Coppi's Third and Last M-SR Victory
Campionissimo Fausto Coppi started 1949 in grand style by winning his third Milan-San Remo.
Fueled by a strong tailwind the race left Milan with at a very rapid pace. Two track riders, Erminio Leoni and Ferdinando Terruzzi, broke away soon after the start and collected the lucrative “sprint premes” along the plains Lombardy. The dou was caught before the climb of the Passo di Turchino. Neither would make it to San Remo.
Over the summit of the Turchino the elite began to attack. Vito Ortelli escaped with 3 others, the final selection had started. Defending champion Fausto Coppi chased hard with Fiorenzo Magni and Alfredo Martini. Once this solid breakaway had formed the race flew along the Liguran coast.
Frenchman Edouard Fachleitner attacked on the Capo Mele. Coppi answered, catching and passing Fachleitner. On the Capo Berta with 32 km to the finish Coppi was alone. Aggressively Coppi increased his lead and crossed the finish line in San Remo to claim the victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: Fausto Coppi finished with a new record average of 39.397 km/h. This beat the previous best set by Giuseppe Olmo (38.517 km/h) in 1938.
SPECIAL NOTE: 1949 marked the first time the Via Roma in San Remo was used as the finish line.
M-SR March 19, 1949 |
290.5 Km |
1.
Fausto COPPI (Ita) 7h22'25" |
2.
Vito Ortelli (Ita) +4'17"
|
|
Starters: 202 |
Finishers: 118 |
Average Speed: 39.397 km/h (new record) |
M-SR 1948
M-SR 1950
Return to the Timeline ToC
Return to the Race Snippets ToC |
40th Milan-San Remo 1949 (Italy) 
