1957 Giro d'Italia

40th edition: May 18 - June 9

Results, stages with running GC, video, photos and history

1956 Giro | 1958 Giro | Giro d'Italia Database | 1957 Giro Quick Facts | 1957 Giro d'Italia Final GC | Stage results with running GC | The Story of the 1957 Giro d'Italia | Video of the 1957 Giro |

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1957 Giro Quick Facts:

3,926 km raced at an average speed of 37.488 km/hr, a record speed that would hold until 1983.

119 starters and 79 classified finishers

Gastone Nencini was able to take advantage of the bitter hatred between three-time Tour de France winner Louison Bobet and and 1956 Giro winner Charly Gaul.

Gaul lost a lot of time in stage 18, putting a 1957 victory out of reach. Rather than let Bobet win, Gaul gutted himself to help Nencini beat Bobet in stage 19, making Nencini the 1957 Giro winner.

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1957 Giro d'Italia Final General Classification:

1. Gastone Nencini (Chlorodont): 104hr 45min 6sec
2. Louison Bobet (France-Mercier) @ 19sec
3. Ercole Baldini (Legnano) @ 5min 59sec
4. Charly Gaul (International-Faema-Guerra) @ 7min 31sec
5. Raphaël Géminiani (France-Mercier) @ 17min 28sec
6. Miguel Poblet (Spain-Ignis-Doniselli) @ 19min 49sec
7. Raymond Impanis (Belgium-Cora-Elvé) @ 21min 6sec
8. Pasquale Fornara (Bif-Clement) @ 24min 16sec
9. Wout Wagtmans (Netherlands-ERG-Girardengo) @ 24min 29sec
10. Antonin Rolland (France-Mercier) @ 27min 29sec
11. Nello Fabbri (Legnano) @ 28min 23sec
12. Aldo Moser (Chlorodont) @ 28min 45sec
13. Nino Defilippis (Bianchi) @ 29min 39sec
14. Giuseppe Fallarini (Asborno-Fréjus) @ 30min 26sec
15. Giancarlo Astrua (Atala) @ 32min 38sec
16. Wim Van Est (Netherlands-ERG-Girardengo) @ 34min 32sec
17. Cleto Maule (Torpado) @ 35min 22sec
18. Alfredo Sabbadin (San Pellegrino) @ 38min 22sec
19. Guido Boni (Bottecchia-Gripo) @ 39min 53sec
20. Marcel Janssens (Netherlands-ERG-Girardengo) @ 44min 44sec
21. Alessandro Fantini (Atala) @ 51min 0sec
22. Vito Favero (Bianchi) @ 53min 10sec
23. Guido Carlesi (Bottecchia-Gripo) @ 58min 8sec
24. Gerrit Voorting (Netherlands-ERG-Girardengo) @ 59min 10sec
25. Jean Bobet (France-Mercier) @ 59min 11sec
26. Adriano Zamboni (Torpado) @ 1hr 0min 31sec
27. Mario Tosato (Torpado) @ 1hr 5min 53sec
28. Lino Grassi (Legnano) @ 1hr 7min 59sec
29. Pierino Baffi (Bif-Clement) @ 1hr 8min 59sec
30. Pierre Barbotin (France-Mercier) @ 1hr 9min 56sec
31. Gabriel Company (Spain-Ignis-Doniselli) @ 1hr 10min 28sec
32. Vincenzo Rossello (Asborno-Fréjus) @ 1hr 10min 52sec
33. Rik Van Steenbergen (Belgium-Cora-Elvé) @ 1hr 12min 48sec
34. Jan Nolten (Netherlands-ERG-Girardengo) @ 1hr 19min 21sec
35. Daan De Groot (Netherlands-ERG-Girardengo) @ 1hr 21min 6sec
36. Aurelio Cestari (Atala) @ 1hr 23min 7sec
37. Waldemaro Bartolozzi (Legnano) @ 1hr 23min 0sec
38. Armando Pellegrini (International-Faema-Guerra) @ 1hr 23min 31sec
39. Bruno Monti (Bianchi) @ 1hr 24min 35sec
40. Gilberto Dall'Agata (Torpado) @ 1hr 25min 44sec
41. Arrigo Padovan (Atala) @ 1hr 28min 14sec
42. Giuseppe Pintarelli (Chlorodont) @ 1hr 30min 38sec
43. Benito Romagnoli (Torpado) @ 1hr 31min 8sec
44. Edgard Sorgeloos (Belgium-Cora-Elvé) @ 1hr 33min 52sec
45. Marcel Ernzer (International-Faema-Guerra) @ 1hr 34min 28sec
46. Max Schellenberg (International-Faema-Guerra) @ 1hr 38min 8sec
47. Hilaire Couvreur (Belgium-Cora-Elvé) @ 1hr 39min 28sec
48. Rino Bagnara (Torpado) @ 1hr 40min 9sec
49. Antonio Uliana (Bottecchia-Gripo) @ 1hr 42min 26sec
50. Remo Bartalini (Torpado) @ 1hr 42min 42sec
51. André Vlayen (Belgium-Cora-Elvé) @ 1hr 43min 10sec
52. Gianni Ferlenghi (Bif-Clement) @ 1hr 43min 23sec
53. Giorgio Albani (Legnano) @ 1hr 44min 2sec
54. Emilio Bottecchia (Bottecchia-Gripo)@ 1hr 48min 29sec
55. Bernardo Ruiz (Spain-Ignis-Doniselli) @ 1hr 49min 1sec
56. Piet Donker (Netherlands-ERG-Girardengo) @ 1hr 51min 5sec
57. Jaap Kersten (Netherlands-ERG-Girardengo) @ 1hr 52min 12sec
58. Nino Assirelli (Bif-Clement) @ 1hr 53min 57sec
59. Attilio Moresi (International-Faema-Guerra) @ 1hr 54min 46sec
60. Pietro Nascimbene (Carpano-Coppi) @ 1hr 55min 10sec
61. Pietro Giudici (Bianchi) @ 1hr 55min 28sec
62. Gino Guerrini (Asborno) @ 1hr 56min 45sec
63. Jesus Galdeano (Spain-Ignis-Doniselli) @ 1hr 57min 25sec
64. Giuliano Michelon (Asborno) @ 2hr 5min 14sec
65. Bruno Tognaccini (Chlorodont) @ 2hr 6min 43sec
66. Giuseppe Mauso (Bottecchia-Gripo) @ 2hr 9min 23sec
67. Angelo Miserocchi (Bianchi) @ 2hr 12min 9sec
68. José Serra (Spain-Ignis-Doniselli) @ 2hr 13min 59sec
69. Colombo Cassano (Carpano-Coppi) @ 2hr 16min 47sec
70. Giacomo Fini (International-Faema-Guerra) @ 2hr 21min 20sec
71. Ugo Massocco (Legnano) @ 2hr 24min 39sec
72. Charles Coste (France-Mercier) @ 2hr 28min 21sec
73. Claude Le Ber (France-Mercier) @ 2hr 34min 14sec
74. Mario Baroni (Chlorodont) @ 2hr 34min 16sec
75. Giuseppe Barale (San Pellegrino) @ 2hr 35min 25sec
76. Vasco Modena (Bif-Clement) @ 2hr 38min 54sec
77. Max Cohen (France-Mercier) @ 2hr 49min 2sec
78. Mario Mori (Bif-Clement) @ 3hr 14min 40sec
79. Angiolino Piscaglia (San Pallegrino) @ 3hr 32min 27sec

