Lombardia History: Louison Bobet’s 1951 Giro di Lombardia victory delivered a dramatic finish on Milan’s Vigorelli velodrome—and a win the Frenchman counted among his most satisfying. This vintage feature by Félix Lévitan recalls Bobet’s battle with Fausto Coppi and his rivals on the Madonna del Ghisallo, his decisive finishing sprint, and his hopes of repeating the triumph the following autumn.
PEZ SEz: Originally written ahead of the 1952 Giro di Lombardia, this article looks back at Louison Bobet’s 1951 victory and assesses his chances of winning again. The translation retains the original writer’s perspective and period descriptions of the course.
By Félix Lévitan
Louison Bobet, sprint winner of the last Giro di Lombardia, has had a disappointing season this year. His recent victory in the Grand Prix des Nations, however, suggests that he has returned to excellent form. In the next edition of autumn’s great classic, he will once again be a dangerous opponent for our champions.
What does the Madonna del Ghisallo have in store for Louison Bobet this time?
Two years ago, we remember finding him there crying out in despair, a wheel in his hand, on a dust-covered bend. Last October, by contrast, we followed him up the climb as he fought shoulder to shoulder with Coppi, Soldani and Kübler. His hair blowing in the wind, hands gripping the handlebars and lips parted, he climbed confidently and powerfully, ready for every battle. Not remotely intimidated by Fausto’s presence, he was determined to throw all his strength into the struggle before accepting defeat.
As everyone knows, he did not succumb. Instead, in a supreme expression of his competitive pride, he defeated his rivals on the Vigorelli track at the end of a fiercely contested lap.
Louison Bobet was the most recent winner of the Lombard classic that closes the season. He won the sprint—beating the three Italians Minardi, De Filippis and Milano.
The few French spectators in Milan that autumn afternoon in 1951 had not expected such an outcome. Everything already seemed settled on the back straight—but then came the bend and the final straight…
The Milanese spectators rightly appreciated the quality of his performance, and a tremendous roar of applause greeted Louison’s victory.
“Of all my victories,” he confided to us a few hours after his lap of honour, “this is the one that has given me the greatest satisfaction.”
Today, Bobet is nurturing hopes of a repeat.
Brimming with energy at the beginning of the season, he was so exhausted by the time of the Tour de France that he had to miss it. Now, however, he has fully recovered his powers. The former French champion will line up at the start in Milan on October 26, confident that he can live up to his reputation.
Louison Bobet was the most recent winner of the season-ending Lombard classic. He won the sprint, beating Minardi by just half a wheel. The photograph here shows a moment in the breakaway that brought Bobet and a handful of other riders to the Vigorelli. Behind Bobet is Coppi.
The characteristics of the course suit his abilities wonderfully. The Ghisallo has a moderate gradient; its relatively short length means it can be attacked with momentum. Here, even the most gifted climbers have little chance of escaping the attentions of the more aggressive road racers.
The 1952 Giro di Lombardia route – the race traditionally started and finished in Milan
The final part of the race also seems tailor-made for Bobet, demanding an irresistible finishing surge on a flat road with an excellent surface. Only Coppi at his very best can escape a Bobet who is even in reasonably good form.
Louison is convinced of all this, and his confidence is consequently sky-high. If he is beaten—and he is not so presumptuous as to believe that cannot happen—he will still be able to say that he tried everything to prevail once again against the international cycling elite.
We do not believe that any other French rider currently has an equally good chance of winning. As things stand, Bobet is the only rider in France who climbs well enough to withstand a concerted attack on the Ghisallo. And it takes a great road sprinter to beat him on the Vigorelli track.
The Madonna del Ghisallo, moreover, has the power to frighten most French riders. Many would attempt the Giro di Lombardia adventure if they did not fear coming to grief on the mountain. Antonin Magne recently reminded his riders of this, advising them to stay away:
“If you are not great climbers, resign yourselves to it…”
An undeniable truth, particularly when riders risked witnessing one of Coppi’s irresistible flights. But what will Fausto’s form be like? And why should we not see the riders come back together this year on the descent and the flat roads?
Naturally, those who stay away will once again have been proved wrong if a tightly packed peloton charges onto the Vigorelli circuit…
1952 has not been a particularly successful year for France’s most popular champion, who suffered a serious loss of form, especially during the major stage races. During those months, he found some consolation in receiving the award for the most likeable champion (photo at left), presented by a committee of young women.
Recently, he demonstrated his return to form by winning the Grand Prix des Nations. In the photograph at right, his brother Jean congratulates him after the race.
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