1973 Giro d'Italia explained

1973 Giro d'Italia
Date:18 May – 9 June 1973
Stages:20 + Prologue
Distance:3801
Unit:km
Time:106h 54' 41"
Speed:35.506
First:Eddy Merckx
First Nat:BEL
First Team:Molteni
First Color:pink
Second:Felice Gimondi
Second Nat:ITA
Second Team:Bianchi
Third:Giovanni Battaglin
Third Nat:ITA
Third Team:Jolly Ceramica
Points:Eddy Merckx
Points Nat:BEL
Points Team:Molteni
Points Color:violet
Mountains:José Manuel Fuente
Mountains Nat:ESP
Mountains Natvar:1945
Mountains Team:KAS
Mountains Color:green
Combination:Eddy Merckx
Combination Nat:BEL
Combination Team:Molteni
Sprints:Domingo Perurena
Sprints Nat:ESP
Sprints Natvar:1945
Sprints Team:KAS
Teampoints:Molteni
Previous:1972
Next:1974

The 1973 Giro d'Italia was the 56th running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Verviers, Belgium, on 18 May, with a 5.2km (03.2miles) prologue and concluded with a 197km (122miles) mass-start stage, on 9 June. A total of 140 riders from fourteen teams entered the 20-stage race, that was won by Belgian Eddy Merckx of the Molteni team. The second and third places were taken by Italians Felice Gimondi and Giovanni Battaglin, respectively.[1] [2]

In addition to the general classification, Merckx won the points classification. Amongst the other classifications that the race awarded, José Manuel Fuente of KAS won the mountains classification. Molteni finished as the winners of the team points classification.

Teams

See main article: List of teams and cyclists in the 1973 Giro d'Italia. A total of fourteen teams were invited to participate in the 1973 Giro d'Italia.[3] Each team sent a squad of ten riders, which meant that the race started with a peloton of 140 cyclists.[3] From the riders that began this edition, 113 made it to the finish on the Trieste.[4] [5]

The teams entering the race were:

  • Ovest Rokado
  • Sammontana
  • Scic
  • Zonca

Pre-race favorites

Reigning and three-time champion Eddy Merckx (Molteni) announced he would race both the Vuelta a España and Giro.[6] The break between these two races was only five days.[7] Despite this, and coming off a victory at the Vuelta, Merckx entered the race favorite.[6] [8] Juan Del Bosque of El Mundo Deportivo stated that with the easy route, it won't make Merckx exert much effort to win for a fourth time.[8] Merckx was believed to have a very strong team supporting him at the race, including the likes of Roger Swerts, Victor Van Schil, and Jos Deschoenmaecker, among others.[5] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Felice Gimondi (Bianchi), who won the race in 1967 and 1969, was not viewed to be in good condition entering the race.[8] Despite this he was still viewed as a contender for the overall crown.[5] Molteni director Giorgio Albani felt Merckx's strongest competitor would be Gimondi.[3] Albani elaborated that the Spaniards José Manuel Fuente, Francisco Galdós, and Santiago Lazcano were all dangerous riders in the mountains, but not threats for the overall crown.[3] The KAS team was regarded as a strong opponent to the Molteni squad because of their climbing prowess.[5] Specifically, the writer felt Fuente had performed very little during the 1973 campaign.[3] One writer found Roger De Vlaeminck (Brooklyn) to be a dark horse for the general classification,[3] while another source felt he would be Merckx's biggest threat.[5] Fuente ordered a bike from Faliero Maso (who made bikes for Fausto Coppi) which was said to be a very light bike which should give him more stability.[19] Former winner Gianni Motta (Zonca) also competed in the race and was viewed as a capable rider, but noted that his performances were irregular and his season had been lackluster up to that point.[5] 1971 winner Gösta Pettersson (Ferretti), was viewed as a challenger for the general classification,[8] but one writer felt he lost his "punch."[5] Italo Zilioli (Dreher), Franco Bitossi (Sammontana), and Michele Dancelli (Scic) were other Italian riders that had chances to place high in the general classification.[5]

