1965 Giro d'Italia

48th edition: May 15 - June 6

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

1964 Giro | 1966 Giro | Giro d'Italia Database | 1965 Giro Quick Facts | 1965 Giro d'Italia Final GC | Stage results with running GC | The Story of the 1965 Giro d'Italia | Video |

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1965 Giro Quick Facts:

4,151 km raced at an average speed of 34.27 km/hr

100 starters and 81 classified finishers.

Vittorio Adorni had been improving steadily over the previous several years and in 1965, reached the full maturity of his powers.

He took the lead in stage six, being first over the day's two major climbs. He lost the lead to Bruno Mealli in stage eight because of a successful break that finished almost 15 minutes ahead of the contenders.

Adorni retook the lead in the Sicilian time trial and continually increased his gap over the following stages. His 11 minute, 26 second margin is the largest since Coppi’s 1949 victory of 23 minutes 47 seconds over Bartali.

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1965 Giro d'Italia Complete Final General Classification:

1. Vittorio Adorni (Salvarani): 121hr 8min 16sec
2. Italo Zilioli (Sanson) @ 11min 26sec
3. Felice Gimondi (Salvarani) @ 12min 49sec
4. Marcello Mugnaini (Maino) @ 14min 43sec
5. Franco Balmamion (Sanson) @ 15min 9sec
6. Vito Taccone (Salvarani) @ 15min 33sec
7. Franco Bitossi (Filotex) @ 15min 35sec
8. Roberto Poggiali (Ignis) @ 19min 22sec
9. Imerio Massignan (Ignis) @ 19min 30sec
10. Guido De Rosso (Molteni) @ 21min 3sec
11. Renzo Fontona (Ignis) @ 21min 10sec
12. Michele Dancelli (Molteni) @ 21min 58sec
13. Silvano Schiavon (Legnano) @ 26min 4sec
14. Albano Negro (Bianchi) @ 27min 53sec
15. Frans Brands (Flandria) @ 32min 9sec
16. Graziano Battistini (Vittadello) @ 32min 50sec
17. Bruno Mealli (Bianchi) @ 33min 59sec
18. Giancarlo Ferretti (Legnano) @ 39min 43sec
19. Arnaldo Pambianco (Salvarani) @ 40min 51sec
20. René Binggeli (Molteni) @ 40min 53sec
21. Luciano Galbo (Sanson) @ 45min 50sec
22. Aldo Moser (Maino) @ 54mn 3sec
23. Ugo Colombo (Filotex) @ 58min 43sec
24. Luciano Sambi (Legnano) @ 58min 52sec
25. Alfredo Sabbadin (Vittadello) @ 1hr 18min 1sec
26. Franco Cribori (Ignis) @ 1hr 19min 13sec
27. Enzo Moser (Maino) @ 1hr 25min 7sec
28. Silvio Boni (Legnano) @ 1hr 27min 15sec
29. Dino Zandegù (Bianchi) @ 1hr 29min 21sec
30. Angelo Ottaviani (Vittadello) @ 1hr 30min 45sec
31. Danilo Ferrari (Vittadello) @ 1hr 34min 27sec
32. Flaviano Vicentini (Ignis) @ 1hr 35min 6sec
33. Egidio Cornale (Legnano) @ 1hr 35min 16sec
34. Pietro Scandelli (Molteni) @ 1hr 35min 59sec
35. Luciano Armani (Bianchi) @ 1hr 36min 41sec
36. Guido Carlesi (Filotex) @ 1hr 37min 19sec
37. Carlo Chiappano (Sanson) @ 1hr 42min 13sec
38. Franco Bordrero (Legnano) @ 1hr 52min 6sec
39. Giuseppe Sartore (Sanson) @ 2hr 2min 14sec
40. Georges Vandenberghe (Flandria) @ 2hr 3min 1sec
41. Giancarlo Gentina (Sanson) @ 2hr 4min 34sec
42. Yvo Molenaers (Flandria) @ 2hr 6min 19sec
43. Vendramino Bariviera (Sanson) @ 2hr 6min 39sec
44. Paolo Manucci (Filotex) @ 2hr 6min 56sec
45. Gilberto Vendemiati (Salvarani) @ 2hr 7min 54sec
46. Antonio Bailetti (Sanson) @ 2hr 11min 13sec
47. Vittorio Chiarini (Filotex) @ 2hr 16min 36sec
48. Battista Babini (Salvarani) @ 2hr 20mn 15sec
49. Jean-Baptiste Claes (Flandria) @ 2hr 20min 24sec
50. Carlo Brugnami (Molteni) @ 2hr 21min 33sec
51. Giacomo Fornoni (Molteni) @ 2hr 22min 18sec
52. Lorenzo Carminati (Vittadello) @ 2hr 22min 29sec
53. Severino Andreoli (Vittadello) @ 2hr 26min 44sec
54. Lionel van Damme (Flandria) @ 2hr 31min 28sec
55. Tommaso De Pra (Molteni) @ 2hr 31min 35sec
56. Renzo Baldan (Vittadello) @ 2hr 31min 52sec
57. Angelo Bugini (Legnano) @ 2hr 32min 3sec
58. Marino Fontana (Maino) @ 2hr 32min 54sec
59. Pasquale Fabbri (Ignis) @ 2hr 36min 48sec
60. Pier-Giacomo Arrigoni (Legnano) @ 2hr 41min 0sec
61. Vittorio Cassati (Sanson) @ 2hr 42min 5sec
62. Pietro Partesotti (Salvarani) @ 2hr 43min 55sec
63. Italo Mazzacurati (Salvarani) @ 2hr 48min 45sec
64. Guido Neri (Molteni) @ 2hr 49min 38sec
65. Adriano Durante (Ignis) @ 2hr 50min 43sec
66. Raffaele Marcoli (Maino) @ 2hr 51min 14sec
67. Mario Zanin (Maino) @ 3hr 0min 2sec
68. Roman van Wynsberghe (Flandria) @ 3hr 0min 44sec
69. Aldo Pifferi (Vittadello) @ 3hr 10min 52sec
70. Loris Guarnieri (Sanson) @ 3hr 11min 19sec
71. Lorenzo Lorenzi (Maino) @ 3hr 11min 25sec
72. Pierino Baffi (Bianchi) @ 3hr 18min 48sec
73. Marino Vigna (Ignis) @ 3hr 23min 15sec
74. Domenico Meldolesi (Maino) @ 3hr 23min 51sec
75. Giuseppe Daglia (Legnano) @ 3hr 25min 28sec
76. Roberto Nenecioli (Bianchi) @ 3hr 27min 2sec
77. Gianpiero Macchi (Ignis) @ 3hr 29min 55sec
78. Mario Zanchi (Filotex) @ 3hr 31min 10sec
79. Danilo Grassi (Maino) @ 3hr 31min 26sec
80. Alessandro Rimessi (Filotex) @ 3hr 52min 10sec
81. Alberto Poletti (Salvarani) @ 4hr 16min 24sec

