Giri without frontiers
TIreland might be preparing for a tifosi invasion but this year’s Giro marks only the 11th time the race has taken its grande partenza to foreign shores.
Procycling flicks through 105 years of history to find some great away days for Italy’s national tour… he inception of the Giro d’Italia in 1909 coincided with such an unstable period of European history that even if international visits were desirable, they would have been incredibly problematic. Perhaps because of this, perhaps because Italy is and always has been an insular nation, the Giro stuck to routes firmly within its own territories until 1920.
That first ‘ foreign’ stage left Milan and took the riders into Switzerland before returning to Italy for a finish in Turin. It wasn’t without incident, with reigning champion, Costante Girardengo, crashing on a descent and crawling into Turin over 11 minutes behind rival Gaetono Belloni on a hastily-repaired bike. Girardengo abandoned on the next stage, possibly suffering from his crash, perhaps due to a dispute over the legality of his wheel change. Whatever the reason, the Giro’s first cross- border flirtation coincided with the end of his brief reign and from then on, something always seemed to happen whenever the Giro went international.
Here then are some of the most memorable Giro stages that dared to venture outside the country’s borders…
The route was hard and, at 4,337km, remains the longest
Giro in history. The weather was unbearably hot, the riders
bickered with the organisers and Coppi fell ill
Girardengo returns
Friday 26 May 1922
Stage 2: Padova – Portorose
Stage 1 of the 1922 edition had been won handsomely by Giovanni Brunero only thanks to significant illegal assistance from his team-mates. Bianchi, the team of 1919 Giro champion Costante Girardengo, protested, believing that Brunero would be removed from the race. As the organisers pondered this, Girardengo then led a four-man breakaway into Porterose ( now in Slovenia), out- sprinted his fellow escapees and blazed a trail alongside the Adriatic, becoming the first rider to win a Giro stage on foreign soil.
The next day, the organisers imposed a mere 25-minute penalty for Brunero, with Girardengo left second overall behind his team-mate Gaetano Belloni. However, Bianchi were so incensed at the ruling, they pulled the team – including the top placed two riders – from the race, leaving Brunero to win comfortably with Girardengo and Belloni watching on. Things improved for ‘Gira’ though. He won the race again in 1923 and ended his 24-year career with 30 Giro stage wins.
The devil in a dress
Wednesday 28 May 1924
Stage 10: Bologna – Fiume
The 1924 Giro was notable for being the only time a woman took part. Alfonsina Strada was no stranger to racing against men. Incredibly strong, she had already ridden the Giro di Lombardia but at 3,613km over terrible roads, the 1924 Giro was the longest to date. Could a woman endure? Could anyone?
With many of Italy’s leading riders abstaining due to disputes over money, Strada’s participation was just the PR coup the organisers needed. Yet on stage 8, she finished outside the time limit, due to crashes and mechanical problems more than any lack of ability. Reluctant to lose her, she was allowed to continue, although no longer as a classified rider.
Then came a 415km stage from Bologna to Fiume, now known as Rijeka, Croatia. Strada, exhausted and no longer recognised, didn’t have to start the stage but she did. She didn’t have to finish either but after some 21 hours of riding, crashing and picking herself up, she made it to Fiume, where she was lifted from her bike and hailed a hero. Of the 90 starters, just 29 men completed the 1924 Giro. They were joined by a single woman.
The Bernina St rike
Saturday 12 June 1954
Stage 2: Bolzano – Saint Moritz
Since Fausto Coppi had won the 1953 Giro by just over a minute from Hugo Koblet, the organisers devised a 1954 route that included a mountainous foray into Saint Moritz on the penultimate day. While they were confident this would lead to another nail- biting race, to say things didn’t go to plan would be to understate the calamity of the 1954 Giro.
The route was hard and, at 4,337km, remains the longest Giro in history. The weather was unbearably hot, the riders bickered with the organisers and Coppi fell ill. Then the Campionissimo suffered the public disintegration of his marriage as his affair with Giulia Locatelli became public knowledge.
An unspectacular rider, Carlo Clerici, took a sizeable overall lead, having been left to escape on stage 6. As the race progressed, the peloton showed little inclination to haul him back – Coppi was distracted, Koblet was Clerici’s teammate – so the race became a procession. Its nadir was the stage to Saint Moritz, a day intended to be full of action that
ended with the riders refusing to race and meandering up the Bernina Pass. The slow pace meant the 222km stage took over nine hours. Clerici won by over 24 minutes in Milan but 1954 is remembered now not for his unexpected win but for the Bernina Strike.