Climbers' Competition:

1. Raphaël Géminiani (France-Mercier): 56 points
2. Charly Gaul (International-Faema-Guerra): 38
3. Louison Bobet (France-Mercier): 36
4. Miguel Poblet (Spain-Ignis-Doniselli): 25
5. Gastone Nencini (Chlorodont): 20

Winning Team: Legnano

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1957 Giro stage results with running GC:

Stage 1: Saturday, May 18, Milano - Verona, 191 km

1. Rik Van Steenbergen: 4hr 16min 1sec
2. Miguel Poblet s.t.
3. Pierino Baffi s.t.
4. Marcel Janssens s.t.
5. Cleto Maule s.t.
6. Giuseppe Calvi s.t.
7. Gerrit Voorting s.t.
8. Michele Gismondi s.t.
9. Louison Bobet
10. Antonin Rolland s.t.

Stage 2: Sunday, May 19, Verona - Bosco Chiesanuova 28km individual time time trial

Major ascent: Bosco Chiesanuova

1. Charly Gaul: 55min 4sec
2. Raphaël Géminiani @ 57sec
3. Nino Defilippis @ 1min 13sec
4. Louison Bobet @ 1min 15sec
5. Ercole Baldini s.t.
6. Miguel Poblet @ 1min42sec
7. Aldo Moser @ 1min 49sec
8. Vito Favero @ 1min 52sec
9. Gastone Nencini @ 1min 55sec
10. Pasquale Fornara @ 2min 4sec

GC after Stage 2:

1. Louison Bobet: 5hr 12min 20sec
2. Miguel Poblet @ 27sec
3. Charly Gaul @ 37sec
4. Pasquale Fornara @ 42sec
5. Nello Fabbri @ 58sec
6. Raphaël Géminiani @ 1min 34sec
7. Nino Defilippis @ 1min 50sec
8. Ercole Baldini @ 1min 52sec
9. Antonin Rolland @ 2min 16sec
10. Aldo Moser @ 2min 26sec

Stage 3: Monday, May 20, Verona - Ferrara, 169 km

1. Miguel Poblet: 3hr 42min 27sec
2. Rik Van Steenbergen s.t.
3. Vito Favero s.t.
4. Gino Guerrini s.t.
5. Guido Carlesi s.t.
6. Raymond Impanis s.t.
7. Bruno Monti s.t.
8. Giuseppe Calvi s.t.
9. Rino Benedetti s.t.
10. Nello Velucchi s.t.

