1947 Giro d'Italia

30th edition: May 24 - June 15

Results, stages with running GC, photos and history

1946 Giro | 1948 Giro | Giro d'Italia Database | 1947 Giro Quick Facts | 1947 Giro d'Italia Final GC | Stage results with running GC | The Story of the 1947 Giro d'Italia

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1947 Giro Quick Facts:

3,843 km raced at an average speed of 33.15 km/hr

84 starters and 50 classified finishers.

For the first time, the 1947 Giro had no independent riders, all were on sponsored teams.

Gino Bartali took the lead in stage four, with it's Abetone ascent and kept the maglia rosa until stage 16.

In stage 16, Fausto Coppi struck a single, masterful stroke with an attack on the Pordoi and took the Pink Jersey from Bartali. Coppi kept the lead to Milan. That made two Giro victories for Coppi.

Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2019: A Year of New Faces is available as an audiobook here.

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1947 Giro d'Italia Final General Classification:

1. Fausto Coppi (Bianchi) 115hr 55min 7sec
2. Gino Bartali (Legnano) @ 1min 43sec
3. Giulio Bresci (Welter) @ 5min 54sec
4. Ezio Cecchi (Welter) @ 15min 1sec
5. Sylvère Maes (Olmo) @ 15min 6sec
6. Alfredo Martini (Welter) @ 19min 0sec
7. Mario Vicini (Bianchi) @ 30min 46sec
8. Salvatore Crippa (Lygie) @ 31min 5sec
9. Fiorenzo Magni (Viscontea) @ 34min 7sec
10. Angelo Menon (Lygie) @ 35min 49sec
11. Giovanni Corrieri (Viscontea) @ 40min 55sec
12. Vito Ortelli (Benotto) @ 41min 50sec
13. Giovanni De Stefanis (Viscontea) @ 53min 37sec
14. Bruno Pasquini (Legnano) @ 55min 30sec
15. Renzo Zanazzi (Legnano) @ 56min 16sec
16. Vittorio Magni (Welter) @ 1hr 2min 12sec
17. Guido Lelli (Wally) @ 1hr 8min 51sec
18. Serafino Biagioni (Benotto) @ 1hr 11min 2sec
19. Severino Canavesi (Arbos-Talbot) @ 1hr 16min 0sec
20. Elio Bertocchi (Viscontea) @ 1hr 17min 35sec
21. Adolo Leoni (Bianchi) @ 1hr 20min 7sec
22. Giuseppe Petrocchi (Vistontea) @ 1hr 22min 34sec
23. Glauco Servadei (Bianchi) @ 1hr 24min 10sec
24. Egidio Marangoni (Wally) @ 1hr 25min 40sec
25. Angelo Brignole (Arbos-Talbot) @ 1hr 35min 17sec
26. Settimo Simonini (Wally) @ 1hr 39min 36sec
27. Egidio Feruglio (Wilier-Triestina) @ 1hr 41min 12sec
28. Armando Peverelli (Lygie) @ 1hr 48min 36sec
29. Medoro Zanacchi (Arbos-Talbot) @ 1hr 49min 30sec
30. Giannino Piccolroaz (Wilier-Triestina) @ 1hr 50min 34sec
31. Mario Fazio (Viscontea) @ 1hr 51min 46sec
32. Quirino Toccacelli (Olmo) @ 1hr 56min 59sec
33. Walter Generati (Arbos-Talbot) @ 1hr 57min 14sec
34. Luigi Casola (Bianchi) @ 2hr 4min 16sec
35. Vittorio Seghezzi (Lygie) @ 2hr 7min 29sec
36. Giovanni Roncon (Viscontea) @ 2hr 17min 11sec
37. Guido De Santi (Wilier-Triestina) @ 2hr 23min 2sec
38. Gelsomino Locatelli (Arbos-Talbot) @ 2hr 28min 20sec
39. Giuseppe Ausenda (Benotto) @ 2hr 31min 29sec
40. Attilio Lambertini (Arbos-Talbot) @ 2hr 34min 36sec
41. Enzo Bellini (Welter) @ 2hr 36min 24sec
42. Augusto Introzzi (Bianchi) @ 2hr 43min 30sec
43. Amerigo Agati (Wally) @ 3hr 0min 23sec
44. Giovanni Brotto (Arbos-Talbot) @ 3hr 6min 50sec
45. Ubaldo Pugnaloni (Wally) @ 3hr 8min 8sec
46. Valeriano Zanazzi (Legnano) @ 3hr 14min 57sec
47. Secondo Barisone (Welter) @ 3hr 19min 12sec
48. Ilio Simoni (Wally) @ 3hr 34min 23sec
49. Riccardo Sarti (Legnano) @ 4hr 38min 23sec
50. Luigi Malabrocca (Welter) @ 5hr 52min 20sec

