* Stage Stopped |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Stage 13 Udine-Auronzo, 124 km |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
Stage 14 Auronzo-Bassano, 203 km |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
Stage 15 Bassano-Trento, 186 km |
Aldo Ronconi (Ita) |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
Stage 16a Trento-Verona, 90 km |
Oreste Conte (Ita) |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
Stage 16b Verona-Mantova, 72 km |
Elio Bertocchi (Ita) |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
Stage 17 Mantova-Milan, 176 km |
Oreste Conte (Ita) |
 Gino Bartali (Ita)
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Mountain Classification |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Gino BARTALI (Ita)  |
Legnano-Pirelli |
65h32'20" |
2 |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Bianchi |
+47" |
3 |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Benotto-Superga |
+15'28" |
4 |
Salvatore Crippa (Ita) |
#1 Enal-Campari (Groups) |
+15'31" |
5 |
Aldo Ronconi (Ita) |
Benotto-Superga |
+24'31" |
6 |
Giulio Bresci (Ita) |
Welter-Ursus |
+27'35" |
7 |
Ezio Cecchi (Ita) |
Cent Sportivo Italiano (Grp) |
+37'58" |
8 |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+38'28" |
9 |
Alfredo Martini (Ita) |
Welter-Ursus |
+39'54" |
10 |
Primo Volpi (Ita) |
Velo Club Bustese (Groups) |
+43'12" |
11 |
Aldo Baito (Ita) |
Velo Club Bustese (Groups) |
+44'15" |
12 |
Serafino Biagoni (Ita) |
Front d Gioventu-Dulux (Grp) |
+46'56" |
13 |
Bruno Pasquini (Ita) |
Milan-Gazzetta (Groups) |
+51'17" |
14 |
Enzo Coppini (Ita) |
Front d Gioventu-Dulux (Grp) |
+58'51" |
15 |
Diego Marabelli (Ita) |
Enal-Campari (Groups) |
+1h02'02" |
16 |
Augusto Introzzi (Ita) |
Azzini Freno-Universal (Grp) |
+1h18'03" |
17 |
Antonio Bevilacqua (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+1h18'36" |
18 |
Giannino Piccolroaz (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+1h20'03" |
19 |
Secondo Barisone (Ita) |
Bianchi |
+1h22'39" |
20 |
Mario Fazio (Ita) |
Viscontea |
+1h22'57" |
21 |
Giovanni De Stefanis (Ita) |
Bianchi |
+1h28'24" |
22 |
Andrea Giacometti (Ita) |
Fronte d Gioventu-Dulux (Grp) |
+1h30'18" |
23 |
Aldo Bini (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+1h32'39" |
24 |
Serse Coppi (Ita) |
Bianchi |
+1h37'15" |
25 |
Oreste Conte (Ita) |
Benotto-Superga |
+1h38'44" |
26 |
Guido Lelli (Ita) |
Benotto-Superga |
+1h41'23" |
27 |
Cesare Del Cancia (Ita) |
Welter-Ursus |
+1h44'19" |
28 |
Egidio Marangoni (Ita) |
Milan-Gazzetta (Groups) |
+1h49'35" |
29 |
Silvio Furlan (Ita) |
Velo Club Bustese (Groups) |
+1h52'31" |
30 |
Marcello Spadolini (Ita) |
Centro Sportivo Italiano (Grp) |
+1h52'58" |
31 |
Paolo Ferrari (Ita) |
Velo Club Bustese (Groups) |
+1h59'02" |
32 |
Renzo Zanazzi (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+2h01'40" |
33 |
Elio Bertocchi (Ita) |
Viscontea |
+2h19'12" |
34 |
Remo Sala (Ita) |
Enal-Campari (Groups) |
+2h22'32" |
35 |
Guerrino Amadori (Ita) |
Enal-Campari (Groups) |
+2h27'02" |
36 |
Carlo Moscardini (Ita) |
Azzini Freno-Universal (Grp) |
+2h38'44" |
37 |
Egidio Feruglio (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
+2h42'44" |
38 |
Enea Antolini (Ita) |
Benotto-Superga |
+2h51'00" |
39 |
Valeriano Zanazzi (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
+3h16'36" |
40 |
Luigi Malabrocca (Ita) |
Milan-Gazzetta (Groups) |
+4h09'34" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
Legnano-Pirelli |
27 |
2 |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Bianchi |
20 |
3 |
Vito Ortelli (Ita) |
Benotto-Superga |
17 |
4 |
Aldo Ronconi (Ita) |
Benotto-Superga |
8 |
5t |
Serse Coppi (Ita) |
Bianchi |
5 |
5t |
Ezio Cecchi (Ita) |
Centro Sporti Italiano (Grp) |
5 |
6 |
Giordano Cottur (Ita) |
Wilier-Triestina |
4 |
GdI 1947
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