View source for 1955 Giro d'Italia

{{Infobox cycling race report
| name               = 1955 Giro d'Italia
| image              = 
| image_size         = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_alt          = 
| date               = 14 May - 5 June 1955
| stages             = 21
| distance           = 3871
| unit               = km
| time               = 108h 56' 12"
| speed              = 35.552
| first              = [[Fiorenzo Magni]]
| first_nat          = ITA
| first_team         = {{UCI team code|Nivea|1955a}}
| first_color        = pink
| second             = [[Fausto Coppi]]
| second_nat         = ITA
| second_team        = [[Bianchi cycling team|Bianchi]]
| third              = [[Gastone Nencini]]
| third_nat          = ITA
| third_team         = {{UCI team code|Chlorodont|1955}}
| points             = 
| points_nat         = 
| points_team        = 
| points_color       = 
| mountains          = [[Gastone Nencini]]
| mountains_nat      = ITA
| mountains_team     = {{UCI team code|Chlorodont|1955}}
| mountains_color    = 
| combination        = 
| combination_nat    = 
| combination_team   = 
| combination_color  = 
| sprints            = [[Nino Defilippis]]
| sprints_nat        = ITA
| sprints_team       = Torpado
| team               = [[Atala (cycling team)|Atala]]
| teampoints         = 
| previous = [[1954 Giro d'Italia|1954]]
|next = [[1956 Giro d'Italia|1956]]
}}
The '''1955 Giro d'Italia''' was the 38th&nbsp;edition of the [[Giro d'Italia]], one of cycling's [[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tours]]. The Giro started off in [[Milan]] on 14 May with a {{convert|163|km|1|abbr=on}} flat stage and concluded back in Milan with a {{convert|141|km|1|abbr=on}} relatively flat mass-start stage on 5 June. Fourteen teams entered the race, which was won by Italian [[Fiorenzo Magni]] of the Nivea-Fuchs team. Second and third respectively were Italian riders [[Fausto Coppi]] and [[Gastone Nencini]].<ref name="1955p1 elm final">{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD02/HEM/1955/06/06/MD19550606-001.pdf |title=Termino La Vuelta A Italia Con La Victoria De Magni |language=es |date=6 June 1955 |page=1 |publisher=El Mundo Deportivo |access-date=27 May 2012 |trans-title=Final The Tour of Italy with the Victory by Magni |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013141547/http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD02/HEM/1955/06/06/MD19550606-001.pdf |archive-date=13 October 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 20th stage, arriving in [[San Pellegrino Terme]], Magni and [[Fausto Coppi|Coppi]] attacked [[Gastone Nencini]] (who was leading the general classification) taking advantage of a puncture he suffered in an unpaved road section. Coppi won the stage (his last victory in the Giro) and Magni took the lead in the [[General classification in the Giro d'Italia|general classification]].

==Teams==

In December 1954 when the initial plans for the 1955 edition were announced, the organization announced they would invite ten Italian based teams and six foreign teams: France, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and England whom by December had confirmed participation.<ref name="LS DecPv">{{cite news|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,4/articleid,0054_01_1954_0310_0004_14456396/|title=I capisaldi del Giro d'Italia che partita il 14 maggio da Milano|language=it|date=30 December 1954|author=L.C.|page=4|newspaper=La Stampa|publisher=Editrice La Stampa|access-date=27 May 2012|format=PDF|trans-title=The cornerstones of the Giro d'Italia which started on May 14th from Milan}}</ref> Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and France, after missing the previous edition, sent teams to compete in the race.<ref name="NV 2DB4">{{cite news|url=https://doc.rero.ch/record/190719/files/1955-05-13.pdf|title=Le 38e Tour d'italie cycliste|author=E.U.|trans-title=The 38th Cycling Tour of Italy|language=fr|work=Nouvelliste Valaisan|date=13 May 1955|page=4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011201517/https://doc.rero.ch/record/190719/files/1955-05-13.pdf|archive-date=11 October 2023|url-status=live|via=[[RERO (Library Network of Western Switzerland)|RERO]]}}</ref> Fourteen teams were invited by the race organizers to participate in the 1955 edition of the Giro d'Italia.<ref name="CDS T">{{cite web|url=http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10243&p=2#page/8/mode/1up|title=I corridori in gara|work=Corriere dello Sport|date=14 May 1955|page=8|access-date=7 July 2013|language=it|trans-title=The riders in the race|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223205426/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10243&p=2|archive-date=23 December 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The Spanish team missed the pre-race ceremony because they missed their flight into Milan and had to take a train into the city.<ref name="LD DB4-2"/> Each team sent a squad of seven riders, which meant that the race started with a peloton of 98 cyclists.<ref name="CDS T"/> From the riders that began the race, 72 made it to the finish in [[Milan]].<ref name="BRI 1955">{{cite web|url=http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1955.html |title=1955 Giro d'Italia |work=Bike Race Info |author=Bill and Carol McGann |publisher=Dog Ear Publishing |access-date=2012-07-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223225257/http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1955.html |archive-date=23 December 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The teams entering the race were:<ref name="NV 2DB4"/><ref name="CDS T"/><ref name="FdaV 2DB4">{{cite news|url=https://doc.rero.ch/record/172312/files/1955-05-13.pdf|title=Voice le Giro!|trans-title=Here is the Giro!|author=Mickey|language=fr|work=Journal et Feuille d'Avis du Valais et de Sion|date=13 May 1955|page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013123551/https://doc.rero.ch/record/172312/files/1955-05-13.pdf|archive-date=13 October 2023|url-status=live|via=[[RERO (Library Network of Western Switzerland)|RERO]]}}</ref>