GC after Stage 3:

1. Louison Bobet: 8hr 54min 47sec
2. Miguel Poblet @ 27sec
3. Charly Gaul @ 37sec
4. Paquale Fornara @ 49sec
5. Nello Fabbri @ 58sec
6. Raphaël Géminiani @ 1min 34sec
7. Nino Defilippis @ 1min 50sec
8. Ercole Baldini @ 1min 52sec
9. Anotnin Rolland @ 2min 16sec
10. Aldo Moser @ 2min 26sec

Stage 4: Tuesday, May 21, Ferrara - Cattolica, 190 km

1. André Vlaeyen: 4hr 32min 11sec
2. Colombo Cassano s.t.
3. Ugo Massocco s.t.
4. Gastone Nencini s.t.
5. Gianni Ferlenghi s.t.
6. Antonio Uliana s.t.
7. Giuseppe Fallarini s.t.
8. Lino Grassi s.t.
9. Nino Defilippis s.t.
10. Alfredo Sabbadin s.t.

GC after Stage 4:

1. Louison Bobet: 13hr 28min 40sec
2. Nino Defilippis @ 8sec
3. Miguel Poblet @ 27sec
4. Charly Gaul @ 37sec
5. Pasquale Fornara @ 49sec
6. Gastone Nencini @ 52sec
7. Nello Fabbri @ 58sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 8sec
9. Guido Carlesi @ 1min 18sec
10. Gerrit Voorting @ 1min 23sec

Stage 5: Wednesday, May 22, Cattolica - Loreto, 235 km

1. Alessandro Fantini: 5hr 58min 41sec
2. Dan De Groot @ 3sec
3. Claude Le Ber @ 9sec
4. Pierino Baffi @ 22sec
5. Bruno Tognaccini @ 27sec
6. Jésus Galdeano @ 59sec
7. Miguel Poblet @ 4min 26sec
8. Charly Gaul @ 4min 28sec
9. Giuseppe Fallarini @ 4min 29sec
10. Vicente Iturat @ 4min 35sec

GC after Stage 5:

1. Louison Bobet: 19hr 31min 57sec
2. Nino Defilippis @ 8sec
3. Miguel Poblet @ 17sec
4. Pierino Baffi @ 21sec
5. Charly Gaul @ 29sec
6. Pasquale Fornara @ 49sec
7. Gastone Nencini @ 50sec
8. Nello Fabbri @ 58sec
9. Raymnd Impanis @ 1min 8sec
10. Guido Carlesi @ 1min 18sec

Stage 6: Thursday, May 23, Loreto - Terni, 175 km

Major ascent: Somma

1. Wout Wagtmans: 4hr 27min 57sec
2. Ugo Massocco @ 2min 20sec
3. Miguel Poblet @ 2min 34sec
4. Pierino Baffi s.t.
5. Armando Pellegrini s.t.
6. Guido Carlesi s.t.
7. Mario Baroni s.t.
8. Gastone Nencini s.t.
9. Wim Van Est s.t.
10. Waldemaro Bartolozzi s.t.

GC after stage 6:

1. Louison Bobet: 24hr 2min 28sec
2. Nino Defilippis @ 8sec
3. Miguel Poblet @ 17sec
4. Pierino Baffi @ 21sec
5. Charly Gaul @ 29sec
6. Pasquale Fornara @ 49sec
7. Gastone Nencini @ 50sec
8. Nello Fabbri @ 58sec
9. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 8sec
10. Guido Carlesi @ 1min 18sec

Stage 7: Friday, May 24, Terni - Pescara, 221 km

Major ascents: Corno, Capanelle

1. Antonin Rolland: 5hr 43min 51sec
2. Agostino Coletto s.t.
3. Rino Benedetti @ 27sec
4. Alessandro Fantini s.t.
5. Guido Carlesi s.t.
6. Mario Baroni s.t.
7. Giorgio Albani s.t.
8. Rik Van Steenbergen s.t.
9. Bruno Monti s.t.
10. Armando Pellegrini s.t.

GC after Stage 7:

1. Louison Bobet: 29hr 46min 46sec
2. Nino Defilippis @ 8sec
3. Miguel Poblet @ 17sec
4. Pierino Baffi @ 21sec
5. Charly Gaul @ 29sec
6. Pasquale Fornara @ 49sec
7. Gastone Nencini @ 50sec
8. Nello Fabbri @ 58sec
9. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 8sec
10. Guido Carlesi @ 1min 18sec

Stage 8: Saturday, May 25, Pescara - Napoli, 250 km

Major ascents: Cinque Miglia, Rionero Sannatico, Macerone

1. Vito Favero: 6hr 43min 20sec
2. Michele Gismondi s.t.
3. Nino Defilippis s.t.
4. Giorgio Albani @ 21sec
5. Rino Benedetti s.t.
6. Nello Fabbri s.t.
7. Vincenzo Rossello s.t.
8. Mario Tosato s.t.
9. Giuseppe Pintarelli s.t.
10. Wim Van Est s.t.

GC after Stage 8:

1. Nino Defilippis: 36hr 30min 14sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 13sec
3. Miguel Poblet @ 30sec
4. Pierino Baffi @ 34sec
5. Charly Gaul @ 42sec
6. Pasquale Fornara @ 1min 2sec
7. Gastone Nencini @ 1min 3sec
8. Nello Fabbri @ 1min 11sec
9. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 21sec
10. Guido Carlesi @ 1min 31sec

Stage 9: Sunday, May 26, Napoli - Frascati, 220 km

1. Miguel Poblet: 6hr 2min 7sec
2. Rik Van Steenbergen s.t.
3. Antonin Rolland s.t.
4. Giorgio Albani s.t.
5. Marcel Ernzer s.t.
6. Armando Pellegrini s.t.
7. Alessandro Fantani s.t.
8. Aurelio Cestari s.t.
9. Guido Boni s.t.
10. Gerrit Voorting s.t.

