Learco Guerra Photo Gallery
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Learco Guerra (born October 14, 1902), was one of the great riders of the 1930s, a golden age for professional bike riding.
A powerful rider, the Italian press (specifically Emilio Colombo, boss of La Gazzetta dello Sport) gave him a fitting nickname, "Locomotiva Humana", the Human Locomotive.
He turned pro in 1928, and his talent soon became apparent when he became Italian Champion in 1930, the first of four consecutive Italian championships. And then in 1931 he became world road race champion.
Though he has many race wins to his credit, the one that stands out is his 1934 Giro d'Italia win, where he won a staggering ten stages along the way.
In 1934 he had 23 professional wins, his best year. And, I believe that set a record that stood for decades. The current record holder is Freddy Maertens at 54 professional victories in a single year.
After retiring from racing, Guerra became a team manager, running teams that had such incredible riders as Hugo Koblet and Charly Gaul.
Suffering from Parkinson's Disease, Guerra died in Milano in 1963.
Major victories:
1929: Vignola-Modena
1930: Italian Road Championships; 2nd place Tour de France, winning 3 stages; 2 stages Giro d'Italia
1931: World Road Championships; Italian Road Championships; 3 stages Giro d'Italia
1932: 4th place Giro d'Italia, winning 6 stages; Italian Road Championships; Giro di Campania; Giro di Toscana
1933: Milano-San Remo, Italian Road Championships; 2nd place Tour de France, winning 4 stages; 3 stages Giro d'Italia
1934: 1st place Giro d'Italia, winning 10 stages; Giro del Piemonte; Italian Road Championships; Giro di Campania; Roma-Napoli-Roma; Giro di Lombardia
1935: 4th place Giro d'Italia, winning 5 stages; Giro della Romagna, Giro di Campania
1937: Stage 9 of the Giro d'Italia
Professional Teams:
1928-1935: Maino
1936-1939: Legnano
1940: Dei-Legnano
1941-1944: Dei
Nickname: The Human Locomotive (Locomotiva Umana)
Photos:
Guerra on a track bike wearing an Italian champion's jersey
Learco Guerra racing in 1931
Guerra in Copehagen in 1931
1932 Giro d'Italia, Guerra winning in Rome
Guerra fixing a flat in the early 1930s.
Guerra racing on the muddy roads of the early 1930s
Guerra looking a little cleaner in this shot...
Guerra in the early 1930s
1933 Giro, Guerra winning in Grossetto
This is from the Tour de France and I think this is 1933. Guerra leads the peloton.
I know this is from the 1933 Tour de France. Here Guerra is climbing the Allos.
Guerra looking dusty after stage in the 1933 Tour de France.
1934 Giro d'Italia: Guerra wins in Genoa
Signed portrait of Guerra
You can't tell in an old black-and-white photo, but here he is in 1934, in the Maglia Rosa, the Giro leader's pink jersey.
Learco Guerra racing in 1935
Guerra (in tricolor jersey on left) at the 1935 Giro d'Italia with winner (in pink, on right) Vasco Bergamaschi
Guerra waiting for a wheel in the 1936 Milano-San Remo