{{div col|colwidth=8em}}
* {{UCI team code|Arbos|1955}} 
* {{UCI team code|Atala|1955}} 
* [[Bianchi cycling team|Bianchi]]
* Doniselli
*Faema
*France
* {{UCI team code|Frejus|1955}} 
* {{UCI team code|Girardengo|1955}}
* {{UCI team code|Ignis|1955}}
*[[Legnano-Pirelli|Legnano]]
* {{UCI team code|Chlorodont|1955}}
* {{UCI team code|Nivea|1955a}}
* {{UCI team code|Torpado|1955}}
* {{UCI team code|Welter|1955}}
{{div col end}}

==Pre-race favorites==

Five-time champion [[Fausto Coppi]] (Bianchi) and [[Hugo Koblet]] (Faema) were named by most as the primary favorites to win the race overall.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/><ref name="BRI 1955"/><ref name="LS DB4">{{cite news|url=https://doc.rero.ch/record/228663/files/1955-05-14.pdf|title=Les questions de contrôle au Tour d'Italie|trans-title=Control issues at the Tour of Italy|language=fr|work=La Sentinelle|date=14 May 1955|page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013124249/https://doc.rero.ch/record/228663/files/1955-05-14.pdf|archive-date=13 October 2023|url-status=live|via=[[RERO (Library Network of Western Switzerland)|RERO]]}}</ref> Coppi who was now 35 years old notably had won the [[Giro dell'Appennino]] and finished second at [[1955 Paris–Roubaix|Paris–Roubaix]].<ref name="BRI 1955"/> Serge Lang wrote that Coppi was the public's favorite to win, but most other riders did not him as much of an overall threat due his age.<ref name="GdL DB4">{{cite news|url=https://www.letempsarchives.ch/page/GDL_1955_05_14/7|title=Aujourd'hui départ du Tour d'Italie|trans-title=Today the Tour of Italy Departs|author=Serge Lang|language=fr|work=Gazette de Lausanne|date=14 May 1955|page=7|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013122753/https://doc.rero.ch/record/190717/files/1955-05-11.pdf|archive-date=13 October 2023|url-status=live|via=Le Temps Archives}}</ref> ''Novelliste Valaisan'' also named [[Pasquale Fornara]] ({{UCI team code|Chlorodont|1955}}) their favorites to win the race.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/> Fornara's best finish came in [[1953 Giro d'Italia|1953]] when he placed third overall, while Koblet won in [[1950 Giro d'Italia|1950]] and had three other top ten finishes.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/> [[1948 Giro d'Italia|1948 winner]] [[Fiorenzo Magni]] ({{UCI team code|Nivea|1955a}}) finished the [[1955 Vuelta a España|Vuelta a España]] on 8 May and was viewed as contender for the general classification.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/>