Climbers' Competition:

1. Gino Bartali (Legnano)
2. Fausto Coppi (Bianchi)
3. Giulio Bresci (Welter)

Winning Team: Welter

 

1947 Giro stage results with running GC:

Stage 1: Saturday, May 24, Milano - Torino, 190 km

1. Renzo Zanazzi: 5hr 7min 20sec
2. Gino Fondi @ 2min 33sec
3. Mario Vicini @ 3min 11sec
4. Alberto Roggi @ 5min 32sec
5. Attilio Lambertini @ 6min 32sec
6. Antonio Covolo @ 7min 12sec
7. Giordano Cottur @ 7min 27sec
8. Bartolo Bof @ 7min 32sec
9. Adolfo Leoni @ 7min 34sec
10. Oreste Conte s.t.

Stage 2: Sunday, May 25, Torino - Genova, 226 km

1. Gino Bartali: 6hr 46min 36sec
2. Vito Ortelli @ 11sec
3. Renzo Zanazzi @ 2min 41sec
4. Mario Ricci s.t.
5. Antonio Bevilacqua s.t.
6. Fiorenzo Magni s.t.
7. Luciano Maggini s.t.
8. Salvatore Crippa s.t.
9. Fausto Coppi s.t.
10. Domenico De Zan s.t.

GC after Stage 2:

1. Renzo Zanazzi: 11hr 56min 37sec
2. Gino Bartali @ 4min 38sec
3. Vito Ortelli @ 5min 4sec
4. Mario Ricci @ 7min 34sec
5. Fiorenzo Magni s.t.
6. Luciano Maggini s.t.
7. Salvatore Crippa s.t.
8. Fausto Coppi s.t.
9. Domenico De Zan s.t.
10. Mario Vicini @ 7min 38sec

Stage 3: Monday, May 26, Genova - Reggio Emilia, 220 km

Major ascent: Torriglia

1. Luciano Maggini: 6hr 45min 3sec
2. Fiorenzo Magni s.t.
3. Mario Vicini s.t.
4. Sergio Pagliazzi s.t.
5. Giulio Bresci s.t.
6. Amerigo Agati s.t.
7. Elio Bertocchi s.t.
8. Emilio Croci-Torti
9. Roger Desmedt s.t.
10. Giuseppe Petrocchi

GC after Stage 3:

1. Renzo Zanazzi: 18hr 41min 40sec
2. Luciano Maggini @ 3min 16sec
3. Fiorenzo Magni @ 3min 16sec
4. Mario Vicini @ 3min 20sec
5. Gino Bartali @ 4min 38sec
6. Giulio Bresci @ 5min 4sec
7. Vito Ortelli s.t.
8. Salvatore Crippa s.t.
9. Fausto Coppi s.t.
10. Domenico De Zan s.t.