Marino Basso (Bianchi), Gerben Karstens (Ovest Rokado), Rik Van Linden (Ovest Rokado), Patrick Sercu (Brooklyn), and Bitossi were thought to be the riders that would contend for the stages that finished in bunch sprints.[5] [3] [19] Van Linden and Sercu had beaten the reigning world champion Basso several times during the season so far and one writer stated that he "will have a lot to do if he wants to be worthy of his rainbow jersey."[5]

French filmmaker Claude Lelouch announced he would be making a film that centered around Merckx, which would incorporate footage from the Vuelta a España earlier in the year, along with this Giro d'Italia.[20]

Route and stages

Prior to 1973, there were rumors that the race would be starting in Belgium.[6] Race director Vincenzo Torriani revealed the race route on 5 March 1973.[6] The route was announced to be 3777km (2,347miles) over the course of twenty stages that included one individual time trial, while it began with a prologue around Verviers, Wallonia.[6] The race was regarded to have six flat stages and eight "wavy" stages.[21] There were eleven stages containing twenty categorized climbs that awarded points for the mountains classification, with no summit finishes in the race.[21] [5] In total, the race climbed 22.3km (13.9miles), 2.4km (01.5miles) less than the previous year. The average length of each stage was 188.85km (117.35miles).[6] The route did feature two rest days, on 23 May in Aosta and 4 June in Forte dei Marmi.[6] When compared to the previous year's race, the race was 52km (32miles) longer, included a prologue, two less individual time trails, four less summit finishes, and had the same number of rest days.

The route was announced to start in Verviers, before heading towards Italy, passing through The Netherlands, West Germany, Luxembourg, France, and Switzerland.[6] It was branded the "Tour of Europe."[6] It was reported that roughly 50 million liras were paid to the Giro d'Italia from Verviers, Cologne, and the European Economic Community.[6] The transfer from Strasbourg to Geneva was over 400km (200miles).[6] The route notably finished in Trieste, rather than in Milan, the normal finish for the race.[22] In addition, the route did not visit the Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily, to which Squibbs from L'Impartial stated that "no one will complain" with regards to Sardinia, while Sicily he felt made the tifosi in various areas of the region "scream."[22] The route as a whole does not venture into the southern half of Italy.[22] It was believed to be that the reason for the avoidance of Milan and other larger cities in the 1973 route came from their large unruly crowds and recent social unrest.[22] The Dolomites were featured in the last two stages of the race.[22]

Upon release of the route in March, some thought it was not a difficult route and Torriani did not want to give Merckx an advantage.[6] Gino Sala of l'Unita wrote following the route's initial reveal that Torriani may throw in some obstacles before the race started that were not in the presented route in March.[6] With the announcement of the route that traveled through so many European nations, Sala speculated that Tour de France organizer Félix Lévitan would try to one-up the Giro for their 1974 race.[6] Squibbs felt the route was well balanced and intelligently designed and thought the harder portions reserved for the very end would make the race garner more interest.[22]