Climbers' Competition:

1. Franco Bitossi (Filotex): 250 points
2. Vito Taccone (Salvarani): 160
3. Vittorio Adorni (Salvarani): 140
4. Italo Zilioli (Sanson): 110
5. Michele Dancelli (Molteni), Marcello Mugnaini (Maino): 90

Winning Team: Salvarani

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1965 Giro stage results with running GC:

Saturday, May 15: Stage 1, San Marino - Perugia, 198 km

Major ascent: Perugia

1. Michele Dancelli: 5hr 43min 35sec
2. Adriano Durante s.t.
3. Italo Zilioli s.t.
4. Bruno Mealli s.t.
5. Felice Gimondi s.t.
6. Giancarlo Ferretti s.t.
7. Luciano Galbo @ 4sec
8. Roberto Poggiali @ 8sec
9. Ugo Colombo s.t.
10. Vito Taccone @ 11sec

Sunday, May 16: Stage 2, Perugia - L'Aquila, 180 km

Major ascent: L'Aquila

1. Guido Carlesi: 4hr 54min 25sec
2. Arnaldo Pambianco s.t.
3. Jean-Baptiste Claes s.t.
4. Albano Negro s.t.
5. Aldo Moser s.t.
6. Carlo Chiappano s.t.
7. Luciano Galbo s.t.
8. Severino Andreoli @ 2min 51sec
9. Franco Bitossi and 64 other riders @ 4min 6sec

GC after Stage 2:

1. Carlo Chiappano: 10hr 30min 0sec
2. Luciano Galbo @ 4sec
3. Guido Carlesi, Arnaldo Pambianco, Jean-Baptiste Claes, Albano Negro, Aldo Moser @ 19sec
8. Michele Dancelli, Adriano Durante, Bruno Mealli @ 4min 6sec

Monday, May 17: Stage 3, L'Aquila - Rocca di Cambio, 199 km

Major ascents: Caruso, Tornimparte, Rocca di Cambio

1. Luciano Galbo: 6hr 23min 2sec
2. Italo Zilioli @ 5sec
3. Franco Bitossi @ 7sec
4. Michele Dancelli @ 9sec
5. Imerio Massignan s.t.
6. Roberto Poggiali s.t.
7. Felice Gimondi s.t.
8. Franco Balmamion s.t.
9. Adriano Passuello
10. Egidio Cornale s.t.

