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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian |
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Magni's Third Giro Victory
Fiorenzo Magni won his third Giro d’Italia Championship but it would not come easy. Gastone Nencini rode a brilliant race only to be out foxed by two wily veterans.
Magni took the early lead in his quest for a third overall victory. When Magni lost the race lead in Rome (Circuit of Frascati *) on stage 10 Nencini began to shine. The young Italian took his first Maglia Rosa on stage 16 and controlled the race through the mountains.
Exiting the climbing stages Magni trailed by 1’29”. He regained the Maglia Rosa on stage 20 from Trente to San Pellegrino. Fausto Coppi and Magni attacked the young race leader Gaston Nencini and broke free of the peloton with 160 km to go. The alliance gave Coppi the stage win and a time gain of 5’39” over Nenchini. With the time gain Magni took back the race lead.
One stage later Fiorenzo Magni, Giro champion in 1948 and 1951, rode into Milan for his third victory. Grand Italian Champion Fausto Coppi finished in second place only 13 second behind Magni.
* SPECIAL NOTE: The Frascati Circuit in Rome was a preview of the 1955 World Championship Road course.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Milan-Torino, 163 km |
Guido Messina (Ita) |
Guido Messina (Ita) |
Stage 2 Torino-Cannes, 243 km |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 3 Cannes-San Remo, 123 km |
Nino Defilippis (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 4 San Remo-Acqui Terme, 192 km |
Alessandro Fantini (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 5 Acqui Terme-Genoa, 170 km |
Giancarlo Astrua (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 6 Genoa/Lido d'Albaro, 18.4 km TTT |
TORPADO |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 7 Genoa-Viareggio, 164 km |
Giovanni Corrieri (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 8 Viareggio-Perugia, 260 km |
Rino Benedetti (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 9 Perugia-Rome, 174 km |
Gastone Nencini (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 10 Rome/ Frascati Circuit, 207 km |
Bernardo Ruiz (Spa) |
Bruno Monti (Ita) |
Stage 11 Rome-Napoli, 242 km |
Vincenzo Zuconelli (Ita) |
Bruno Monti (Ita) |
Stage 12 Napoli-Scanno, 216 km |
Gastone Nencini (Ita) |
Raphael Geminiani (Fra) |
Stage 13 Scanno-Ancona, 251 km |
Giorgio Albani (Ita) |
Raphael Geminiani (Fra) |
Stage 14 Ancona-Cervia Pineta, 173 km |
Giuseppe Minardi (Ita) |
Raphael Geminiani (Fra) |
Stage 15 Cervia Pineta-Ravenna, 50 km ITT |
Pasquale Fornara (Ita) |
Gastone Nencini (Ita) |
Stage 16 Ravenna-Lido di Jesolo, 245 km |
Rino Benedetti (Ita) |
Gastone Nencini (Ita) |
Stage 17 Lido di Jesolo-Trieste, 150 km |
Alessandro Fantini (Ita) |
Gastone Nencini (Ita) |
Stage 18 Trieste-Cortina d'Ampzz, 236 km |
Angelo Conterno (Ita) |
Gastone Nencini (Ita) |
Stage 19 Cort. d'Ampezzo-Trente, 227 km |
Jean Dotto (Fra) |
Gastone Nencini (Ita) |
Stage 20 Trente-San Pellegrino, 216 km |
Fausto Coppi (Ita) |
Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) |
Stage 21 San Pellegrino-Milan, 141 km |
Hugo Koblet (Sui) |
 Fiorenzo Magni (Ita)
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Mountain Classification |
Gastone Nencini (Ita) |
GdI May 14 - June 5, 1955 |
| 3,861.4 Km |
1. Fiorenzo MAGNI (Ita) 108h56'13" |
| 2. Fausto Coppi (Ita)+13" |
| 3. Gastone Nencini (Ita)+4'08" |
Starters: 98 |
| Finishers: 86 |
Average Speed: 35.551 km/h |
GdI 1956
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