| Gino Bartali's First Lombardia Victory
The 32nd edition of the Giro di Lombardia was held on November 8, 1936.
The race started in the Garegnano district of Milan at 8:15 am on a gray and humid morning. A five rider early breakaway, Giovanni Cazzulani (Gloria), Augusto Introzzi (Gloria), Giovanni Gotti (Legnano), Gottlieb Weber (Isolati), and Zaurino Guidi (Isolati), generated a fast pace.
Race Status:
Through Varese (47 km / 241 km), the five leaders maintained a 2'50" advantage.
In the Grantola (77 km / 241 km), at the summit of the climb their advantage had grown to 3'45" to the first chasers, and 6'00” to Gino Bartali’s group.
On the climb of the Cappelletta (125 km / 241 km), Bartali (Legnano) could wait no more and began his comeback with Giuseppe Olmo (Bianchi).
At the beginning of the ascent of Madonna del Ghisallo (156 km / 241 km), Cazzulani struggled and dropped from the leaders. The Bartali group trailed by 1’50”. Bartali’s tempo shattered the group.
On the descent, a few pursuers reunited and tried to recover. The three leaders continued their escape, but the gap was dwindling.
On the Valbrona (188 km / 241 km), Bartali attacked again and caught the leaders.
Gino’s incessant pace dropped Camusso and Bini from the group.
In the closing kilometers Diego Marabelli (Isolati) and Luigi Barral (Legnano) join the leader.
The trio approached the finish at the Vigorelli velodrome and prepared for the sprint.
Barral jumped away and entered the velodrome first with a ten-meter advantage. At the sound of the bell that signals the last lap, Bartali launched his sprint. On the straight opposite to the finish line, Barral was caught.
Around the final turn Bartali opened a gap and crossed the finish line with a ten-meter advantage. Gino Bartali (Legnano) gained his first grand victory at the 1936 Giro di Lombardia.
SPECIAL NOTE: Lombardia organizers changed the finish area from the Civic Arena to the Vigorelli Velodrome in 1936. Bartali’s sensational victory gave the velodrome a big boast as the new finish line for the Giro di Lombardia.
GdL November 8, 1936 |
241 Km, Milan-Milan (Vigorelli Velodrome) |
1.
Gino BARTALI (Ita) 6h46'00" |
2.
Diego Marabelli (Ita) |
3.
Luigi Barral (Ita) |
Starters: 112 / Finishers: 37 Average Speed: 35.615 km/h |
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Lomb 1935
Lomb 1937
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