GC after Stage 3:

1. Luciano Galbo: 17hr 1min 6sec
2. Aldo Moser @ 24sec
3. Albano Negro @ 37sec
4. Arnaldo Pambianco @ 3min 31sec
5. Italo Zilioli @ 4min 7sec
6. Michele Dancelli, Felice Gimondi @ 4min 11sec
8. Roberto Poggiali @ 4min 17sec
9. Vito Taccone @ 4min 22sec
10. Franco Bitossi @ 4min 28sec

Tuesday, May 18: Stage 4, Rocca di Cambio - Benevento, 239 km

Major ascents: Diavolo, Macerone

1. Adriano Durante: 6hr 59min 47sec
2. Michele Dancelli s.t.
3. Severino Andreoli @ 1sec
4. Dino Zandegù s.t.
5. Renzo Baldan s.t.
6. Franz Brands @ 3sec
7. Albano Negro @ 6sec
8. Franco Bitossi @ 51sec
9. Giuseppe Fezzardi and 36 other riders @ 53sec

GC after Stage 4:

1. Albano Negro: 24hr 1min 36sec
2. Luciano Galbo @ 10sec
3. Aldo Moser @ 34sec
4. Michele Dancelli @ 3min 26sec
5. Arnaldo Pambianco @ 3min 41sec
6. Italo Zilioli @ 4min 17sec
7. Felice Gimondi @ 4min 21sec
8. Roberto Poggiali @ 4min 27sec
9. Franco Bitossi @ 4min 36sec
10. Imerio Massignan @ 4min 40sec

Wednesday, May 19: Stage 5, Benevento - Avellino, 195 km

Major ascent: La Toppa

1. Michele Dancelli: 5hr 34min 46sec
2. Arnaldo Pambianco s.t.
3. Alfredo Sabbadin s.t.
4. Roberto Poggiali s.t.
5. Felice Gimondi @ 25sec
6. Marcello Mugnaini s.t.
7. René Binggeli s.t.
8. Vittorio Adorni s.t.
9. Guido De Rosso s.t.
10. Imerio Massignan s.t.

GC after Stage 5:

1. Albano Negro: 29hr 36min 47sec
2. Luciano Galbo @ 10sec
3. Michele Dancelli @ 3min 3sec
4. Arnaldo Pambianco @ 3min 16sec
5. Roberto Poggiali @ 4min 2sec
6. Italo Zilioli @ 4min 17sec
7. Felice Gimondi @ 4min 21sec
8. Franco Balmamion, Adriano Passuello, Marcello Mugnaini @ 4min 40sec

Thursday, May 20: Stage 6, Avellino - Potenza, 161 km

Major ascents: Pietrastretta, Potenza

1. Vittorio Adorni: 4hr 52min 54sec
2. Franco Bitossi @ 2min 48sec
3. Marcello Mugnaini @ 2min 54sec
4. René Binggeli @ 4min 16sec
5. Vito Taccone s.t.
6. Felice Gimondi s.t.
7. Graziano Battistini @ 4min 21sec
8. Lionel van Damme @ 4min 22sec
9. Imerio Massignan s.t.
10. Silvano Schiavon s.t.

GC after Stage 6:

1. Vittorio Adorni: 34hr 34min 21sec
2. Luciano Galbo @ 1min 22sec
3. Albano Negro @ 2min 32sec
4. Marcello Mugnaini @ 2min 54sec
5. Franco Bitossi @ 3min 2sec
6. Roberto Poggiali @ 3min 44sec
7. Italo Zilioli, Felice Gimondi @ 3min 59sec
9. Michele Dancelli @ 4min 0sec
10. Franco Balmamion @ 4min 22sec

Friday, May 21: Stage 7, Potenza - Maratea, 164 km

1. Luciano Armani: 4hr 42min 37sec
2. Vito Taccone s.t.
3. Antonio Bailetti @ 43sec
4. Guido Neri s.t.
5. Graziano Battistini s.t.
6. Guido Carlesi s.t.
7. Giampiero Macchi s.t.
8. Basttista Babini s.t.
9. Tomasso De Prà s.t.
10. Angelo Ottaviani @ 48sec

GC after Stage 7:

1. Vittorio Adorni: 39hr 27min 8sec
2. Luciano Galbo @ 1min 22sec
3. Albano Negro @ 2min 32sec
4. Marcello Mugnaini @ 2min 54sec
5. Franco Bitossi @ 3min 2sec
6. Roberto Poggiali @ 3min 44sec
7. Italo Zilioli, Felice Gimondi @ 3min 59sec
9. Michele Dancelli @ 4min 0sec
10. Franco Balmamion @ 4min 22sec

Saturday, May 22: Stage 8, Maratea - Catanzaro, 203 km

1. Frans Brands: 5hr 2min 18sec
2. Pietro Scandelli @ 3sec
3. Severino Andreoli @ 42sec
4. Flaviano Vicentini s.t.
5. Domenico Meldolesi @ 44sec
6. Franco Cribiori s.t.
7. Jean-Baptiste Claes @ 45sec
8. Bruno Mealli s.t.
9. Danilo Ferrari s.t.
10. Giuseppe Fezzardi s.t.