GC after Stage 9:

1. Nino Defilippis: 42hr 32min 21sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 13sec
3. Miguel Poblet @ 30sec
4. Pierino Baffi @ 32sec
5. Charly Gaul @ 42sec
6. Pasquale Fornara @ 1min 2sec
7. Gastone Nencini @ 1min 3sec
8. Nello Fabbri @ 1min 11sec
9. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 21sec
10. Guido Carlesi @ 1min 31sec

Stage 10: Monday, May 27, Roma - Siena, 227 km

Major ascent: Radicofani

1. Miguel Poblet: 6hr 34min 56sec
2. Alessandro Fantini s.t.
3. Nello Fabbri s.t.
4. Louison Bobet and 18 other riders @ s.t.

GC after Stage 10:

1. Nino Defilippis: 49hr 7min 17sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 13sec
3. Miguel Poblet @ 30sec
4. Charly Gaul @ 42sec
5. Pasquale Fornara @ 1min 2sec
6. Gastone Nencini @ 1min 3sec
7. Nello Fabbri @ 1min 11sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 21sec
9. Raphaël Géminiani @ 1min 47sec
10. Antonin Rolland @ 2min 2sec

Stage 11: Tuesday, May 28, Siena - Montecatini Terme, 230 km

1. Rik Van Steenbergen: 5hr 55min 43sec
2. Giorgio Albani s.t.
3. Ercole Baldini s.t.
4. Wim Van Est s.t.
5. Riccardo Filippi s.t.
6. Gastone Nencini s.t.
7. Colombo Cassano s.t.
8. Arrigo Padovan s.t.
9. Alfredo Sabbadin s.t.
10. Lino Grassi s.t.

GC after Stage 11:

1. Nino Defilippis: 55hr 3min 0sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 13sec
3. Miguel Poblet @ 30sec
4. Charly Gaul @ 42sec
5. Pasquale Fornara @ 1min 2sec
6. Gastone Nencini @ 1min 3sec
7. Nello Fabbri @ 1min 11sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 21sec
9. Raphaël Géminiani
10. Antonin Rolland @ 2min 2sec

Stage 12: Thursday, May 20, Montecatini Terme - Forte Dei Marmi 59 km individual time trial

1. Ercole Baldini: 1hr 19min 46sec
2. Cleto Maule @ 8sec
3. Claude Le Ber @ 47sec
4. Gastone Nencini @ 1min 15sec
5. Louison Bobet @ 1min 50sec
6. Raymond Impanis @ 2mn 1sec
7. Charly Gaul @ 2min 16sec
8. Pasquale Fornara @ 2min 29sec
9. Nino Defilippis @ 2mn 30sec
10. Wim Van Est @ 2min 46sec

GC after Stage 12:

1. Louison Bobet: 56hr 24min 49sec
2. Ercole Baldini @ 2sec
3. Gastone Nencini @ 15sec
4. Nino Defilippis @ 27sec
5. Charly Gaul @ 55sec
6. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 19sec
7. Pasquale Fornara @ 1min 28sec
8. Miguel Poblet @ 1min 43sec
9. Nello Fabbri @ 2min 24sec
10. Antonin Rolland @ 4min 8sec

Stage 13: Friday, May 31, Forte Dei Marmi - Genova, 163 km

Major ascent: Bracco

1. Bruno Monti: 4hr 14min 15sec
2. Miguel Poblet s.t.
3. Alessandro Fantini s.t.
4. Edgard Sorgeloos s.t.
5. Alfredo Sabbadin s.t.
6. Cleto Maule s.t.
7. Louison Bobet s.t.
8. Rino Bagnara s.t.
9. Gastone Nencini s.t.
10. André Vlaeyen s.t.

GC after stage 13:

1. Louison Bobet: 60hr 40min 35sec
2. Ercole Baldini @ 2sec
3. Gastone Nencini @ 15sec
4. Nino Defilippis @ 27sec
5. Charly Gaul @ 55sec
6. Pasquale Fornara @ 1min 28sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 34sec
8. Miguel Poblet @ 1min 43sec
9. Nello Fabbri @ 2min 24sec
10. Raphaël Géminiani @ 4min 42sec

Stage 14: Saturday, June 1, Genova - St. Vincent, 235 km

1. Mario Baroni: 6hr 24min 0sec
2. Rino Benedetti s.t.
3. Giorgio Albani s.t.
4. Rino Bagnara s.t.
5. Arrigo Padovan s.t.
6. Pierino Baffi s.t.
7. Wim Van Est s.t.
8. Antonin Rolland s.t.
9. Adirano Zamboni s.t.
10. Max Schellenberg s.t.