Gaul briefly powers into pink
Sunday 4 June 1957
Stage 16: Sion – Campo Dei Fiori
By 1957, reigning Giro champion Charly Gaul was locked in a fierce hate/ hate relationship with French darling Louison Bobet. Going into the final week, the pair were in the top five, just 55 seconds apart. On stage 15, to Sion in Switzerland, Gaul led through the snow banks on the Grand Saint Bernard only to be overhauled by Bobet and the Italian Gastone Nencini, who was also in the top five. Bobet took the stage and the pink jersey, Gaul remained 55 seconds adrift.
That all changed the next day. Gaul loved the cold and wet so with stage 16 combining tough climbs with terrible weather, the ‘Angel of the Mountain’ was on fire as everyone else shivered.
Over the steep climbs, Gaul slipped from sight, leaving Nencini and Bobet in his wake. He didn’t win the stage (Alfredo Sabbadin did) but he did take the pink jersey from Bobet. All seemed set for a Gaul coronation in Milan but then he lost over 10 minutes when he stopped to relieve himself. He spent the rest of the race helping Nencini prevail over Bobet.
Automobile assistance in Austria
Monday 7 June 1971
Stage 17: Tarvisio – Grossglockner
Stage 17 of the 1971 Giro culminated in a dual ascent of the Grossglockner, an Austrian giant 2,571m high and 26km long. Italy’s Claudio Michelotto, second in the ’69 Giro, was in the lead, over two minutes ahead of Aldo Moser and four minutes over the Swede Gösta Pettersson.
But Michelotto was in trouble as the race reached Austria and at the famous Franz Joseph Höhe, 6km from the top of the Grossglockner, he cracked. As Pettersson pushed on, he grabbed hold
Gaul loved the cold and wet, so with stage 16 combining
tough climbs with terrible weather, the ‘Angel of
the Mountain’ was on fire as everyone else shivered
of a car and was pulled up the mountain, eventually losing just 90 seconds by the finish line. Incredibly, he was given only a one-minute penalty for his blatant tow. “It should have been more,” Pettersson wailed at Cyclingnews in 2009. “Luckily, there were a couple more mountains stages so we got rid of him the day after.”
Indeed they did. On the next stage, Michelotto was worked over by Pettersson and others until he fell behind, crashed and abandoned. Pettersson then held the pink jersey until Milan.
Snow and ice
Tuesday 7 June 1988
Stage 16: Merano – Innsbruck
In a final week through the mountains blighted by huge snowstorms, stage 14 over the Gavia to Bormio has been described variously as being “Dantesque” and “a fight for survival.” American Andy Hampsten emerged from the snow in pink on that notorious day, forever to be known as “the day the strong men cried.”
But it is the events of stage 16 two days later that concern us here. Hampsten was still in pink as the peloton left Merano, teeth chattering, for the 176km ride to the Austrian city of Innsbruck. As the riders started the climb of the 2,500m high Rombo pass, heavy rain turned to heavy snow. The peloton, deciding enough was enough, called on the organisers to halt the race but they refused. So on they went into worsening weather. Another stop, another request to stop the madness. Another refusal.
The riders begrudgingly crested the summit and as they descended towards Innsbruck, conditions improved enough for Hampsten’s pink jersey to come under attack. A break formed with Hampsten alongside his biggest rival, Erik Breukink, and a number of his team-mates.
Hampsten was isolated but they couldn’t shake the American. Despite being outnumbered, he rolled into Innsbruck exhausted but in control of a pink jersey he would keep until Milan.
Pantani bursts onto the scene
Friday 10 June 1994
Stage 20: Cuneo – Les Deux Alpes
Marco Pantani announced himself to the world at the 1994 Giro. With Miguel Indurain going for his third straight Giro win, Pantani won two tough Dolomite stages back to back. Going into stage 20, this put him second overall, nearly three minutes behind Evgeni Berzin but 28 seconds ahead of Big Mig.