Stage characteristics and winners
StageDateCourseDistanceTypeWinner
P18 MayVerviers (Belgium)5.2km (03.2miles)Two-man Team Time Trial
119 MayVerviers (Belgium) to Cologne (West Germany)137km (85miles)Plain stage
220 MayCologne (West Germany) to Luxembourg City (Luxembourg)227km (141miles)Plain stage
321 MayLuxembourg City (Luxembourg) to Strasbourg (France)239km (149miles)Plain stage
422 MayGeneva (Switzerland) to Aosta163km (101miles)Stage with mountain(s)
23 MayRest day
524 MaySt. Vincent to Milan173km (107miles)Plain stage
625 MayMilan to Iseo144km (89miles)Stage with mountain(s)
726 MayIseo to 248km (154miles)Plain stage
827 MayLido delle Nazioni to Monte Carpegna156km (97miles)Stage with mountain(s)
928 MayCarpegna to Alba Adriatica243km (151miles)Plain stage
1029 MayAlba Adriatica to Lanciano174km (108miles)Stage with mountain(s)
1130 MayLanciano to Benevento230km (140miles)Plain stage
1231 MayBenevento to Fiuggi236km (147miles)Stage with mountain(s)
131 JuneFiuggi to Bolsena215km (134miles)Stage with mountain(s)
142 JuneBolsena to Florence202km (126miles)Plain stage
153 JuneFlorence to Forte dei Marmi150km (90miles)Plain stage
4 JuneRest day
165 JuneForte dei Marmi to Forte dei Marmi37km (23miles)Individual Time Trial
176 JuneForte dei Marmi to Verona244km (152miles)Stage with mountain(s)
187 JuneVerona to Andalo173km (107miles)Stage with mountain(s)
198 JuneAndalo to Auronzo di Cadore208km (129miles)Stage with mountain(s)
209 JuneAuronzo di Cadore to Trieste197km (122miles)Stage with mountain(s)
Total3801km (2,362miles)

Classification leadership

There were three main individual classifications contested in the 1973 Giro d'Italia, as well as a team competition. Three of them awarded jerseys to their leaders. The general classification was the most important and was calculated by adding each rider's finishing times on each stage.[23] The rider with the lowest cumulative time was the winner of the general classification and was considered the overall winner of the Giro.[23] The rider leading the classification wore a pink jersey to signify the classification's leadership.[23]

The second classification was the points classification. Riders received points for finishing in the top positions in a stage finish, with first place getting the most points, and lower placings getting successively fewer points.[23] The rider leading this classification wore a purple (or cyclamen) jersey.[23] The mountains classification was the third classification and its leader was designated by a green jersey. In this ranking, points were won by reaching the summit of a climb ahead of other cyclists. Each climb was ranked as either first, second or third category, with more points available for higher category climbs. Most stages of the race included one or more categorized climbs, in which points were awarded to the riders that reached the summit first. The Cima Coppi, the race's highest point of elevation, awarded more points than the other first category climbs.[23] The Cima Coppi for this Giro was the Passo di Giau. The first rider to cross the Passo di Giau was Spanish rider José Manuel Fuente.

The final classification, the team classification, awarded no jersey to its leaders. This was calculated by adding together points earned by each rider on the team during each stage through the intermediate sprints, the categorized climbs, stage finishes, etc. The team with the most points led the classification.

There were other minor classifications within the race, including the neo-professional competition. The classification was determined in the same way as the general classification, but considering only neo-professional cyclists (in their first three years of professional racing). The combination classification was a points classification that was tabulated by adding the ranks of a riders position in the general, points, and mountains classifications.

Classification leadership by stage
StageWinnerGeneral classification
Points classification
[24]
Mountains classification
Team classification
PEddy Merckx & Roger SwertsEddy MerckxRoger Swertsnot awardednot awarded
1Eddy MerckxEddy Merckx?
2Roger De Vlaeminck
3Gustave Van Roosbroeck
4Eddy MerckxJosé Manuel Fuente
5Gerben Karstens
6Gianni MottaEddy Merckx
7Rik Van Linden
8Eddy Merckx
9Patrick Sercu
10Eddy Merckx
11Roger De Vlaeminck
12Tullio Rossi
13Roger De Vlaeminck
14Francesco Moser
15Martín Emilio RodríguezRoger De Vlaeminck
16Felice Gimondi
17Rik Van Linden
18Eddy MerckxEddy Merckx
19José Manuel FuenteJosé Manuel Fuente
20Marino Basso
FinalEddy MerckxEddy MerckxJosé Manuel FuenteMolteni