Stage 4: Tuesday, May 27, Reggio Emilia - Prato, 190 km

Major ascent: Abetone

1. Fausto Coppi: 5hr 51min 20sec
2. Gino Bartali s.t.
3. Aldo Ronconi s.t.
4. Antonio Covolo @ 3min 12sec
5. Giordano Cottur s.t.
6. Alfredo Martini s.t.
7. Sylvère Maes s.t.
8. Giulio Bresci s.t.
9. Vittorio Rosselo s.t.
10. Ezio Cecchi s.t.

GC after Stage 4:

1. Gino Bartali: 24hr 41min 11sec
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 16sec
4. Vito Ortelli @ 3min 23sec
5. Sylvère Maes @ 7min 2sec
6. Mario Vicini @ 8min 48sec
7. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 49sec
8. Antonio Covolo @ 10min 39sec
9. Ezio Cecchi @ 10min 49sec
10. Giordano Cottur @ 10min 54sec

Stage 5a: Thursday, May 29, Prato - Bagni di Casciana Terme, 101 km

1. Luciano Maggini: 2hr 4min 12sec
2. Giovanni Brotto @ 6sec
3. Oreste Conte @ 58sec
4. Sergio Pagliazzi s.t.
5. Adolfo Leoni s.t.
6. Luigi Casola s.t.
7. Vittorio Rossello s.t.
8. Armando Peverelli s.t.
9. Giovanni Corrieri s.t.
10. Alberto Roggi s.t.

GC after Stage 5a:

1. Gino Bartali

Stage 5b: Thursday, May 29, Bagni di Casciana Terme - Firenze, 141 km

1. Renzo Zanazzi: 4hr 6min 46sec
2. Giordano Cottur s.t.
3. Giulio Bresci s.t.
4. Primo Volpi s.t.
5. Gino Bartali @ 2min 44sec
6. Fausto Coppi s.t.
7. Aldo Ronconi s.t.
8. Antonio Covolo @ 3min 21sec
9. Angelo Menon @ 4min 14sec
10. Vito Ortelli s.t.

GC after Stage 5b:

1. Gino Bartali: 30hr 35min 42sec
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 2sec
4. Vito Ortelli @ 4min 55sec
5. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 49sec
6. Sylvère Maes @ 9min 44sec
7. Giordano Cottur @ 11min 40sec
8. Mario Vicini @ 11min 56sec
9. Antonio Covolo @ 13min 31sec
10. Ezio Cecchi @ 17min 1sec

Stage 6: Friday, May 30, Firenze - Perugia, 161 km

1. Giordano Cottur: 4hr 50min 55sec
2. Mario Fazio @ 14sec
3. Ezio Cecchi @ 43sec
4. Angelo Menon s.t.
5. Guido Di Santi @ 1min 17sec
6. Serafino Biagioni @ 2min 0sec
7. Lucien Vlaeminck s.t.
8. Aldo Baito s.t.
9. Armando Peverelli s.t.
10. Mario Ricci @ 2min 11sec

GC after Stage 6

1. Gino Bartali: 33hr 50min 33sec
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 2sec
4. Vito Ortelli @ 4min 33sec
5. Giordano Cottur @ 7min 44sec
6. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 49sec
7. Sylvère Maes @ 9min 44sec
8. Mario Vicini @ 12min 20sec
9. Ezio Cecchi @ 13min 19sec
10. Antonio Covolo @ 13min 31sec

Stage 7: Saturday, May 31, Perugia - Roma, 240 km

Major ascent: Capannacia

1. Oreste Conte: 7hr 29min 0sec
2. Adolfo Leoni s.t.
3. Quirino Toccaceli s.t.
4. Athos Guizzardi s.t.
5. Elio Bertocchi s.t.
6. Antonio Bevilacqua s.t.
7. Aimone Landi s.t.
8. Alfredo Martini s.t.
9. Valeriano Zanazzi s.t.
10. Mario Ricci s.t.

