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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian |
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Balmamion's Giro Victory with NO Stage Wins… Again
SPECIAL NOTE: During this edition of the Giro d’Italia two political factions of Italian cycling butted heads. Bruno Mealli of the Italian Cycling Federation and Mario Fontana of the League of Professional Cyclists vied for control of the race. Both parties left the race until the Italian government mediated the dispute and put the Giro back on track.
Defending champion Franco Balmamion again used consistently strong finishes to fight off all challenges and win his second Giro d’Italia.
Balmamion took over the Maglia Rosa after the stage 12 climb to Leukerbad. He faltered slightly on the 56 km ITT in Treviso and lost the race lead. The General Classification remained very close with only 24 seconds between race leader Diego Ronchini and Franco Balmamion in fifth place.
The mountainous stage 19 climbed the Duran, Staulanza, Cereda, Rolle, Valles, and San Pellegrino. Balmamion's very tactical ride on stage 19 let Vito Taccone, more than 15 minute down in the GC, ride solo to the stage win while the contenders watched Balmamion ride away in a secondary 2 rider breakaway.
He finished third and took the race lead for good.
The defending champion rode into Milan for the final victory. Franco Balmamion became the first rider to successfully defend his Giro Championship since Fausto Coppi in 1953.
SPECIAL NOTE: Live television came to1963 Giro. TV covered live the final 10 kms of each stage.
SPECIAL NOTE: During this edition of the Giro d’Italia two political factions of Italian cycling butted heads. Bruno Mealli of the Italian Cycling Federation and Mario Fontana of the League of Professional Cyclists vied for control of the race. Both parties left the race until the Italian government mediated the dispute and put the Giro back on track.
SPECIAL NOTE: Pope Giovanni XXIII received the Giro entourage in the yard of S. Damaso. Sadly Pope Giovanni would pass away before the race finished. Race leader Franco Balmamion leads the peloton in mourning with an arm band to honor the Pope.
SPECIAL NOTE: The specter of doping began to appear in 1963. A rider is thought to have given himself an intravenous dose of an unknown substance. Race doctor Frattini protests the riders and starts an investigation into the practice.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Napoli-Potenza, 182 km |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Stage 2 Potenza-Bari, 185 km |
Pierino Baffi (Ita) |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Stage 3 Bari-Campobasso, 252 km |
Jaime Alomar (Esp) |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Stage 4 Campobasso-Pescara, 213 km |
Guido Carlesi (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 5 Pescara-Viterbo, 263 km |
Vendramino Bariviera (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 6 Bolsena-Arezzo, 192 km |
Vendramino Bariviera (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 7 Arezzo-Rio Terme, 173 km |
Nino Defilippis (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 8 Riolo Terme-Salsomagg., 203 km |
Adriano Durante (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 9 Salsomaggiore-Spezia, 173 km |
Giorgio Zancanaro (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 10 La Spezia-Asti, 225 km |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 11 Asti-Oropa, 130 km |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 12 Biella-Leukerbad, 214 km |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 13 Sierre-St Vincent, 152 km |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 14 St Vincent-Cremona, 260 km |
Marino Vigna (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 15 Mantova-Treviso, 155 km |
Franco Magnani (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 16 Treviso , 56 km ITT |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 17 Treviso-Gorizia, 213 km |
Vendramino Bariviera (Ita) |
Diego Ronchini (Ita) |
Stage 18 Gorizia-Belluno/Nevegal, 248 km |
Arnaldo Pambianco (Ita) |
Vittorio Adorni (Ita) |
Stage 19 Belluno-Moena, 198 km |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 20 Moena-Lumezzane, 240 km |
Guido Carlesi (Ita) |
Franco Balmamion (Ita) |
Stage 21 Brescia-Milan, 136 km |
Antonio Bailetti (Ita) |
 Franco Balmamion (Ita)
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Mountain Classification |
Vito Taccone (Ita) |
GdI May 18 - June 8, 1963 |
| 4,063 Km |
1. Franco BALMAMION (Ita) 116h50'16" |
| 2. Vittorio Adorni (Ita) +2'24" |
| 3.
Giorgio Zancanaro (Ita) +3'15" |
Starters: 120 |
Finishers: 86 |
Average Speed: 34.774 km/h |
GdI 1964
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