___Race Snippets

   
 

40th Milan-San Remo 1949 (Italy)

 
   
 
By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
 

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"

3. Fiorenzo Magni (Ita)

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

 
       
         
         
         
   


All materials are property of CyclingRevealed and Copyright © 2007-2018
unless otherwise noted

Home | Contact Us