GC after Stage 14:

1. Antonin Rolland: 67hr 9min 33sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 5sec
3. Ercole Baldini @ 7sec
4. Gastone Nencini @ 20sec
5. Nino Defilippis @ 32sec
6. Charly Gaul @ 1min 0sec
7. Pasquale Fornara @ 1min 33sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 39sec
9. Miguel Poblet @ 1min 48sec
10. Nello Fabbri @ 2min 29sec

Stage 15: Sunday, June 2, St. Vincent - Sion (Switzerland), 134 km

Major ascent: Gran San Bernardo

1. Louison Bobet: 3hr 39min 38sec
2. Gastone Nencini s.t.
3. Charly Gaul s.t.
4. Raphaël Géminiani @ 25sec
5. Ercole Baldini @ 4min 59sec
6. Pasquale Fornara s.t.
7. Guido Boni s.t.
8. Nello Fabbri s.t.
9. Vito Favero @ 7min 11sec
10. Raymond Impanis s.t.

GC after Stage 15:

1. Louison Bobet: 7hr 49min 31sec
2. Gastone Nencini @ 15sec
3. Charly Gaul @ 53sec
4. Ercole Baldini @ 4min 41sec
5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 4min 47sec
6. Pasquale Fornara @ 6min 7sec
7. Nello Fabri @ 7min 8sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 8min 26sec
9. Antonin Rolland @ 9min 55sec
10. Nino Defilippis @ 10min 27sec

Stage 16: Monday, June 3, Sion (Switzerland) - Campo Dei Fiori, 229 km

Major ascents: Sampione, Campo dei Fiori

1. Alfredo Sabbadin: 6hr 52min 22sec
2. Charly Gaul @ 1min 51sec
3. Wim Van Est @ 2min 11sec
4. Cleto Maule @ 2min 17sec
5. Max Schellenberg @ 2min 25sec
6. Antonio Uliana @ 2min 53sec
7. Mario Tosato @ 3min 0sec
8. Gastone Nencini @ 3min 7sec
9. Gino Guerrini @ 3min 54sec
10. Emilio Bottecchia @ 4min 1sec
11. Vito Favero @ 4min 3sec
12. Louison Bobet s.t.
13. Miguel Poblet @ 4min 8sec
14. Nino Defilippis @ 4min 13sec
15. Pasquale Fornara @ 4min 21sec

GC after Stage 16:

1. Charly Gaul: 77hr 44min 39sec
2. Gastone Nencini @ 56sec
3. Louison Bobet @ 1min 17sec
4. Ercole Baldini @ 6min 57sec
5. Pasquale Fornara @ 8min 2sec
6. Raphaël Géminiani @ 8min 10sec
7. Nello Fabbri @ 10min 26sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 10min 57sec
9. Nino Defilippis @ 12min 54sec
10. Miguel Poblet @ 13min 5sec

Stage 17a: Tuesday, June 4, Varese - Como, 82km

1. Alessandro Fantini: 1hr 50min 7sec
2. Giorgio Albani s.t.
3. Cleto Maule s.t.
4. Rik Van Steenbergen s.t.
5. Riccardo Filippi s.t.
6. Silvano Ciampi s.t.
7. Armando Pellegrini s.t.
8. Gerrit Voorting s.t.
9. Wiom Van Est s.t.
10. Arrigo Padovan s.t.

GC after Stage 17a:

1. Charly Gaul

Stage 17b: Tuesday, June 4, Como Circuit, 40 km

1. Rik Van Steenbergen: 51min 16sec
2. Miguel Poblet s.t.
3. Gino Guerrini s.t.
4. Benito Romagnoli s.t.
5. Piet Donker s.t.
6. Cleto Maule s.t.
7. Ercole Baldini s.t.
8. Gerrit Voorting s.t.
9. Armando Pellegrini s.t.
10. Vito Favero s.t.

GC after stage 17b:

1. Charly Gaul: 80hr 26min 2sec
2. Gastone Nencini @ 56sec
3. Louison Bobet @ 1min 17sec
4. Ercole Baldini @ 6min 37sec
5. Pasquale Fornara @ 8min 29sec
6. Raphaël Géminiani @ 8min 37sec
7. Nello Fabbri @ 10min 36sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 10min 57sec
9. Nino Defilippis @ 12min 14sec
10. Guido Boni @ 13min 34sec

Stage 18: Thursday, June 6, Como - Monte Bondone, 242 km

Major ascent: Monte Bondone

1. Miguel Poblet: 6hr 15min 8sec
2. Ercole Baldini @ 1min 26sec
3. Louison Bobet s.t.
4. Gastone Nencini @ 1min 28sec
5. Lino Grassi @ 1min 30sec
6. Giancarlo Astrua @ 2min 42sec
7. Aldo Moser @ 2min 52sec
8. Pasquale Fornara @ 3min 6sec
9. Alfredo Sabbadin @ 3min 20sec
10. Giuseppe Fallarini @ 3min 32sec
11. Nino Defilippis @ 3min 44sec
12. Wout Wagtmans @ 3min 54sec
13. Wim Van Est @ 4min 37sec
14. Nello Fabbri @ 4min 39sec
15. Pietro Giudici @ 4min 53sec
30. Charly Gaul @ 10min 2sec

GC after stage 18:

