Unknown Italian Escapes from Binda
The 20th edition of Milan-San Remo Classicissima was held on April 3, 1927. The race rolled out of Milan at 6:02 am. under cold and overcast skies, but in dry weather.
SPECIAL NOTE: the greatest absentee was the "Campionissimo" Costante Girardengo. He did not have the fitness to compete, because of the after-effects of a fracture to his left wrist.
SPECIAL NOTE: The 1927 M-SR was held on the same day as Belgium’s Tour of Flanders.
Race Status:
Pietro Chesi, Individual (Isolati), launched a breakaway at the gates of Tortona (70 km into the race / 287 km). Another “individual” rider Carlo Porzio joined him. Since both riders were unknown, the peloton allowed the breakaway to move away.
Thirty kilometers later near Basaluzzo (100 km / 287 km), Porzio slowed due to cramps and abandoned the race.
A solo Chesi reached the summit of Passo Turchino (131 km / 287 km), with an advantage of 18 minutes over the unconcerned elites.
Riding onto the Ligurian Coast in Arenzano (167 km / 287 km), the delay to the chasing group fell slightly to 17 minutes.
In Savona (203 km / 287 km), the time gap continued to drop, now 15 minutes.
Pre-race favorites Alfredo Binda (Legnano) and Domenico Piemontesi (Bianchi), on the Capo Berta (262 km / 287 km), decided to increase the tempo of the chase. Over the summit of the Capo Berta the time gap was down to 13 minutes.
However, the hard chase started too late. Pietro Chesi rode down the Via Cavallotti to the amazement of the everyone in San Remo. The Italian Isolati gained the biggest victory of his short career. *
Binda and Piemontesi finished second and third, 9 minutes behind Chesi.
SPECIAL NOTE: * Politically, Chesi was a supporter of the Mussolini Regime and joined the Voluntary Militia for National Security, better known as “Il Duce’s” Blackshirts. He was captured in August 1944 by a group of anti-fascists, and executed by the partisans in 1944.
M-SR April 3, 1927 / 287 Km |
1.
Pietro CHIESI (Ita) 9h43'00" |
2.
Alfredo Binda (Ita) +9'00"
|
3.
Domenico Piemontesi (Ita)
|
Starters: 111 / Finishers: 71  Average Speed : 29.435 km/h |
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M-SR 1926
M-SR 1928
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