Talented Young Frenchman Tackles Lombardia
The 7th edition of Giro di Lombardia was held on November 5, 1911. The race started in Milan and finished in the Township of Sesto San Giovanni (a suburb of Milan).
The race departure at 7:07 am from Corso Sempione in Milan on a beautiful sunny day. The start was fast, but the peloton stayed together through the opening kilometers.
Race Status:
The compact group rode into Albizzate (48 km into the race / 232 km), where a series of punctures slowed Octave Lapize (Fra- Alcyon) and Eugene Dhers (Fra-Isolati). They lost contact with the leaders.
Atala teammates Luigi Ganna (Ita) and Alfredo Tibiletti (Ita) rapidly pushed the peloton.
When the first passage from Varese (52 km / 232 km), the two Frenchmen were 2'00” behind the two Italians.
SPECIAL NOTE: While crossing the city, a large number of spectators crowded the middle of the road causing several falls. Giovanni Rossignoli was first to crash, followed by Lapize. The unfortunate Frenchman with a broken bicycle abandoned the race.
On the Brinzio climb (90 km / 232 km), the leaders approached at a high speed, when Ganna launched another attack that split the group. Five riders remained in the lead group: Ganna (Atala), Leopoldo Torricelli (Isolati), Carlo Durando (Alcyon), Marcel Perriere (Isolati), and George Passerieu (La Francaise), who gained two hundred meters and passed first over the summit.
The breakaway’s advantage on the second passage through Varese narrowed, the five riders stopped working together at the group’s pace and their time gap vanished quickly.
The race was rekindled on the Cappelletta climb, Ganna was the first to attack. Ezio Corlaita (Isolati) and Torricelli stretched the peloton, when Ganna punctured. The Italian strongman lost almost 3'00” with repairs to his wheel.
On the descent fifteen riders found themselves in the lead group, including Henri Pelissier (Isolati), Pietro Aimo (Fiat), Vincenzo Borgarello (Legnano), Corlaita (Isolati), and Pierino Albini (Gerbi).
In Bergamo, Cyrille Van Hauwaert (Isolati) returned to leaders, followed by Borgarello with Ganna and Giovanni Micheletto (Stucchi).
When the race reached thirty km to the finish, accidents created havoc. In the turmoil a select group moved into the lead. Passerieu, Enrico Verde (Isolati), Corlaita and Clemente Canepari (Legnano) all pay a price for the punctures and lose contact with the leaders.
A twenty-rider peloton remained and flew towards an uncertain sprint in Sesto San Giovanni. In the last five km the battles become furious and crashes were inevitable: Bertarelli, Dhers, Bordin, Azzini and Gremo all hit the ground.
The peloton broke into two sections under the 1 km to go flag.
At the four hundred meters marker Albini led with Van Hauwaert firmly on his wheel. Micheletto and Pelissier were next, but slightly further back.
Mid sprint Albini crashed and delayed Van Hauwaert, but with great agility the Belgian did not crash. Micheletto flanked the Belgian and the two engage in a furious high-speed battle. They were both bumping and pushing each other dangerously close to the left barriers. While the two impeded each other, young Frenchman Henri Pelissier found a gap on the right and jumped into the lead with two hundred meters to go.
Sprint finish in Sesto San Giovanni
A talented Henri Pelissier, using his superior finishing speed, and sprinted to the 1911 Giro di Lombardia victory.
Micheletto regained control and returned to his sprint ahead of Van Hauwaert. He held on and finished second.
SPECIAL NOTE: 1911 Lombardia winner Henri Pelissier completed a difficult "Italian" double by winning the Milan-San Remo in 1912.
GdL November 2, 1911 |
232 Km, Milan-Milan (Sesto San Giovanni) |
1.
Henri PELISSIER (Fra) 7h34'30" |
2.
Giovanni Micheletto (Ita) |
3.
Cyriel Van Hauwaert (Bel) |
Starters: 74 / Finishers: 50 Average Speed: 30.627 km/h |
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Lomb 1910
Lomb 1912
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