1. Gastone Nencini: 86hr 43min 34sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 19sec
3. Ercole Baldini @ 5min 59sec
4. Charly Gaul @ 7min 38sec
5. Pasquale Fornara @ 8min 44sec
6. Miguel Poblet @ 11min 38sec
7. Nello Fabbri @ 12min 51sec
8. Nino Defilippis @ 13min 36sec
9. Wout Wagtmans @ 16min 21sec
10. Raphaël Géminiani @ 17min 30sec
    

Stage 19: Friday, June 7, Trento - Levico Terme, 199 km

Major ascents: San Lugano, Rolle, Brocon

1. Charly Gaul: 6hr 13min 52sec
2. Raphaël Géminiani @ 5sec
3. Louison Bobet @ 7sec
4. Ercole Baldini s.t.
5. Gastone Nencini s.t.
6. Raymond Impanis @ 9sec
7. Marcel Janssens @ 7min 19sec
8. Aldo Moser @ 8min 18sec
9. Miguel Poblet s.t.
10. Antonin Rolland s.t.

GC after stage 19:

1. Gastone Nencini: 92hr 57min 33sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 19sec
3. Ercole Baldini @ 5min 59sec
4. Charly Gaul @ 7min 31sec
5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 17min 28sec
6. Miguel Poblet @ 19min 49sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 21min 6sec
8. Pasquale Fornara @ 24min 16sec
9. Wout Wagtmans @ 24min 39sec
10. Antonin Rolland @ 27min 29sec

Stage 20: Saturday, June 8, Levico Terme - Abano Terme, 157 km

1. Rik Van Steenbergen: 4hr 22min 45sec
2. Arrigo Padovan s.t.
3. Edgard Sorgeloos s.t.
4. Bruno Monti s.t.
5. Cleto Maule s.t.
6. Alessandro Fantini s.t.
7. Aurelio Cestari s.t.
8. Marcel Janssens s.t.
9. Gianni Ferlenghi @ 6min 8sec
10. Giuseppe Fallarini @ 12min 15sec

GC after Stage 20:

1. Gastone Nencini: 97hr 28min 33sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 19sec
3. Ercole Baldini @ 5min 59sec
4. Charly Gaul @ 7min 31sec
5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 17min 28sec
6. Miguel Poblet @ 19min 49sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 21min 6sec
8. Pasquale Fornara @ 24min 16sec
9. Wout Wagtmans @ 24min 39sec
10. Antonin Rolland @ 27min 29sec

21st and Final Stage: Sunday, June 9, Abano Terme - Milano, 257 km

1. Rik Van Steenbergen: 7hr 16min 33sec
2. Miguel Poblet s.t.
3. Cleto Maule s.t.
4. Wim Van Est s.t.
5. Armando Pellegrini s.t.
6. Rino Bagnara s.t.
7. Bruno Monti s.t.
8. Aurelio Cestari s.t.
9. André Vlaeyen s.t.
10. Giorgio Albani s.t.

1957 Giro d'Italia final complete General Classification

The Story of the 1957 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 or electronic. The Amazon link here will make either purchase easy.

Coppi broke his femur during a circuit race in Sassari, Sardinia in the beginning of March, destroying much of his season and of course, making a Giro start impossible.

Charly Gaul (if you want to impress your friends with your continental sophistication, pronounce his name “gowl”) announced his intention to win two consecutive Giri. Besides a high-quality field of capable Italians that included Defilippis, Nencini, Fornara and Melbourne Olympic Road Champion Ercole Baldini, there was Louison Bobet. Bobet, France’s first great postwar rider, had done what no other racer had yet accomplished: win three consecutive Tours de France in 1953, ’54, and ’55. Along the way Bobet also bagged a World Road Championship, Paris–Roubaix, Tour of Flanders, Tour of Lombardy and Milan–San Remo. In short, Bobet was one of the greatest riders the sport had ever seen, having won the most important races in an era bubbling with talent. But his attempts to win the Giro hadn’t paid off (seventh in 1951, abandoned in 1953). In 1957, he led a French squad that included Géminiani, Antonin Rolland and his own brother Jean.

For our story it is important to understand that Gaul detested Bobet and Bobet returned the feeling. Bobet wanted to be considered a refined and elegant person, which often made him the brunt of the other riders’ jokes. But Gaul, with a blunt and difficult personality, hated Bobet and his upward social aspirations. This hatred, which simmered just shy of pathological until this 1957 Giro, will fuel the drama of several important races over the years but has to be considered the crucial factor in the 1957 Giro.

The first stage, going east to Verona, was first of all a sprinter’s slugfest between van Steenbergen and Poblet, with the Belgian getting the stage and the first lead. But it was also indicative of Bobet’s intelligent riding. Of the Classification contenders, only he and Ercole Baldini were in the front group. Gaul, Géminiani, Nencini and the rest let two precious minutes slip away.
The next day’s 30-kilometer timed hill climb up to Bosco Chiesanuova, due north of Verona, had Gaul written all over it and the Luxembourger performed as expected. He won it with Géminiani a full minute slower and Defilippis and Bobet about fifteen seconds still further back.