GC after Stage 8:

1. Bruno Mealli: 44hr 43min 27sec
2. Vittorio Adorni @ 36sec
3. Luciano Galbo @ 1min 58sec
4. Albano Negro @ 3min 8sec
5. Marcello Mugnaini @ 3min 30sec
6. Franco Bitossi @ 3min 38sec
7. Roberto Poggiali @ 4min 20sec
8. Italo Zilioli, Felice Gimondi @ 4min 35sec
10. Michele Dancelli @ 4min 36sec

Sunday, May 23: Stage 9, Catanzaro - Reggio Calabria, 161 km

Major ascent: Sant'Elia

1. Adriano Durante: 4hr 33min 23sec
2. Domenico Meldolesi s.t.
3. Michele Dancelli s.t.
4. Dino Zandegù s.t.
5. Frans Brands s.t.
6. Luciano Sambi s.t.
7. Carlo Brugnami s.t.
8. Graziano Battistini s.t.
9. Albano Negro s.t.
10. Adriano Passuello s.t.

GC after Stage 9:

1. Bruno Mealli: 49hr 16min 50sec
2. Vittorio Adorni @ 36sec
3. Luciano Galbo @ 1min 58sec
4. Albano Negro @ 3min 8sec
5. Marcello Mugnaini @ 3min 30sec
6. Franco Bitossi @ 3min 38sec
7. Roberto Poggiali @ 4min 20sec
8. Italo Zilioli, Felice Gimondi @ 4min 35sec
10. Michele Dancelli @ 4min 36sec

Monday, May 24: Stage 10, Messina - Palermo, 258 km

1. Domenico Meldolesi: 7hr 26min 2sec
2. Dino Zandegù s.t.
3. Georges Vandenberghe s.t.
4. Vito Taccone s.t.
5. Antonio Bailetti s.t.
6. Mario Maino s.t.
7. Aldo Moser s.t.
8. Giuseppe Daglia @ 43sec
9. Flaviano Vicentini s.t.
10. Giancarlo Ferretti s.t.

GC after Stage 10:

1. Bruno Mealli: 56hr 43min 54sec
2. Vittorio Adorni @ 36sec
3. Luciano Galbo @ 2min 59sec
4. Albano Negro @ 3min 8sec
5. Marcello Mugnaini @ 3min 30sec
6. Roberto Poggiali @ 4min 20sec
7. Italo Zilioli, Felice Gimondi @ 4min 35sec
9. Michele Dancelli @ 4min 36sec
10. Franco Bitossi @ 4min 39sec

Tuesday, May 25: Stage 11, Palermo - Agrigento, 146 km

1. Guido Carlesi: 4hr 20min 40sec
2. Vito Taccone s.t.
3. Carlo Brugnami s.t.
4. Mario Zanchi s.t.
5. Graziano Battistini s.t.
6. Luciano Sambi s.t.
7. Jean-Baptiste Claes s.t.
8. Renzo Fontona s.t.
9. Danilo Ferrari s.t.
10. Vittorio Adorni @ 2min 42sec

GC after Stage 11:

1. Bruno Mealli: 61hr 7min 18sec
2. Vittorio Adorni @ 36sec
3. Luciano Galbo @ 2min 59sec
4. Albano Negro @ 3min 8sec
5. Marcello Mugnaini @ 3min 30sec
6. Roberto Poggiali @ 4min 20sec
7. Italo Zilioli, Felice Gimondi @ 4min 35sec
9. Michele Dancelli @ 4min 36sec
10. Franco Bitossi @ 4min 39sec

Wednesday, May 26: Stage 12: Agrigento - Siracusa, 230 km

1. Raffaele Marcoli: 6hr 58min 49sec
2. Domenico Meldolesi s.t.
3. Georges Vandenberghe s.t.
4. Dino Zandegù s.t.
5. Adriano durante s.t.
6. Vendramino Bariviera s.t.
7. Vittorio Adorni s.t.
8. Vito Taccone s.t.
9. Luciano Armani s.t.
10. Flaviano Vicentini s.t.