GC after Stage 7:

1. Gino Bartali: 43hr 19min 33sec
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 2sec
4. Vito Ortelli @ 4min 53sec
5. Giordano Cottur @ 5min 44sec
6. Aldo Ronconi @ 9min 39sec
7. Sylvère Maes @ 9min 44sec
8. Mario Vicini @ 12min 29sec
9. Ezio Cecchi @ 13min 19sec
10. Antonio Covolo @ 13min 31sec

Stage 8: Sunday, June 1, Roma - Napoli, 231 km

1. Fausto Coppi: 6hr 50min 7sec
2. Adolfo Leoni s.t.
3. Gino Bartali s.t.
4. Quirino Toccaceli s.t.
5. Alfredo Martini s.t.
6. Giordano Cottur s.t.
7. Giulio Bresci s.t.
8. Aldo Ronconi s.t.
9. Ezio Cecchi s.t.
10. Armando Peverelli s.t.

GC after Stage 8:

1. Gino Bartali: 50hr 9min 40sec
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 2sec
4. Vito Ortelli @ 5min 29sec
5. Giordano Cottur @ 7min 44sec
6. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 49sec
7. Sylvère Maes @ 10min 4sec
8. Mario Vicini @ 12min 56sec
9. Ezio Cecchi @ 13min 19sec
10. Luciano Maggini @ 19min 27sec

Stage 9: Tuesday, June 3, Napoli - Bari, 288 km

Major ascent: Ariano Irpino

1. Elio Bertocchi: 8hr 56min 10sec
2. Oreste Conte @ 51sec
3. Mario Fazio s.t.
4. Alfredo Martini s.t.
5. Glauco Servadei s.t.
6. Fiorenzo Magni s.t.
7. Riccardo Sarti s.t.
8. Giovanni Corrieri s.t.
9. Angelo Menon s.t.
10. Egidio Marangoni s.t.

GC after Stage 9:

1. Gino Bartali: 59hr 6min 41sec
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 2sec
4. Vito Ortelli @ 5min 39sec
5. Giordano Cottur @ 7min 44sec
6. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 49sec
7. Sylvère Maes @ 10min 4sec
8. Mario Vicini @ 12min 56sec
9. Ezio Cecchi @ 13min 19sec
10. Luciano Maggini @ 19min 27sec

Stage 10: Wednesday, June 4, Bari - Foggia, 129 km

1. Mario Ricci: 3hr 45min 30sec
2. Glauco Servadei s.t.
3. Armando Peverelli s.t.
4. Quirino Toccaceli @ 17sec
5. Walter Generati @ 1min 33sec
6. Guido De Santi s.t.
7. Adolfo Leoni @ 3min 41sec
8. Giovanni Corrieri s.t.
9. Egidio Marangoni s.t.
10. Alfredo Martini s.t.

GC after Stage 10:

1. Gino Bartali: 62hr 55min 52sec
2. Fausto Coppi 2 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 2sec
4. Vito Ortelli @ 6min 3sec
5. Giordano Cottur @ 7min 44sec
6. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 49sec
7. Sylvère Maes @ 10min 4sec
8. Mario Vicini @ 12min 56sec
9. Ezio Cecchi @ 13min 19sec
10. Alfredo Martini @ 20min 4sec

Stage 11: Thursday, June 5, Foggia - Pescara, 223 km

1. Oreste Conte: 7hr 3min 14sec
2. Salvatore Crippa s.t.
3. Egidio Marangoni s.t.
4. Bartolo Bof s.t.
5. Fiorenzo Magni @ 3min 9sec
6. Attilio Lambertini s.t.
7. Giuseppe Ausenda s.t.
8. Ezio Cecchi s.t.
9. Angelo Menon @ 4min 22sec
10. Adolfo Leoni s.t.

