HISTORY | 17/12/2024 | 08:14
di Danilo Viganò
The history of Italian cycling is rich with races that are no longer held but have made history: for this reason, we thought of proposing a new column that would pull them out of the memory drawer. If you have an archive photo in a drawer, a newspaper clipping, or wish to tell the story of this or that race, do not hesitate to write to us at info@tuttobiciweb.it or daniloviga@gmail.com. Enjoy reading.
The long race, from Milano-Bologna, is a story of heart and legs. The Lombard-Emilian classic was the ideal terrain for sprinters with its 200-plus kilometers. Born in 1947 by the will of the Mauro Pizzoli Cycling Society of Bologna, founded in 1945 by Cimatti, Gasperini, Sgargi, Bonazzi, Merighi, Baldi, Mario and Adolfo Pizzoli, the latter two brothers of Mauro who had been brutally killed by Nazi-fascists on October 29, 1944. Adolfo was appointed president of the society, whose headquarters was on Via Zanardi.
Over the years, Roberto Bolognesi took over the presidential role. Dated April 22, 1947, the first 220 km edition was won by Alfo Ferrari of the Cremonese Cycling Club 1891 ahead of Luciano Pezzi and Renato Cornalea from Seregno. From '48 to '56, important names emerged, including Giorgio Albani, first in the 1949 edition, and Ercole Baldini: the presence of the Forlì champion came in the form of a contract from the organizers who made available a sum, significant for those times, of 500,000 lire. A generous compensation that Baldini justified with a great performance, beating Walter Busi (Italia Nuova Borgo Panigale) and Giuseppe Carizzoni (GS Falck) by 1'15".
In the same year, Baldini won the gold medal in the road race at the Melbourne Olympics (Australia), which he reached after 11 airplane stops, and when he climbed on the podium, the Italian national anthem was not available to be played, so it was sung, with great emotion, by the Italian immigrants in Australia present at the race. Walter Busi redeemed himself in '57, triumphing on Viale Togliatti in Bologna.
In his wake followed the victories of Minieri, Sarti, Muccioli, Lino Ghisoni (already first in '53), Zuccotti, Lorenzi, Ferrari, Mantovani, Della Torre, Balasso, Carpanelli, Parise, Moretti, Dominoni, Fusar Poli, Bertagnoli, Roberto Ceruti in the Melzo Meggiarin jersey, Gino Lori and Francesco Tosi, who was skilled in anticipating the group sprint and imposing himself on Aldo Borgato (Ferrauto) and Luciano Fusar Poli (Barbaiana). In the following years, Osvaldo Carpene's double ('77-'78) made a sensation, first in the Castello Chima jersey ahead of Guarnieri and Maccali, and immediately after with the Forestale colors ahead of Silvano Riccò and Giorgio Tomasoni.
Then emerged the winning silhouettes of Paolo Venturini, Mauro Grespan, Claudio Girlanda and Adriano Baffi. The son of the great Pierino triumphed decisively, beating Gualtiero Brunetti and Giacomo Tabaglio with Angelo Tosi (Rossi Santini), then a junior with a dispensation from the FCI, in fifth place. The following year, in 1983, Luigi Ferrari prevailed over Patuelli and Giovanni Casagrande, while twelve months later, Gualtiero Brunetti hit the target at the expense of De Palma and Benotti.
Ricciutelli, two prominent sprinters of that period. Ricciutelli broke away in the finale with a peremptory acceleration and imposed himself, anticipating Bernardi and Fabiano Fontanelli.
The following years were characterized by the successes of William Dazzani, Dino Ricci Petitoni, Marco Testa who, with Alessio Sala (2nd), secured the double for US Legnanese, Davide Dall'Olio, Andrea Valentini,Samuele Schiavina, Francesco De Beni and Ivano Zuccotti, winner of the '94 edition, which, due to the Po River flood, started from San Nicolò a Trebbia in the Piacenza area instead of its traditional Melegnano venue. With a record average of 47.547 km/h, Davide Sacchetti (MBM Rosa Brescello) won the '95 race, leaving Stefano Dante of Vini Caldirola and Daniele Contrini of Brescialat behind.
Then, from 1996 to 2000, the names in the golden book were Marco Madrucci over Giancarlo Raimondi and Enrico Cassani, Davide Di Bert over Daniele Galli and Maurizio Mesiti, Maurizio La Falce ahead of Luigi Giambelli. Giambelli was second again the following year, behind his then teammate in Sanpellegrino Bottoli Artoni, Paolo Bono. On his third attempt, the Piacenza native Giambelli managed to hit the target, it was 2000, and on that occasion, he surpassed Roberto Lotti and Roberto Veronesi. The year 2001 is memorable for the first victory of a foreign rider: the Russian Alexey Kouznetsov of Velo Club Mantovani Rovigo. Starting from Lodi and finishing in Calderana di Reno. The winner broke away in the finale with his compatriot Konstantin Fast (93 Ofz Faac), who was second at the finish line, with the group immediately behind regulated for third place by Giacomo Montanari (Edile Rosa Gaverina).