GC after Stage 12:

1. Bruno Mealli: 68hr 4min 5sec
2. Vittorio Adorni @ 36sec
3. Albano Negro @ 3min 8sec
4. Luciano Galbo @ 3min 39sec
5. Marcello Mugnaini, Roberto Poggiali @ 4min 10sec
7. Italo Zilioli, Felice Gimondi @ 4min 35sec
9. Michele Dancelli @ 4min 36sec
10. Franco Bitossi @ 4min 39sec

Thursday, May 27: Stage 13, Catania - Taormina 58 km individual time trial

Major ascent: Taormina

1. Vittorio Adorni: 1hr 13min 2sec
2. Felice Gimondi @ 1min 22sec
3. Guido De Rosso @ 2min 32sec
4. Franco Balmamion @ 2min 42sec
5. Vito Taccone @ 2min 49sec
6. Italo Zilioli @ 2min 51sec
7. Roberto Poggiali @ 3min 2sec
8. Michele Dancelli @ 3min 25sec
9. Bruno Mealli @ 3min 52sec
10. Pietro Scandelli @ 4min 2sec

GC after Stage 13

1. Vittorio Adorni: 69hr 17min 43sec
2. Bruno Mealli @ 3min 16sec
3. Felice Gimondi @ 5min 21sec
4. Roberto Poggiali @ 6min 46sec
5. Italo Zilioli @ 6min 50sec
6. Guido De Rosso @ 7min 10sec
7. Albano Negro @ 7min 12sec
8. Michele Dancelli @ 7min 25sec
9. Marcello Mugnaini @ 7min 53sec
10. Franco Balmamion @ 8min 5sec

Friday, May 28: Rest Day

Saturday, May 29: Stage 14, Milano - Novi Ligure, 100 km

1. Danilo Grassi: 2hr 28min 31sec
2. Dino Zandegù s.t.
3. Frans Brands s.t.
4. Giacomo Fornoni s.t.
5. Guido Carlesi s.t.
6. Lorenzo Lorenzi s.t.
7. Pietro Partesotti s.t.
8. Angelo Bugini s.t.
9. Yvo Molenaers s.t.
10. Michele Dancelli @ 39sec

GC after Stage 14:

1. Vittorio Adorni: 71hr 46min 53sec
2. Bruno Mealli @ 3min 16sec
3. Felice Gimondi @ 5min 21sec
4. Roberto Poggiali @ 6min 45sec
5. Italo Zilioli @ 6min 50sec
6. Guido De Rosso @ 7min 10sec
7. Albano Negro @ 7min 12sec
8. Michele Dancelli @ 7min 25sec
9. MArcello Mugnaini @ 7min 53sec
10. Franco Balmamion @ 8min 5sec

Sunday, May 30: Stage 15, Novi Ligure - Diano Marina, 223 km

Major ascent: Melogno

1. Bruno Mealli: 6hr 11min 19sec
2. Vito Taccone s.t.
3. Georges Vandenberghe s.t.
4. Michele Dancelli s.t.
5. Franco Cribori s.t.
6. Franco Bitossi s.t.
7. Marcello Mugnaini s.t.
8. Imerio Massignan s.t.
9. Vittorio Adorni s.t.
10. Felice Gimondi s.t.

GC after Stage 15:

1. Vittorio Adorni: 77hr 58min 12sec
2. Bruno Mealli @ 3min 16sec
3. Felice Gimondi @ 5min 21sec
4. Roberto Poggiali @ 6min 45sec
5. Italo Zilioli @ 6min 50sec
6. Guido De Rosso @ 7min 10sec
7. Albano Negro @ 7min 12sec
8. Michele Dancelli @ 7min 25sec
9. Marcello Mugnaini @ 7min 53sec
10. Franco Balmamion @ 8min 5sec

Monday, May 31: Stage 16, Diano Marina - Torino, 205 km

Major ascent: San Bartolomeo, Nava

1. Aldo Pifferi: 5hr 18min 25sec
2. Giacomo Fornoni s.t.
3. Lorenzo Lorenzi s.t.
4. Giuseppe Daglia s.t.
5. Antonio Bailetti s.t.
6. Marino Vigna s.t.
7. Marino Fontana s.t.
8. Frans Brands s.t.
9. Pierino Baffis.t.
10. Danilo Ferrari s.t.

GC after Stage 16:

1. Vittorio Adorni: 83hr 19min 31sec
2. Bruno Mealli @ 3min 16sec
3. Felice Gimondi @ 5min 21sec
4. Roberto Poggiali @ 6min 46sec
5. Italo Zilioli @ 6min 50sec
6. Guido De Rosso @ 7min 10sec
7. Albano Negro @ 7min 12sec
8. Michele Dancelli @ 7min 25sec
9. Marcello Mugnaini @ 7min 53sec
10. Franco Balmamion @ 8min 5sec

Tuesday, June 1: Stage 17, Torino - Biandronno, 163 km

1. Raffaele Marcoli: 4hr 24min 45sec
2. Adriano Durante s.t.
3. Michele Dancelli s.t.
4. Giuseppe Daglia s.t.
5. Domenico Meldolesi s.t.
6. Dino Zandegù s.t.
7. Marino Fontana s.t.
8. Georges Vandenberghe s.t.
9. Mario Zanchi s.t.
10. Aldo Pifferi s.t.