GC after Stage 11:

1. Gino Bartali: 70hr 3min 28sec
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 2sec
4. Vito Ortelli @ 5min 53sec
5. Giordano Cottur @ 7min 34sec
6. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 39sec
7. Sylvère Maes @ 9min 54sec
8. Ezio Cecchi @ 11min 56sec
9. Mario Vicini @ 12min 56sec
10. Salvatore Crippa @ 18min 49sec

Stage 12: Saturday, June 7, Pescara - Cesenatico, 267 km

1. Giovanni Corrieri: 7hr 41min 0sec
2. Adolfo Leoni s.t.
3. Luigi Casola s.t.
4. Vittorio Seghezzi s.t.
5. Glauco Servadei s.t.
6. Mario Fazio s.t.
7. Alfredo Martini
8. Armando Peverelli s.t.
9. Secondo Barisone s.t.
10. Amerigo Agati s.t.

GC after Stage 12:

1. Gino Bartali: 77hr 47min 29sec
2. Faustro Coppi @ 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 2sec
4. Vito ortelli @ 6min 3sec
5. Giordano Cottur @ 7min 44sec
6. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 49sec
7. Sylvère Maes @ 10min 4sec
8. Ezio Cecchi @ 12min 6sec
9. Mario Vicini @ 12min 56sec
10. Alfredo Martini @ 17min 3sec

Stage 13: Sunday, June 8, Cesenatico - Padova, 175 km

1. Antonio Bevilacqua: 5hr 14min 40sec
2. Attilio Lambertini s.t.
3. Guido Lelli s.t.
4. Guido De Santi s.t.
5. Adolfo Leoni @ 1min 32sec
6. Angelo Menon s.t.
7. Valeriano Zanazzi s.t.
8. Giovanni Corrieri s.t.
9. Vittorio Seghezzi s.t.
10. Quirino Tocacelli s.t.

GC after Stage 13:

1. Gino Bartali: 83hr 3min 41sec
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 2sec
4. Vito Ortelli @ 6min 8sec
5. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 49sec
6. Giordano Cottur @ 9min 30sec
7. Sylvère Maes @ 10min 4sec
8. Ezio Cecchi @ 12min 6sec
9. Mario Vicini @ 12min 56sec
10. Alfredo Martini @ 17min 3sec

Stage 14: Monday, June 9, Padova - Vittorio Veneto, 132 km

1. Adolfo Leoni: 3hr 25min 50sec
2. Antonio Bevilacqua s.t.
3. Elio Bertocchi s.t.
4. Quirino Toccaceli s.t.
5. Giovanni Corrieri s.t.
6. Guido De Santi s.t.
7. Guido Lelli s.t.
8. Fiorenzo Magni s.t.
9. Vittorio Magni s.t.
10. Armando Peverelli s.t.

GC after Stage 14:

1. Gino Bartali: 86hr 34min 54sec
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2min 41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3min 2sec
4. Vito Ortelli @ 6min 33sec
5. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 49sec
6. Sylvère Maes @ 10min 4sec
7. Ezio Cecchi @ 12min 26sec
8. Mario Vicini @ 12min 56sec
9. Alfredo Martini @ 17min 8sec
10. Vittorio Magni @ 17min 9sec

Stage 15: Tuesday, June 10, Vittorio Veneto - Pieve di Cadore, 200 km

Major ascent: Mauria

1. Gino Bartali: 6hr 7min 57sec
2. Fausto Coppi s.t.
3. Adolfo Leoni @ 11sec
4. Alfredo Martini @ 14sec
5. Serafino Biagioni @ 20sec
6. Aldo Ronconi @ 26sec
7. Salvatore Crippa @ 1min 9sec
8. Giulio Bresci s.t.
9. Ezio Cecchi s.t.
10. Vito Ortelli @ 3min 19sec

GC after Stage 15:

1. Gino Bartali: 92hr 42min 31sec
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2min41sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 4min 11sec
4. Aldo Ronconi @ 9min 13sec
5. Vito Ortelli @ 9min 33sec
6. Ezio Cecchi @ 13min 13sec
7. Sylvère Maes @ 13min 23sec
8. Mario Vicini @ 16min 42sec
9. Alfredo Martini @ 17min 17sec
10. Salvatore Crippa @ 20min 20sec

