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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian |
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Gaul Masters the Snow and Anquetil
Luxembourger Charly Gaul, Giro d’Italia champion in 1956, steadfastly battled young Frenchman Jacques Anquetil into the late stage in 1959. Anquetil took the Maglia Rosa by winning the stage 2 individual time trial, 1’30” ahead of Gaul. The Luxembourger battled back on stage 3 to Abetone, distancing Anquetil by over 2 minutes.
The Frenchman slowly chipped away at Gaul’s lead and broke clear of Gaul on stage 15 to Bolzano. The Anquetil group finished the stage with a 2'33" time gain that gave the race lead back to Anquetil. .
With 2 stages remaining to the finish in Milan Anquetil held a 3’36” lead over Gaul. Stage 21, 296 km from Aosta to Courmayeur, gave the Giro history books one of the great individual efforts of all time. Little Charly Gaul climbed away from everyone through the three, snow covered mountain passes (Grand St. Bernard, Forclaz, Petit St. Bernard) for the stage win. He beat a bonking Anquetil by 9’48” and took back the Maglia Rosa.
Charly Gaul rode into Milan one stage later for the huge comeback victory in the 1959 Giro d’Italia.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Milan-Salsomaggiore, 135 km |
Rik Van Looy (Bel) |
Rik Van Looy (Bel) |
Stage 2 Crt d'Salsomaggiore Terme, 22 km ITT |
Jacques Anquetil (Fra) |
Jacques Anquetil (Fra) |
Stage 3 Salsomaggiore-Abetone, 180 Km |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 4 Abetone-Arezzo, 178 km |
Armando Pellegrini (Ita) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 5 Arezzo-Rome, 243 km |
Rik Van Looy (Bel) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 6 Rome-Napoli, 213 km |
Miguel Poblet (Spa) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 7 Scalata del Vesuvio, 8 km ITT |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 8 Circuito di Ischia, 31 km ITT |
Antonino Catalano (Ita) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 9 Napoli-Vasto, 206 km |
Gastone Nencini (Ita) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 10 Vasto-Teramo, 148 km |
Rino Benedetti (Ita) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 11 Ascoli Piceno-Rimini, 245 km |
Rik Van Looy (Bel) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 12 Circuito di San Marino , 141 km |
Nino Defilippis (Ita) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 13 Rimini-Verona, 233 km |
Miguel Poblet (Spa) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 14 Verona-Rovereto, 143 km |
Rik Van Looy (Bel) |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 15 Trento-Bolzano, 198 km |
Miguel Poblet (Spa) |
Jacques Anquetil (Fra) |
Stage 16 Bolzano-San Pellegrino, 245 km |
Alessandro Fantini (Ita) |
Jacques Anquetil (Fra) |
Stage 17 San Pellegrino-Genova, 241 km |
Arrigo Padovan (Ita) |
Jacques Anquetil (Fra) |
Stage 18 Genova-Torino, 180 km |
Vito Favero (Ita) |
Jacques Anquetil (Fra) |
Stage 19 Crono Valle Susa , 51 km ITT |
Jacques Anquetil (Fra) |
Jacques Anquetil (Fra) |
Stage 20 Torino-St Vincent, 100 km |
Alfredo Sabbadin (Ita) |
Jacques Anquetil (Fra) |
Stage 21 Aosta-Courmayeur, 296 km |
Charly Gaul (Lux) *** |
Charly Gaul (Lux) |
Stage 22 Courmayeur-Milan, 220 km |
Rolf Graf (Sui) |
 Charly Gaul (Lux)
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Mountain Classification |
 Charly Gaul (Lux) |
GdI May 16 - June 7, 1959 |
| 3,657 Km |
1. Charly GAUL (Lux) 101h50'26" |
| 2. Jacques Anquetil (Fra) +6'12" |
| 3.
Diego Ronchini (Ita) +6'16" |
Starters: 130 |
Finishers: 86 |
Average Speed: 35.909 km/h |
GdI 1960
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