GC after Stage 17:

1. Vittorio Adorni: 87hr 44min 16sec
2. Bruno Mealli @ 3min 16sec
3. Felice Gimondi @ 5min 21sec
4. Roberto Poggiali @ 6min 46sec
5. Italo Zilioli @ 6min 50sec
6. Guido De Rosso @ 7min 10sec
7. Albano Negro @ 7min 12sec
8. Michele Dancelli @ 7min 25sec
9. Marcello Mugnanini @ 7min 53sec
10. Franco Balmamion @ 8min 5sec

Wednesday, June 2: Stage 18, Biandronno - Saas Fee, 178 km

Major ascents: Sampione, Saas Fee

1. Italo Zilioli: 5hr 46min 48min 7sec
2. Vittorio Adorni @ 16sec
3. Franco Bitossi s.t.
4. Marcello Mugniani s.t.
5. Franco Balmamion @ 24sec
6. Graziano Battistini @ 43sec
7. Angelo Ottaviani @ 51sec
8. Silvio Boni @ 2min 20sec
9. Michele Dancelli @ 2min 39sec
10. Felice Gimondi s.t.

GC after Stage 18:

1. Vittorio Adorni: 93hr 32min 39sec
2. Italo Zilioli @ 6min 34sec
3. Felice Gimondi @ 7min 44sec
4. Marcello Mugnaini @ 7min 53sec
5. Franco Balmamion @ 8min 13sec
6. Roberto Poggiali @ 9min 9sec
7. Guido De Rosso @ 9min 33sec
8. Michele Dancelli @ 9min 48sec
9. Albano Negro @ 10min 39sec
10. Franco Bitossi @ 10min 48sec

Thursday, June 3: Stage 19, Saas Fee - Madesimo, 282 km

Major ascent: Furka, St. Gothard, Petit St. Bernard, Spluga

1. Vittorio Adorni: 9hr 18min 15sec
2. Vito Taccone @ 3min 33sec
3. Franco Bitossi @ 4min 49sec
4. Giancarlo Ferretti @ 4min 50sec
5. Italo Zilioli @ 4min 52sec
6. Felice Gimondi @ 4min 53sec
7. Imerio Massignan @ 5min 1sec
8. Graziano Battistini @ 6min 26sec
9. Michele Dancelli @ 6min 34sec
10. Silvio Boni s.t.

GC after Stage 19:

1. Vittorio Adorni: 102hr 50min 54sec
2. Italo Zilioli @ 11min 26sec
3. Feice Gimondi @ 12min 37sec
4. Marcello Mugnaini @ 14min 30sec
5. Franco Balmamion @ 15min 9sec
6. Vito Taccone @ 15min 35sec
7. Franco Bitossi @ 15min 37sec
8. Michele Dancelli @ 16min 22sec
9. Guido De Rosso @ 16min 39sec
10. Roberto Poggiali @ 18min 28sec

Friday, June 4: Stage 20, Campodalcino - Passo Stelvio, 160 km

Major ascent: Passo Stelvio

1. Graziano Battistini: 5hr 30min 45sec
2. Ugo Colombo @ 10sec
3. Italo Zilioli @ 3min 11sec
4. Vittorio Adorni s.t.
5. Marcello Mugnaini s.t.
6. Frans Brands s.t.
7. Franco Balmamion s.t.
8. Franco Bitossi s.t.
9. Vito Taccone s.t.
10. Imerio Massignan s.t.

GC after Stage 20:

1. Vittorio Adorni: 108hr 24min 50sec
2. Italo Zilioli @ 11min 26sec
3. Felice Gimondi @ 12min 57sec
4. Marcello Mugnaini @ 14min 30sec
5. Franco Balmamion @ 15min 9sec
6. Vito Taccone @ 15min 35sec
7. Franco Bitossi @ 15min 37sec
8. Imerio Massignan @ 19min 30sec
9. Roberto Poggiali @ 20min 0sec
10. Guido De Rosso @ 21min 4sec

Saturday, June 5: Stage 21, Bormio - Brescia, 179 km

Major ascent: Brescia Maddalena

1. Franco Bitossi: 4hr 32min 6sec
2. Vito Taccone s.t.
3. Italo Zilioli @ 2sec
4. Franco Cribori s.t.
5. Georges Vandenberghe s.t.
6. Dino Zandegù s.t.
7. Raffaelee Marcoli s.t.
8. Lionel Van Damme s.t.
9. Frans Brands s.t.
10. Luciano Armani s.t.