Stage 16: Thursday, June 12, Pieve di Cadore - Trento, 194 km

Major ascents: Pordoi, Falzarego

1. Fausto Coppi: 5hr 59min 26sec
2. Fiorenzo Magni @ 4min 24sec
3. Alfredo Martini s.t.
4. Sylvère Maes s.t.
5. Giulio Bresci s.t.
6. Ezio Cecchi s.t.
7. Gino Bartali s.t.
8. Giovanni Corrieri @ 12min 53sec
9. Angelo Menon s.t.
10. Giannino Piccolroaz s.t.

GC after Stage 16:

1. Fausto Coppi: 98hr 44min 58sec
2. Gino Bartali @ 1min 43sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 5min 54sec
4. Ezio Cecchi @ 14min 58sec
5. Sylvère Maes @ 15min 6sec
6. Alfredo Martini @ 19min 0sec
7. Mario Vicini @ 30min 25sec
8. Salvatore Crippa @ 30min 44sec
9. Fiorenzo Magni @ 33min 46sec
10. Angelo Menon @ 35min 24sec

Stage 17: Friday, June 13, Trento - Brescia Sant'Eufemia, 114 km

1. Adolfo Leoni: 3hr 4min 13sec
2. Glauco Servadei s.t.
3. Mario Fazio s.t.
4. Giovanni Corrieri s.t.
5. Ubaldo Pugnaloni s.t.
6. Vittorio Seghezzi s.t.
7. Amerigo Agati and 38 more riders at same time and place

GC after Stage 17:

1. Fausto Coppi: 101hr 49min 11sec
2. Gino Bartali @ 1min 43sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 5min 54sec
4. Ezio Cecchi @ 14min 58sec
5. Sylvère Maes @ 15min 6sec
6. Alfredo Martini @ 19min 0sec
7. Mario Vicini @ 30min 11sec
8. Salvatore Crippa @ 30min 40sec
9. Fiorenzo Magni @ 33min 42sec
10. Angelo Menon @ 35min 24sec

Stage 18: Saturday, June 14, Brescia Sant'Eufemia - Lugano, 160 km

1. Giulio Bresci: 5hr 10min 9sec
2. Gino Bartali s.t.
3. Sylvère Maes s.t.
4. Fausto Coppi s.t.
5. Ezio Cecchi @ 3sec
6. Adolfo Leoni @ 20sec
7. Alfredo Martini s.t.
8. Giovanni Corrieri @ 25sec plus 24 more riders at same time and place

GC after Stage 18:

1. Fausto Coppi: 106hr 59min 20sec
2. Gino Bartali @ 1min 43sec
3. Giulio Bresci @ 5min 54sec
4. Ezio Cecchi @ 15min 1sec
5. Sylvère Maes @ 15min 6sec
6. Alfredo Martini @ 19min 20sec
7. Mario Vicini @ 30min 44sec
8. Salvatore Crippa @ 31min 5sec
9. Fiorenzo Magni @ 34min 7sec
10. Angelo Menon @ 35min 49sec

19th and Final Stage: Sunday, June 15, Lugano - Milano, 278 km

Major ascent: Druogno

1. Adolfo Leoni: 8hr 55min 47sec
2. Fausto Coppi s.t.
3. Glauco Servadei s.t.
4. Renzo Zannazi s.t.
5. Gino Bartali s.t.
6. Vitorio Seghezzi s.t.
7. Fiorenzo Magni s.t.
8. Elio Bertocchi s.t.
9. Luigi Casola s.t.
10. Ubaldo Pugnaloni s.t.

1947 Giro d'Italia Complete Final General Classification

The Story of the 1947 Giro d'Italia

This excerpt is from "The Story of the Giro d'Italia", Volume 1. If you enjoy it we hope you will consider purchasing the book, either print, eBook or audiobook. The Amazon link here will make the purchase easy.