The 2002 edition was thrilling: Alex Gualandi (Eternedile Cycling Team) won thanks to his attack in the final five thousand meters after catching and overtaking Aristide Ratti (2nd) and Francesco Reda (3rd). In 2003, Luca Cappa (Bottoli Artoni) dictated the law, decisively imposing himself over Yuri Stella and Marco Vettoretti. The 2004 edition also spoke a foreign language, with the Argentine Maximiliano Richeze (VC Bassano Elca) racing ahead of Enrico Gasparotto (Basso Piave Spinazzè) and Manuel Belletti of Eternedile. The last two editions were claimed by Alessandro Formentelli of Palazzago AB Isolanti, who dominated the sprint, overtaking Matteo Montaguti and Fabrizio Amerighi, and by Federico Vitali of Coppi Gazzera Videa, who appeared solo on Via dell'Indipendenza in the historic center of Bologna, with a 10" advantage over Davide Beccaro of Trevigiani and 20" over Andrea Grendene of Fis Parolin Sorelle Ramonda).
There were 60 editions of the Milano-Bologna race, which was held, as mentioned, from 1947 to 2006 without interruption, alternating starting locations between Melegnano, San Nicolò a Trebbia, and Lodi. The Mauro Pizzoli Society collaborated with Pedale Melegnanese, UP Calderara RTM Riduttori, and Pedale Lodigiano.
ALBO D’ORO
1947- Ferrari Alfo (CC Cremonese 1891)
1948- Pattenò Adriano (individuale)
1949- Albani Giorgio (Pedale Monzese)
1950- Scudellaro Tranquillo (Cicli Legnago)
1951- Venzi Angelo (SS Sammartinese Forlì)
1952- Ciancola Luciano (Arbos Pirelli)
1953- Ghisoni Lino (SC Robur Piacenza)
1954- Piccinini Mario (VC Borgo San Paolo)
1955- Capponcelli Agostino (SS Edera)
1956- Baldini Ercole (GS Giberti Borelli Carpi)
1957- Busi Walter (Italia Nuova Borgo Panigale)
1958- Minieri Mario (SC Mirandolese)
1959- Sarti Luigi (SC Mirandolese)
1960- Muccioli Domenico (Team Ghigi)
1961- Ghisoni Lino (SC Robur Piacenza)
1962- Zuccotti Luigi (SC Corsico)
1963- Lorenzi Lorenzo (GS Burro Giglio)
1964- Ferrari Renzo (GS Bencini)
1965- Mantovani Vincenzo (Excelsior Milano)
1966- Della Torre Alberto (UC Bustese)
1967- Balasso Aldo (Bovis Univor)
1968- Carpanelli Cesarino (GS Griss 2000)
1969- Parise Elio (SC Lainatese)
1970- Moretti Pasqualino (Bovis Univor)
1971- Dominoni Giuliano (Polli LIssone)
1972- Fusarpoli Marino (VC Varese Ganna)
1973- Bertagnoli Agostino (SC Lainatese)
1974- Ceruti Roberto (UC Melzo Meggiarin)
1975- Lori Gino (GS Pacam)
1976- Tosi Francesco (Latini Cucine Componibili)
1977- Carpene Osvaldo (Chima Castello)
1978- Carpene Osvaldo (SC Forestale)
1979- Venturini Paolo (UC Lucchese)
1980- Grespan Mauro (GS Zignago)
1981- Girlanda Claudio (UC Nicolò Biondo)
1982- Baffi Adriano (Polli Lissone)
1983- Ferrari Luigi (Giacobazzi Lambrusco)
1984- Brunetti Gualtiero (GS Ricci Ceramiche)
1985- Manenti Ettore (Alimarket Rizzi)
1986- Ricciutelli Mauro (Alimarket Rizzi)
1987- Dazzani William (Cooperativa Ceramiche Imola)
1988- Ricci Petitoni Dino (Cooperativa Ceramiche Imola)
1989- Testa Marco (US Legnanese)
1990- Dall’Olio Davide (Pucci La Rocca)
1991- Valentini Andrea (Pucci La Rocca)
1992- Schiavina Samuele (Cebora Bolcarini)
1993- De Beni Francesco (MTV CSP La Campana)
1994- Zuccotti Ivan (Ecoclear)
1995- Sacchetti Davide (MBM Rosa Brescello)
1996- Madrucci Marco (Casini Saeco Vigorplant)
1997- Di Bert Davide (De Nardi Smeg)
1998- La Falce Maurizio (Resine Ragnoli Brescialat)
1999- Bono Paolo (Sanpellegrino Bottoli Artoni)
2000- Giambelli Luigi (Sanpellegrino Bottoli Artoni)
2001- Kouznetsov Alexey (Rus-VC Mantovani Rovigo)
2002- Gualandi Alex (Cycling Team Eternedile)
2003- Cappa Luca (Bottoli Artoni Zoccorinese)
2004- Richeze Maximiliano (Arg-VC Bassano Parolin)
2005- Formentelli Alessandro (Palazzago ABI Isolanti)
2006- Vitali Federico (Coppi Gazzera Videa)
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