The stage was primed for pain. On the menu was the 2,744m Agnello, the 2,361m Izoard and the climb to Les Deux Alpes – over 4,000m of climbing. As the race hit the final climb it was blown to pieces. Eventual stage winner Vladimir Poulnikov was up the road but the real action was further back, with Berzin, Pantani and Indurain locked together.
Indurain attacked, knowing it was now or never if he was to defend his title. Berzin and Pantani dealt with it easily. Then Berzin struck and while Indurain followed, Pantani was dropped.
But while the diminutive climber’s frame was slight, his will was resolute. He doggedly dragged himself back and
Pantani won two tough Dolomite stages back-to-back. Going into stage 20, this put him second overall, nearly three minutes
behind Evgeni Berzin but 28 seconds ahead of Big Mig
with Indurain setting a ferocious pace to try and throw them off, all three crossed the line together.
Berzin kept pink, Pantani confirmed himself as a real contender and Indurain realised his time in the sun was over.
Garzelli reigns supreme
Saturday 3 June 2000
Stage 20: Briançon – Sestrière
Only 49 seconds separated the top three riders at the start of the 2000 Giro’s penultimate stage. Francesco Casagrande led the race from Stefano Garzelli by 25 seconds. Gilberto Simoni was third, just 24 seconds further back.
Stage 20 was a short but brutal mountain time trial with the climb of Montgenevre thrown in before the haul up to Sestrière. The leading three had already pulled off some impressive performances in the mountains so now it was time to see who had what in reserve. The winner would be determined by who rode best to Sestrière.
Within just 10km of the stage, Garzelli was the virtual leader by over a minute. He rode to the top of Montgenevre 48 seconds faster than Simoni and an incredible one minute and 45 seconds quicker than Casagrande. But had he gone off too quickly and would Casagrande and Simoni claw their way back on Sestriere?
In short, no. Garzelli rode impassively on, his face a picture of concentration. Casagrande, in stark contrast, was hurting and gasping as the Giro slipped through his desperate fingers.
Who Dares, Wins
Thursday 14 May 2009 Stage 6: Bressanone / Brixen –
Mayrhofen
Long breakaways rarely succeed and we’ve all cheered on plucky escapees as a bellowing peloton breezes past them in the final moments of a race. But every now and then, an escape wins out and we truly celebrate. Stage 6 of the 2009 Giro was one such occasion, when Michele Scarponi took his maiden Giro stage win in devastating style.
With 55km of the 248km stage to Mayrhofen gone, Scarponi was in a break of five. As they crossed into Austria, the lead was over six minutes and growing. Then, with 70km to go, the peloton stirred into life. By now the breakaway was down to two riders – Scarponi and Vasil Kiryenka. The gap closed fast and with 30km to go was down to three minutes. Then Kiryenka punctured.
Scarponi saw an opportunity and raced on but Kiryenka furiously chased back, catching the Italian with a little over 15km to go.
With 10km to go and Kiryenka exhausted, Scarponi got away again and, against the odds, crossed the finish line 32 seconds ahead of the pack. After nearly 200km at the head of the race, Scarponi savoured victory, safe at last.
Visconti honours
‘ Il PiratA’ in the snow
Sunday 19 May 2013 Stage 15: Cesana Torinese
– Col du Galibier
The hallowed slopes of the Galibier were reserved for iconic Tour de France moments until 2013, when the Giro paid its first visit. Stage 15 brought the one- two punch that is the Télégraphe and the Galibier to Italy’s grand tour, 15 years after Pantani had escaped on the same mountain en route to his famous Tour stage win. But this was yet another Giro blighted by springtime snowfalls and with the Galibier blanketed, the organisers were forced move the finish to 4km below the summit.
At the top of Mont Cenis a breakaway of four formed, including Movistar’s Giovanni Visconti. They stayed together until the slopes of the Télégraphe. Then, having passed the 25km to go banner, Visconti fled. The Italian built his lead over the Télégraphe but only had a minute come the Galibier. With 14km left, it didn’t look good.
As rain turned to snow, Visconti put determination ahead of his unquestionable suffering. With the Giro’s best riders chasing, he somehow held on to record his finest win, appropriately enough right in front of the Galibier’s monument to Pantani.
with 10km to go and Kiryenka exhausted, Scarponi got away
again and, against the odds, crossed the finish line 32 seconds
ahead of the pack After nearly 200km at the head of the race