The equilibrium between the two riders wasn’t upset by the spring races. After Coppi abandoned Milan–San Remo, Bartali won in it grand style, finishing four minutes ahead of second-place Ezio Cecchi and nine minutes ahead of the first chasing group. In early May Coppi won the Giro di Romagna in a four-up sprint with Bartali, Ronconi and Ortelli.

This was the 30th Giro and it went back to its traditional May start in 1947 with 3,865 kilometers split into twenty stages. As in 1946, there were no individual time trials. A few Belgians and one Swiss made it into Olmo’s Giro squad, including Sylvère Maes, winner of the 1936 and 1939 Tours de France.

With the exception of Maes, the faces in the 1947 lineup looked much like they did in 1946. Coppi and his Bianchi squad, Bartali with Legnano, Ortelli and Ronconi of Benotto and Cottur for Wilier were all on the line in Milan on May 24 for a Giro that was to go as far south as Bari and then head north for two days in the Dolomites.

The tifosi were so passionate about Coppi and Bartali that the police had to dedicate two squads of guards to protect the racers from their ardent fans. Bartali made his feelings about the growing rivalry clear, saying that Coppi would win the 1947 Giro d’Italia over his dead body.

This Giro finally ended one of the most romantic aspects of early twentieth century stage racing, the category of the independent racer. The buccaneers who would show up at the start line with a few lire in their pockets, hoping to win enough to both survive the three-week ordeal and perhaps even profit a bit, were no longer a part of the race. The Tour had done away with the category before the war. The organizers accepted that change had come to racing and that a modern stage racer needs support to be competitive; in addition they no longer needed unsponsored riders to fill out the peloton. All riders in the 1947 Giro rode for trade teams.

Luigi Ganna, winner of the first Giro back in 1909, was the starter at the first stage. One of Bartali’s gregari, Renzo Zanazzi (his brother Valeriano was also on the Legnano team; racing was sometimes a family business) rode into Turin two and a half minutes in front of his closest chaser and seven and a half minutes before the main peloton containing the big guns.

The next day’s stage went over the Apennines to Genoa. Bartali attacked in the mountains, getting away with Ortelli and beating the Coppi/Fiorenzo Magni chase group into Genoa by three minutes. Legnano had first and second places while Coppi was sitting seventh, still seven and a half minutes behind Zanazzi but three minutes behind Bartali.

The first really challenging stage was the fourth with its ascent of the Abetone on the way from Reggio Emilia to Prato, near Florence. Coppi won the stage, but his attacks on the Abetone had shaken neither Bartali nor Ronconi. Maes, Cottur and Giulio Bresci lost three minutes while Zanazzi, a sprinter, had to relinquish the maglia rosa after giving up nearly 36 minutes. Bartali was now the General Classification leader.
1. Gino Bartali
2. Fausto Coppi @ 2 minutes 41 seconds
3. Giulio Bresci @ 3 minutes 16 seconds
4. Vito Ortelli @ 3 minutes 23 seconds
5. Sylvère Maes @ 7 minutes 2 seconds
6. Mario Vicini @ 8 minutes 48 seconds

I believe this is Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali and Aldo Ronconi in stage 4.

Fausto Coppi needed his brother Serse. Serse seemed to supply something Fausto lacked, a spirit of optimism and enterprise. When Fausto’s morale would falter, it would often be the cheerful Serse who would bring Fausto around, get him on his bike and into a fighting spirit. They seemed to complete each other, so when Serse crashed badly in stage six on the way to Perugia, Fausto was also on the verge of abandoning. Only after serious encouragement did he resume the race.

While the fans were being entertained by a terrific race, the riders were growing angrier over the terrible conditions they were enduring, racing over roads that at times were nearly impassable. There was talk of forming a union and striking. It all came to a head in the seventh stage. Because of the riders’ pique with some unusually terrible roads used in the day’s parcours, the racing didn’t get underway until noon. The stage had a climb with GPM points, but the riders did a go-slow over the Capannaccia, refusing to race for the top. Only as the riders got closer to the finish in Rome did they start to speed up and by the end of the stage they were going at full speed.

