| Carlo Oriani’s Big Sprint
The 8th edition of Giro di Lombardia was held on October 27, 1912. The 235 km race started and finished in Milan. The race departured at 7:25 am from the Boldinasco shooting range in Milan.
Race Status:
A passive peloton rode into Brinzio (70 km into the race / 235 km), together. Maurice Brocco (La Francaise) attacked immediately. The peloton shattered into multiple groups. An eight-rider breakaway group formed: Brocco, Leopoldo Torricelli (Maino), Emilio Pavesi (Maino), Emilio Petiva (Maino), Clemente Canepari (Legnano), Vincenzo Borgarello (Legnano), Carlo Durando (Alcyon), and Giuseppe Santhià (Bianchi).
In Varese (95 km / 235 km), the leaders passed through with only a three hundred meters gap over the first chase group.
The breakaway did not work well together and the group became fourteen.
In Como (127 km / 235 km), the leaders held a 4'47" gap on a seven-rider chase group.
On the Cappelletta climb, a powerful new attack by Brocco split the group… again. Only Enrico Verde (Maino) and Pierino Albini (Garbi) remained with the Frenchman.
The three leaders failed to open a significant gap, and shortly after Erba (166 km / 235 km), they were joined by Carlo Oriani (Stucchi), Borgarello, Pavesi, Torricelli, and Ugo Agostoni (Peugeot). This group of eight would be the winning breakaway.
In Villa Fornaci (203 km / 235 km), eight riders remained in the lead.
Just before Gorgonzola (206 km / 235 km), Borgarello (Ita) and Brocco (Fra) touched wheels and crashed. The Frenchman recovered quickly and rejoined the leaders after a few kilometers. Borgarello, feeling the effects of the crash, gave up the chase.
There were five riders who would sprint for the victory at the velodrome in Milan.
Agostoni (Ita- Peugeot) entered the velodrome first, followed by Enrico Verde (Ita-Maino), Leopoldo Torricelli (Ita-Maino), Carlo Oriani (Ita-Stucchi), and Maurice Brocco (Fra-La Francaise). At the 400-meter sign Agostoni launched a long sprint. As Maurice Brocco and Ugo Agostoni were fighting for the lead, the Frenchman drove past the Italian at the 100 meters sign. Aggressively Carlo Oriani jumped hard on the outside with Enrico Verde on the inside.
The five riders matched pedal stroke for pedal stroke. Oriani found the superior closing speed and crossed the finish line first.
Italian Carlo Oriani (Stucchi) captured the grand Giro di Lombardia victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: Carlo Oriani went on to win the Giro d’Italia in 1913.
GdL October 27, 1912 |
235 Km, Milan-Milan |
1.
Carlo ORIANI (Ita) 7h30'30" |
2.
Enrico Verde (Ita) |
3.
Maurice Brocco (Fra) |
Starters: 56 / Finishers: 32 Average Speed: 31.298 km/h |
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Lomb 1911
Lomb 1913
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