Scheduling a time trial during the early stages makes the contenders show their ambitions and abilities early. The General Classification was already a roster of champions.
1. Louison Bobet
2. Miguel Poblet @ 27 seconds
3. Charly Gaul @ 37 seconds
4. Pasquale Fornara @ 42 seconds
5. Nello Fabbri @ 58 seconds
6. Raphaël Géminiani @ 1 minute 34 seconds

Surprising most observers, Bobet said he would defend his lead, even though this would surely be an exhausting ordeal. Bobet decided to try to keep the maglia rosa because he had so much confidence in his team.

The next notable change to the standings occurred when Defilippis and Nencini got into the winning break in stage four. Defilippis was now second to Bobet at 8 seconds with Nencini sixth at 52 seconds. Bobet and his French boys should have been paying attention and kept that break from gaining time. But perhaps Bobet was doing the best he could. By the end of stage five he was already getting ragged. Brother Jean said he was “at the end of his tether”.

Nino Defilippis in pink

While getting his post-race massage Bobet announced to the press that he would not contest the Tour de France that July. The 1957 Giro was turning into such a ferocious race Bobet knew he wouldn’t be able to recover in time to mount a credible attempt to win a record-setting fourth Tour. He upset the Tour organization and French team manager Marcel Bidot by not letting them know about his decision ahead of the public announcement. His domestiques were also unhappy, thinking about their potential loss of Tour income. It was a hasty move made during a moment of physical and mental distress which Bobet later regretted. This does underline, however, how difficult this Giro was turning out to be.

His announcement changed cycling history. Bidot, the man charged with selecting the French team for the Tour, could not invite both Jacques Anquetil and Louison Bobet to ride on the same team. That would yield a divided squad that could turn on itself. Bobet’s desire to relinquish his nearly assured place on the team left the door open for Anquetil, who it turned out, was not originally going to be on the team. That July Anquetil went on to win the first of his five Tour victories.

Stage eight was a mountainous 250-kilometer route to Naples, a perfect setting for a break of Vito Favero, Defilippis and Michele Gismondi, a rider who usually devoted himself to being Coppi’s gregario. The trio pulled into Naples 21 seconds ahead of the pack, just enough time to make Defilippis the new leader with Bobet second at 13 seconds.

Defilippis sported his Pink Jersey for several days, but with the arrival of the race in Tuscany, he had to defend his lead in a 59-kilometer time trial that went from Montecatini to Forte dei Marmi on the Ligurian coast. Ercole Baldini beat Cleto Maule by 8 seconds to take the stage win while Nencini was 75 seconds slower, and Bobet lost nearly two minutes. But the effect was to put Bobet back in the lead of a tight race. So far, because the Italians and French were hammering away at each other, Gaul had been able to sit in and ride without wasting any energy.
1. Louison Bobet
2. Ercole Baldini @ 2 seconds
3. Gastone Nencini @ 15 seconds
4. Nino Defilippis @ 27 seconds
5. Charly Gaul @ 55 seconds

Stage fifteen was to be the first day in the high Alps, but the day before, a break of nineteen riders was allowed to get loose. The best-placed of them was Antonin Rolland, one of Bobet’s most trusted domestiques, who had been almost five minutes behind Bobet. The break finished in St. Vincent 4 minutes 55 seconds ahead of the main pack. Rolland would get to wear the maglia rosa the next day over the Gran San Bernardo pass and into Sion, Switzerland.
Stage fifteen was indeed selective. Gaul was first over the San Bernardo but it was Bobet who led Nencini and Gaul across the finish line in Sion. Géminiani was a half-minute behind, and a chase group with Baldini and Fornara followed in five minutes later. The rest of the field, including Rolland, needed at least ten more minutes to finish the stage. Bobet was again in pink with Nencini second at 15 seconds and Gaul third, 38 seconds further back.

Ercole Baldini, Charly Gaul and Gastone Nencini

But the next day, as the Giro returned to Italy via two serious climbs, the Sempione (Simplon in French) and the hilltop finish at Campo dei Fiori, Gaul took a minute out of Nencini and two from Bobet. It was a cold, wet day and as the riders came closer to the Campo dei Fiori climb, Jean Bobet noticed that Gaul, who thrived in this sort of miserable weather, was looking “twitchy”, ready to make a move. And move he did, nearly sprinting up the steep hill. Charly Gaul, now in pink, seemed to be on his way to a second successive Giro win. The tifosi were so flagrant and obvious about the pushing they gave Nencini (and pulling on the saddles and jerseys of the French riders) on that climb that the judges had to adjust the times for Nencini and Bobet. Second-place Nencini was assigned a time of 56 seconds behind Gaul; Bobet was scored third, down 1 minute 17 seconds.

Stages eighteen and nineteen were in the Dolomites. Perhaps even better, stage eighteen went over Monte Bondone, where Gaul had crushed everyone a year earlier. Gaul himself could not have picked out more favorable ground to defend his lead and his 1956 Giro championship.

At the start of stage eighteen, going from Como to Trent, Charly Gaul still held a narrow lead. He was so confident at this point that he told the press that the race was sewn up. Giving the other champions’ tails a good twist, he said that on Monte Bondone he would decide how far behind he would leave the other riders.