GC after Stage 21:

1. Vittorio Adorni: 112 hr 56min 58sec
2. Italo Zilioli @ 11min 26sec
3. Felice Gimondi @ 12min 57sec
4. Marcello Mugnaini @ 14min 30sec
5. Franco Balmamion @ 15min 9sec
6. Vito Taccone @ 15min 33sec
7. Franco Bitossi @ 15min 35sec
8. Imerio Massignan @ 19min 30sec
9. Roberto Poggiali @ 20min 0sec
10. Guido De Rosso @ 21min 4sec

Sunday, June 6: 22nd and Final Stage, Brescia - Firenze, 295 km

1. René Bingelli: 8hr 10min 42sec
2. Frans Brands s.t.
3. Roberto Poggiali s.t.
4. Danilo Ferrari s.t.
5. Danilo Grassi s.t.
6. Paolo Mannucci s.t.
7. Yvo Molenaers s.t.
8. Michele Dancelli @ 38sec
9. Vendramino Bariviera s.t.
10. Bruno Mealli s.t.

Complete Final 1965 Giro d'Italia General Classification

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The Story of the 1965 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.

The 1965 edition represented a modest departure from previous Giro route designs. For the first time the race started in a foreign country, San Marino. It may be a little rock in the middle of Italy, but it is a sovereign republic with its own government and postage stamps. From there the race went south to Reggio Calabria, making sure there was plenty of climbing along the way, and then hopped across the Straits of Messina to Sicily for four stages. After the Sicilian adventure the riders flew to Milan. The route then traced a grand clockwise trip by heading south to the Italian Riviera and then up to the Alps before heading east to the Dolomites and on to a finish in Florence. It was a rugged 4,151 kilometers divided into 22 stages.

As it had through the early 1960s, the Giro was contested almost exclusively by Italians in 1965 with the Belgian Flandria team the only foreign entry. Former pro Celestino Vercelli explained that during this period the foreign teams bypassed the Giro, preferring to save their energy and their riders for the Tour de France.

Carpano left pro bike racing at the end of 1964. The Sanson ice cream company, which would be involved with cycling at the highest level for decades, hired Giacotto to run their team and Zilioli to be the team leader. Balmamion went back to Giacotto, recruited not to race for the win, but to be Zilioli’s top lieutenant.

Zilioli’s main competition would come from Vittorio Adorni whose Salvarani team was bristling with power. At the time no one knew exactly how much firepower Salvarani was packing. Pambianco and Taccone were known quantities but a neo-pro named Felice Gimondi, who had won the Tour de l’Avenir, the amateur version of the Tour de France, was also included in Adorni’s Giro squad. Adorni himself felt confident enough about his form to predict his own victory. Since he had just won the Tour of Romandie, it was no idle boast. And that neo-pro Gimondi? He came in fourth in Romandie, his first professional stage race, just 49 seconds behind Adorni. Gimondi was feeling so good that he felt stifled having to ride as a gregario for Adorni. He was young stallion, pawing at the ground, hot to get on with the business of winning races.

Motta had crashed badly in the Romandie race and couldn’t start the Giro.
During the early 1960s, Adorni showed steadily improving results. He was fifth in the 1962 Giro and second in 1963 (with two stage wins). In 1964 he again won two Giro stages and finished fourth. He also won the Tour of Sardinia and came in second in the Worlds. In 1965 he was second in Milan–San Remo after escaping with Balmamion. He might have won, but the two of them screwed around (Adorni tried to buy the race from Balmamion) dickering over who would win, allowing the powerful and speedy Dutchman Arie den Hartog to catch them, smashing the two sprintless wonders in the rush to the line. Bulls make money. Bears make money. Pigs go to the slaughterhouse.

Adorni was so upset with this failure and his second place in the 1964 World Road Championship to another Dutchman, Jan Janssen, that forever after he refused to let his wife plant tulips in their garden. Even after he had become friends with the two racers, tulips were still banned from the Adorni house.
Despite whatever tactical failure he may have committed in San Remo, Adorni was a powerful time-trialist and pursuiter at the peak of his powers. When alone on a break he deserved and got respect.

Michele Dancelli was another of the talented crop of riders who were born during the war and were just now coming to maturity. He won two of the first five stages. But it was Bianchi rider Albano Negro who was in pink in Avellino at the end of the fifth stage.

Michele Dancelli in pink after winning stage one into Perugia

Adorni lit out in stage six, riding away from the field on the Pietra Stretta, and he finished alone in the hilltop town of Potenza, three minutes ahead of his nearest chasers.

Vittorio Adorni is first over the Pietra Stretta

His reward for that fine exploit was the Pink Jersey.
1. Vittorio Adorni
2. Luciano Galbo @ 1 minute 22 seconds
3. Albano Negro @ 2 minutes 32 seconds
4. Marcello Mugnaini @ 2 minutes 54 seconds
5. Franco Bitossi @ 3 minutes 2 seconds

Two days later a fuga di bidone pulled into Catanzaro in the toe of Italy more than fourteen minutes ahead of the field, putting Bianchi rider Bruno Mealli in the lead with Adorni second at 36 seconds. Mealli wasn’t a particularly gifted stage racer, but he did win at least one important race each year during his career and the reader might remember that he had been at the center of the 1963 argument over who should be Italian National Champion.