Final standings

General classification

Final general classification (1–10)[25] [26]
Rank NameTeamTime
1
2 + 7' 42"
3 + 10' 20"
4 + 15' 51"
5 + 19' 11"
6 G.B.C. + 19' 45"
7 + 24' 24"
8 + 26' 06"
9 + 26' 35"
10 Zonca + 26' 49"

Points classification

Final points classification (1–5)!!Rider!Team!Points
1 Molteni237
2 Brooklyn216
3 Bianchi146
4 Ovest Rokado141
5 Ovest Rokado132

Mountains classification

Final mountains classification (1–10)!!Rider!Team!Points
1 KAS550
2 Molteni510
3 Jollj Ceramica180
4 Bianchi110
5 Scic100
6 G.B.C. align=right rowspan="2"70
Bianchi
8Dreheralign=right rowspan="3"30
Zonca

Combination classification

Final combination classification (1–4)!!Rider!Team!Points
1 4
2 Bianchi9
3 Jollj Ceramica 17
4KAS18

Intermediate sprints classification

Final intermediate sprints classification (1–5)!!Rider!Team!Points
1 KAS170
2 Bianchi110
3 Zonca 70
4 Molteni60
5Scicalign=right rowspan="2"40
Magniflex

Neo-professional classification

Final neo-professional classification (1–5)
RiderTeamTime
1 Jollj Ceramica
2 Filotex+ 28' 22"
3 Rokado+ 28' 30"
4Sammontana+ 1h 01' 34"
5Scic+ 1h 06' 27"

Team classification

Final team classification (1–5)!!Team!Points
1 Molteni7,731
2 Bianchi4,434
3 Brooklyn4,114
4 Rokado3,534
5 KAS3,534

Aftermath

The race is documented in Jørgen Leth's 1974 film Stars and Watercarriers (Stjernerne og Vandbærerne).

