Jump to content

Learco Guerra

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Learco Guerra
Personal information
Full nameLearco Guerra
NicknameHuman Locomotive
Born(1902-10-14)14 October 1902
Bagnolo San Vito,Italy
Died7 February 1963(1963-02-07)(aged 60)
Milan,Italy
Team information
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Professional teams
1928–1935Maino–Dunlop
1936–1939Legnano–Wolsit
1940Dei/Legnano
1941–1944Dei
Major wins
Grand Tours
Tour de France
7 individual stages (1930,1933)
Giro d'Italia
General classification(1934)
31 individual stages (1930-1937)

One-day races and Classics

World Road Race Championship(1931)
National Road Race Championship
(1930-1934)
Milan–San Remo(1933)
Giro di Lombardia(1934)
Medal record
Men'sroad bicycle racing
RepresentingItaly
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1931 Copenhagen Elite Men's Road Race
Silver medal – second place 1930 Liège Elite Men's Road Race
Silver medal – second place 1934 Leipzig Elite Men's Road Race

Learco Guerra(14 October 1902 – 7 February 1963) was an Italian professionalroad racing cyclist.The highlight of his career was his overall win in the 1934Giro d'Italia.He was born in San Nicolò Po, afrazioneofBagnolo San VitoinLombardy,gained the nickname of "Human Locomotive" for his enduring quality in plain stages. After mediocre attempts to play football, Guerra became a professional cyclist in 1928, at 26. The following year he became Italian champion, racing as an independent or semi-professional.

In 1930 he won his firstItalian National Road Race Championships,the first of five straight wins. That same year he came second in theTour de Franceafter Italy's leader,Alfredo Binda,proved in poor form. The race was won by the Frenchman,André Leducq.In 1931 Guerra won four stages of theGiro d'Italiabut not the final victory. In this Giro, he was the first rider who wore the pink jersey. The same year he won theworld cycling championship.

In 1933 Guerra was again second in the Tour de France, and he won theMilan–San Remo.In 1934 came his greatest success, 10 stages of the Giro d'Italia and thegeneral classification.He was also second in the world championship.

Guerra set a record of victories in a single year that was beaten only in the 1970s. His fame was exploited by theFascistgovernment, which profited from his heroic status.

After retirement, he worked as a team manager for riders such asHugo KobletandCharly Gaul.

Affected byParkinson's disease,he died inMilanin 1963.

Career achievements

[edit]

Major results

[edit]
1929
1stCoppa Appennino
1stCoppa Diamante
1stRoncoferraro
1stVignola–Modena
2ndCoppa San Geo
1930
1stNational Road Championships, Road Race
1stCircuito Monte Benici
1stPredappio Alta–Roma
1stCoppa Caivano
1st Stages 8 & 11Giro d'Italia
1stTorinoCriterium
2ndUCI Road World Championships,Road Race
2nd OverallTour de France
1st Stages 2, 13 & 15
3rdGiro di Lombardia
8thMilan–San Remo
1931
1stUCI Road World Championships,Road Race
1stNational Road Championships, Road Race
1stGiro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria
1stCorsa del Commercio
1stCoppa de la Victoria
1stPrix Dupré-Lapize
1st Stages 1, 2, 7 & 8Giro d'Italia
2ndMilan–San Remo
1932
1stNational Road Championships, Road Race
1stGiro di Campania
1stGiro della Toscana
1stPredappio Alta–Roma
1st Stages 1, 4, 6, 7, 9 & 13Giro d'Italia
4thGrand Prix des Nations
1933
1stNational Road Championships, Road Race
1stMilan–San Remo
1stCircuito Belfiore
1stBolognaCriterium
1stCorsa del Commercio
1stPrix Goullet-Fogler
1st Stages 1, 3 & 5Giro d'Italia
2nd OverallTour de France
1st Stages 2, 6, 7, 18 & 23
2ndGiro delle Due Province Messina
3rdSix Days of Paris
1934
1stNational Road Championships, Road Race
1stOverallGiro d'Italia
1st Stages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 14
1stGiro di Lombardia
1stGP Lugano
1stMilano–Modena
1stGiro di Campania
1stGiro del Piemonte
1stCorsa del Commercio
1stGP Valle Scrivia
1stGiro della Provincia Milano(withDomenico Piemontesi)
1stRoma–Napoli–Roma
1stFirenzeCriterium
1stPaviaCriterium
2ndUCI Road World Championships,Road Race
2ndSix Days of Paris
2ndPrix Goullet-FoglerMadison
1935
1stMilano–Modena
1stGiro della Romagna
1stGiro della Provincia Milano
1stSix Days of Antwerp
2ndMilano–San Remo
2ndPrix Houlier-ComèsMadison
2ndSix Days of Paris
3rdCossatoCriterium
4th OverallGiro d'Italia
1st Stages 3, 4, 7, 8 & 10
1936
1st OverallGiro della Provincia Milano(withGino Bartali)
1937
1stCorsa del Commercio
1stGP Lugano
1st Stage 9Giro d'Italia
1stCuneoCriterium
2ndSix Days of Paris
3rdSix Days of Brussels
1938
2ndGiro della Toscana
3rd OverallGiro di Campania
1939
2ndCopa España
1940
1stCircuito de Casalecchio di Reno
1942
1stNational Track Championships, Individual Pursuit

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

[edit]
Grand Tour 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937
A pink jerseyGiro d'Italia DNF 4 DNF 1 4 DNF DNF
A yellow jerseyTour de France 2 2
A red jerseyVuelta a España
Legend
Did not compete
DNF Did not finish

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Gregori, Claudio; Pastonesi, Marco (2022).Il grande Guerra[The great Guerra] (in Italian). Piverone (Turin), Italy: Mulatero Editore.ISBN978-88-8986-982-6.

See also

[edit]
[edit]