Mealli remained in pink until Adorni had another chance to display his ability to race alone, this time the 58-kilometer individual time trial in Taormina, Sicily.

The stage results:
1. Vittorio Adorni
2. Felice Gimondi @ 1 minute 22 seconds
3. Guido de Rosso @ 2 minutes 32 seconds
4. Franco Balmamion @ 2 minutes 42 seconds
5. Vito Taccone @ 2 minutes 49 seconds
6. Italo Zilioli @ 2 minutes 52 seconds
9. Bruno Mealli @ 3 minutes 52 seconds

Putting Adorni firmly in command:
1. Vittorio Adorni
2. Bruno Mealli @ 3 minutes 16 seconds
3. Felice Gimondi @ 5 minutes 21 seconds
4. Roberto Poggiali @ 6 minutes 46 seconds
5. Italo Zilioli @ 6 minutes 50 seconds

The Giro transferred to Milan and spent several stages circling up to the Alps. In the eighteenth leg, the race left Biandronno, went over the Sempione pass and finished in the Swiss mountain village of Saas Fee. Zilioli led over the Sempione and soloed into Saas Fee, but Adorni wasn’t letting the slender Sanson rider get too far away. Only 16 seconds after Zilioli crossed the line, Adorni led in Bitossi and Mugnaini. While the Adorni group was forging ahead, Salvarani boss Luciano Pezzi told Gimondi to stay where he was, further back. The young rider was exploding with energy and when the race went into tunnels he would covertly improve his position. He maintained his third place in the standings but remains convinced that had he been allowed to ride the stage full gas, he would have been able to move up to second place in the Overall and keep it the rest of the race.

Felice Gimondi

There were two more stages that could upset the outcome. Stage nineteen was 282 kilometers that took in the Furka, St. Gothard, San Bernardino and Spluga passes. The following day finished at the top of the Stelvio.

Dancelli told the press that he was going to attack from the start of stage nineteen and that was just what he did. After being overtaken he went again on the San Bernardino but had to relent when he was slowed by hunger pangs. Adorni bided his time and on the Spluga pass, with about twenty kilometers to go, he flew away, arriving at Madésimo near the Swiss border 3 minutes 33 seconds ahead of Taccone and five minutes in front of Bitossi, Giancarlo Ferretti, Zilioli, Gimondi and Massignan. It was an absolutely stunning performance that put Adorni 11 minutes 26 seconds ahead of second-place Zilioli.

With such a large time cushion Adorni had the luxury of racing up the Stelvio defensively. Battistini and Ugo Colombo managed to put three minutes between themselves and the Adorni/Zilioli/Gimondi group, but it wasn’t simply a matter of riding their bikes to the top of the mountain. The racers had to make their way between steep walls of snow and ice that had been carved out by the snowplows as they made their way up the mountain. With just three hundred meters to go to the summit, they encountered a snow slide that blocked the road. The riders had to dismount and run with their bikes through the snow to the finish line. Stage winner Battistini was also the winner of a new prize called the Cima Coppi—named after the campionissimo—awarded to the first rider over the highest point of the Giro.

With just two stages left Adorni had sealed the deal. He had won the Giro by the largest margin since Coppi’s 1949 victory of 23 minutes 47 seconds over Bartali.

Celebrating Adorni’s victory, La Gazzetta’s headline read, “The Best Maglia Rosa Since Coppi.”

Vittorio Adorni

Final 1965 Giro d’Italia General Classification:
1. Vittorio Adorni (Salvarani) 121 hours 8 minutes 18 seconds
2. Italo Zilioli (Sanson) @ 11 minutes 26 seconds
3. Felice Gimondi (Salvarani) @ 12 minutes 57 seconds
4. Marcello Mugnaini (Maino) @ 14 minutes 32 seconds
5. Franco Balmamion (Sanson) @ 15 minutes 9 seconds

Climbers’ Competition:
1. Franco Bitossi (Filotex)
2. Vito Taccone (Salvarani)
3. Vittorio Adorni (Salvarani)

Again, the Italians thought that perhaps the good God had sent them another Coppi, but Adorni took a different approach to his craft. He would choose a few important races each year, winning at least one. He won the 1968 World Road Championship on his home turf at Imola as well as knocking off the Tour of Switzerland, Tour of Romandie, Tour of Belgium and the Italian Road Championship before he retired in 1970.

Earlier I wrote that young Gimondi was an unknown quantity. His third place was a surprise, but he had yet another wonderful trick up his sleeve. At the last minute one of the riders on Salvarani’s Tour de France squad took ill and Gimondi was the last-minute replacement. During the following three weeks he executed a seemingly effortless win over Raymond Poulidor, becoming one the Tour’s youngest-ever winners.

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Video of Stage one finishing in Perugia

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