Before stage eighteen the General Classification stood thus:
1. Charly Gaul
2. Gastone Nencini @ 56 seconds
3. Louison Bobet @ 1 minute 17 seconds
4. Ercole Baldini @ 6 minutes 37 seconds
5. Pasquale Fornara @ 8 minutes 29 seconds

The 242-kilometer stage was flattish with the hard ascent over the Bondone coming towards the end. After about a third of the day’s distance had been covered, Bobet decided he needed to answer the call of nature. The rest of the French riders joined him in seeking relief.

Nencini, also thinking this would be a good time to have a “natural break”, signaled to his Chlorodont teammates that they should also dismount. Gaul, who had passed the stopped riders, continued on for a couple more kilometers before he and Ernzer also climbed off their bikes to relieve themselves.
Bobet and Nencini finished their business and got back on the road, riding past the still busy Gaul. The reader, remembering that blunt and brusque Gaul detested Bobet, will not be surprised by what happened next. When Bobet rode by, in Géminiani’s words, “Gaul made an indecent gesture with his organ of virility.”

That did it. Normally race etiquette allows a racer to urinate safely without worrying about being attacked. But this insult after Gaul’s other public strutting was too much. Bobet, furious, yelled to Géminiani to drop the hammer. Nencini and his men (and others, including Baldini and Poblet) understood that this was a moment to be seized and jumped in to help the French (and themselves) distance themselves from Gaul. Knowing that the race had now been put back in play, they rode the next 90 kilometers at 45 kilometers per hour!
Gaul could not close the gap as the Italians and French roared over the Bondone and into Trent. Here’s where his contempt for his teammates and bad relations with the rest of the peloton cost him dearly. He was largely on his own and even though he was an effective time-trialist, this was a chase beyond any single man. At the end of the day Nencini was in pink, close to eight minutes ahead of Gaul with Bobet in second, a slim 19 seconds behind the Italian.

Stage nineteen would settle this close Giro with its three major climbs, the San Lugano, the Rolle and the Brocon. When Bobet had scorched the Bondone the day before, he had put Nencini on the ropes. With lots of climbing on the day’s menu, the three-time Tour winner felt he could take the needed time out of Nencini.

Bobet and Géminiani had executed tactical set pieces of surpassing effectiveness in past races. This day the French team warmed up thoroughly before the start. At the gun they took off. The French pace was so fast that by the time they crested the first mountain, the San Lugano, the lead group was down to six riders, including our protagonists. They stayed together until the descent of the Rolle where Nencini flatted. The others drove on. Almost all the others, that is. Waiting for Nencini was Gaul. If he couldn’t have the Pink Jersey, he was damn sure Bobet wasn’t going to have it either! And Gaul was from Luxembourg, he was not French. There were no national ties binding Gaul to a good French outcome.

In the Bobet group was Baldini, normally a wonderfully powerful ally in such a break. But he would not work to help Bobet gain time over Nencini, knowing that the Italian fans would crucify him if he helped the Frenchman drop an Italian in the maglia rosa.

Bobet and Géminiani raced up the final hill, the Brocon, with all the speed and power they could muster. “Gem”, unable to maintain the fiendish pace Bobet set finally had to let him go on alone.

When Bobet looked back down the hill, he saw a horrifying sight. Gaul, with Nencini on his wheel, was slowly closing the gap. Finally they were together with Gaul winning the stage and Nencini preserving his lead. With that, the Giro was effectively over.

Because he lost the Giro in a moment of angry indiscretion, Gaul earned the nickname Chéri Pipi, or colloquially, “Costly Pee”. Gaul’s original nickname was “The Angel of the Mountains”, given to him at the beginning of his pro career because of his youthful looks and easy climbing style, but he never liked the name. He thought of himself as a warrior and said he would have preferred a nickname more like Bahamontes’ “The Eagle of Toledo”.

Gaul took the entire episode badly and raged at Bobet, “I will get my revenge. I will kill you. Remember I was a butcher [Gaul’s profession before turning pro]. I know how to use a knife.”

Gastone Nencini wins the 1957 Giro d'Italia

Final 1957 Giro d’Italia General Classification:
1. Gastone Nencini (Chlorodont) 104 hours 45 minutes 6 seconds
2. Louison Bobet (France-Bustese) @ 19 seconds
3. Ercole Baldini (Legnano) @ 5 minutes 59 seconds
4. Charly Gaul (Faema) @ 7 minutes 31 seconds
5. Raphael Géminiani (France-Bustese) @ 17 minutes 28 seconds

Climbers’ Competition:
1. Raphaël Géminiani (France-Bustese): 56 points
2. Charly Gaul (Faema): 38
3. Louison Bobet (France-Bustese): 36

That this was an extraordinarily difficult Giro can be seen by the race’s average speed: 37.49 kilometers per hour. This was three faster than 1956 and a speed that would not be exceeded for 26 years. Giro historian Sandro Picchi noted the irony that the man who accomplished this, Giuseppe Saronni, was born in 1957.

There was another battle going on in the 1957 Giro, one for stage wins. Poblet and van Steenbergen each won four, with the Belgian winning both the first stage and the final one ending in Milan. One has to give extra credit to Poblet for his excellent sixth-place performance in the General Classification during a brutal, highly competitive race. Van Steenbergen, who finished 33rd, would go on to win a second consecutive World Road Championship that fall.

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Video of the 1957 Giro, the race passes through Coccaglio

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