While the race kept heading southwards towards Bari, the top four General Classification places didn’t change significantly. The hills between Rome and Naples were hard enough (or were raced hard enough) to bring all the contenders into a leading group, less two. The ten-man bus was led into Naples by Coppi who was followed by Leoni and Bartali. It was Maes and Ortelli who missed getting their tickets punched for that ride, costing them about a half-minute each. Time bonuses were not in play, so the top three riders remained right where they were.

Gino Bartali in pink.

And there they stayed despite racing up the Adriatic side of the peninsula to Vittorio Veneto for the start of stage fifteen. That was the first day in the Dolomites with its ascent of the Mauria and a finish in Pieve di Cadore, yet the day settled nothing. Bartali won the stage with Coppi at the same time and Leoni at eleven seconds. Bresci lost 69 seconds.

It’s stage sixteen that cycling fans still talk about. There were two rest days at Pieve di Cadore before the ride over the Falzarego and Pordoi passes to Trent. Originally the Sella had also been part of the day’s race route, but it was snowed in and had to be eliminated.

On the Falzarego Bartali dropped his chain and instantly Coppi was gone. But on the descent Coppi had his own chain troubles, allowing Bartali to regain contact. Then on the unpaved switchbacks of the Pordoi, Coppi attacked and this time there was no remedy for Bartali. Italian writers called long-armed Coppi “the Heron”, and here he spread his wings and soared away from his nemesis. Bartali gathered up all the help he could get, including Magni, Maes, Bresci and Alfredo Martini, but it was to no avail. Coppi rode into Trent alone, 4 minutes 24 seconds ahead of the Bartali group, allowing him to take the lead.

That made for a rather different set of standings:
1. Fausto Coppi
2. Gino Bartali @ 1 minute 43 seconds
3. Giulio Bresci @ 5 minutes 54 seconds
4. Ezio Cecchi @ 14 minutes 58 seconds
5. Sylvère Maes @ 15 minutes 6 seconds

Bianchi’s boss Aldo Zambrini had journeyed to watch this stage and saw Coppi in full flight. The sight of his man riding to what looked like a sure victory in the 1947 left him in tears. For 27 years, dating back to Gaetano Belloni, Bianchi had been trying without success to win the Giro (Coppi’s 1940 Giro win was done in Legnano colors). At last it looked like a man clad in the sky blue of Bianchi would win.

With no more high mountains, the race was Coppi’s. He had struck a single decisive blow, an attack on the Pordoi, and made the 1947 Giro d’Italia his own.

Fausto Coppi (right) celebrates his Giro victory with his teammates.

Final 1947 Giro d’Italia General Classification:
1. Fausto Coppi (Bianchi) 115 hours 55 minutes 7 seconds
2. Gino Bartali (Legnano) @ 1 minute 43 seconds
3. Giulio Bresci (Welter) @ 5 minutes 54 seconds
4. Ezio Cecchi (Welter) @ 15 minutes 1 second
5. Sylvère Maes (Olmo) @ 15 minutes 6 seconds

Climbers’ Competition:
1. Gino Bartali (Legnano)
2. Fausto Coppi (Bianchi)
3. Giulio Bresci (Welter)

Coppi’s 1947 would be considered a fine career by most racers. He won the Italian Championship, which was then decided by an omnium of important single-day races. He was the victor in the Tours of Veneto, Emilia and Lombardy. On the track he was World Individual Pursuit Champion.
Italian Radio RAI began to transmit an evening show called Il Girino Innamorato about the Giro, which eventually evolved into a variety show. In 1949 the post-race show was called the Girigiro show and each night it featured the current owner of the Pink Jersey saying “Goodnight Girini” at the end of the show.

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