References

Citations

Notes and References

  1. News: Merckx, <> De Principio A Fin. es. 10 June 1973. 19. El Mundo Deportivo. 27 May 2012. Merckx, <> From Beginning to End. https://web.archive.org/web/20150309225441/http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1973/06/10/MD19730610-019.pdf. 9 March 2015. live.
  2. News: Giro-record per Merckx, sempre in rosa. Gianni Pignata. it. 10 June 1973. 22. La Stampa. Editrice La Stampa. 27 May 2012. PDF. Lap-record for Merckx, always in pink.
  3. News: Merckx ook favoriet in Ronde van Italie. Merckx also Favorite in Tour of Italy. nl. Delpher. Tubantia. 18 May 1973. 27.
  4. Web site: 1973 Giro d'Italia . Bike Race Info . Dog Ear Publishing . Bill and Carol McGann. 6 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150102081424/http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1973.html. 2 January 2015. live.
  5. News: Merckx et une très forte équipe contre tous!. Merckx and a very strong team against all!. fr. L'Impartial. 18 May 1973. 14. https://web.archive.org/web/20191022030223/http://doc.rero.ch/record/105880/files/1973-05-18.pdf. 22 October 2019. RERO.
  6. News: Così il Giro d'Italia 1973. it . 6 March 1971 . 10 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. Gino Sala. PDF . Thus the Giro d'Italia 1973. https://web.archive.org/web/20190429005858/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/03/06/page_010.pdf. 29 April 2019 .
  7. Web site: 1973 Giro d'Italia . Bike Race Info . Dog Ear Publishing . Bill and Carol McGann. 6 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150102081424/http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1973.html. 2 January 2015. live.
  8. News: Salvo accidentes, ya conocemos el nombre del vencedor. es. 18 May 1973. 21. El Mundo Deportivo. Juan Del Bosque. 27 May 2012. Except for accidents, we already know the name of the winner. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604155839/http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1973/05/18/MD19730518-021.pdf. 4 June 2020. live.
  9. News: Comincia il 56 Giro d'Italia: oggi il <> di Verviers. it . 18 May 1973 . 10 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. Gino Sala. PDF . The 56 Giro d'Italia begins: today the <> of Verviers. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162223/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/18/page_010.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  10. News: Il Pronostico Dice Merckx La Quarta Volta. it . 16 May 1973 . 7 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. PDF . The Prediction Says Merckx The Fourth Time. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162221/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/16/page_007.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  11. News: Ecco I Loro Pronostici Firmati. Here are their signed predictions. it . 16 May 1973 . 8 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. PDF . https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162246/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/16/page_008.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  12. News: Eddy Merckx non aspetterà le Dolomiti. it . 16 May 1973 . 10 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. PDF . Eddy Merckx will not wait for the Dolomites. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162253/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/16/page_010.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  13. News: Un Percorso Per Boifava. it . 16 May 1973 . 11 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. PDF . A Course for Boifava. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162410/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/16/page_011.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  14. News: Roger De Vlaeminck propone un nuovo e affaccinante tema. it . 16 May 1973 . 12 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. PDF . Roger De Vlaeminck proposes a new and fascinating theme. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162413/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/16/page_012.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  15. News: L'estroso Bitossi e due speranze che si chiamano Riccomi e Osler. it . 16 May 1973 . 13 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. PDF . The whimsical Bitossi and two hopes called Riccomi and Osler. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162417/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/16/page_013.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  16. News: L'orgoglio e le doti di Gimondi piu Basso, Ritter e Rodriguez.... it . 16 May 1973 . 14 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. PDF . The pride and skills of Gimondi Basso, Ritter and Rodriguez .... https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162420/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/16/page_014.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  17. News: Francesco Moser a briglie sciolte per la grande avventura. it . 16 May 1973 . 15 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. PDF . Francesco Moser at full speed for the great adventure. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162433/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/16/page_015.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  18. News: Gosta Pettersson nel pronostico per la maglia rosa. it . 16 May 1973 . 16 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. PDF . Gosta Pettersson in the prediction for the pink jersey. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162528/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/16/page_016.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  19. News: De vraag luidt: Wie kan Merckx in Du Giro verslaan?. Nino Tamadesso. The Question is: Who Can Beat Merckx in the Giro. nl. Delpher. Limburgs Dagblad. 18 May 1973. 1.
  20. News: Film Over Eddie Merckx. Move About Eddy Merckx. nl. Delpher. Het Vrije Volk. 18 May 1973. 23.
  21. News: Il Giro di ieri e di Oggi. it . 16 May 1973 . 10 . l'Unità . PCI . 22 June 2018. PDF . The Tour of Yesterday and Today. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604155839/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1973/05/16/page_009.pdf. 4 June 2020.
  22. News: Le premier des "gros morceaux " !. The first of the "big pieces"!. fr. Squibbs. L'Impartial. 18 May 1973. 25. https://web.archive.org/web/20191022030223/http://doc.rero.ch/record/105880/files/1973-05-18.pdf. 22 October 2019. RERO.
  23. Web site: Laura Weislo . Giro d'Italia classifications demystified . 13 May 2008 . Cycling News. 13 July 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130508234448/http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/giro08/?id=/features/2008/giro_classifications08 . 8 May 2013 . live .
  24. Web site: Tour.Giro.Vuelta . 2024-05-16 . www.tour-giro-vuelta.net.
  25. News: Clasificaciones oficiales. es. 10 June 1973. 19. El Mundo Deportivo. 27 May 2012. Official classifications. https://web.archive.org/web/20150309225441/http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1973/06/10/MD19730610-019.pdf. 9 March 2015. live.
  26. News: I primi venti del 1973 . it . 9 June 1974 . 9 . l'Unità . PCI . 27 May 2012 . PDF . The first twenty of 1973 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150313015731/http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=%2Farchivio%2Funi_1974_05%2F19740516_0009.pdf . 13 March 2015 . dead . dmy-all .