It was believed reigning champion [[Carlo Clerici]] (Faema) would be marked heavily this race after the nature of his victory the previous year when he gained significant time through a breakaway.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/> Clerici was thought to be in good form.<ref name="GdL DB4"/> Faema did not include [[Fritz Schär]] who had injured his knee.<ref name="GdL DB4"/><ref name="NV 4DB4">{{cite news|url=https://doc.rero.ch/record/190717/files/1955-05-11.pdf|title=Les Suisses au Giro|trans-title=The Swiss at the Giro|language=fr|work=Nouvelliste Valaisan|date=11 May 1955|page=5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013122753/https://doc.rero.ch/record/190717/files/1955-05-11.pdf|archive-date=13 October 2023|url-status=live|via=[[RERO (Library Network of Western Switzerland)|RERO]]}}</ref> Despite being a favorite to some, Koblet was not seen as a favorite by Swiss writer Serge Lang who believed he does not like climb he did when he won the race in 1950.<ref name="GdL DB4"/> 

Young Italians including the likes of [[Mauro Gianneschi]] (Arbos), [[Nino Defilippis]] (Torpado), Giuseppe Minardi (Legnano), Agostino Coletto ({{UCI team code|Frejus|1955}}) were thought to be outside contenders for the general classification and were the team's leaders.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/><ref name="LS DB4"/><ref name="GdL DB4"/> Coletto was perceived by some to be the next great Italian general classification rider.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/><ref name="LD DB4-2"/> Atala's best chances were seent with [[Giancarlo Astrua]] and [[Bruno Monti]], the latter of which impressed at the [[1955 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]].<ref name="NV 2DB4"/><ref name="LD DB4-2"/> Astrua was perceived as a good climber and a rouler.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/> [[Gastone Nencini]] ({{UCI team code|Chlorodont|1955}}) was a younger rider whom many felt showed a lot of promise and was known for his descending prowess.<ref name="BRI 1955"/>{{sfn|Gallagher|2017|p=124}}

A ''Nouvelliste Valaisan'' writer felt the Spanish team {{UCI team code|Ignis|1955}} had riders that can climb very well, but lacked maturity and team comradery to obtain a high general classification ranking.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/> The French team was believed to be very strong and in good shape prior to start.<ref name="BRI 1955"/><ref name="LS DB4"/> They were thought to have its best chances with [[Raphaël Géminiani]] and recent Vuelta a Espana winner [[Jean Dotto]] who both were in great form,<ref name="LD DB4-2"/> but it was thought Géminiani could lose several minutes in the time trial stages.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/><ref name="GdL DB4"/> 

Doniselli, the Dutch team, was thought to have great riders who could animate the race like [[Wout Wagtmans]], [[Hein Van Breenen]], and [[Gerrit Voorting]].<ref name="NV 2DB4"/><ref name="LD DB4-1">{{cite news|title=Vandaag Start Giro|trans-title=Giro starts today|language=nl|via=[[Delpher]]|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010418468:mpeg21:pdf|work=Limburgsch Dagblad|date=14 May 1955|page=9}}</ref> Notably [[Thijs Roks]], van Breenen, and Wagtmans composed the podium for the [[Dutch National Road Race Championships|Dutch national road race championship]].<ref name="LD DB4-2"/> Doniselli sports director Kees Pellenaars stated that Wagtmans gave the best chance for the overall victory, but instead of surrounding the whole team with him throughout the race as other Italian teams do, he would allow two to three riders to attempt attacks.<ref name="LD DB4-2"/><ref name="HvV 2DB4">{{cite news|title=De Pel deed een beloftte: geen sigaren meer!|trans-title=De Pel made a promise: no more cigars!|language=nl|via=[[Delpher]]|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010952291:mpeg21:pdf|work=Het vrije volk|date=13 May 1955|page=7}}</ref> Expectations of the Belgian team {{UCI team code|Girardengo|1955}} by a ''Nouvelliste Valaisan'' writer were unknown as the writer cited a previous difficulty by Belgian riders in the Giro d'Italia.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/> A notable omission from the team was [[Rik van Steenbergen]].<ref name="BRI 1955"/> The teams' young riders [[Jozef Schils|Joseph Schils]] and Carl Borgmans were expected to have a good performance.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/> In addition, the team brought a new flahute [[Rik Van Looy]].<ref name="BRI 1955"/><ref name="NV 2DB4"/>

Other notable riders that did not participate were Frenchman [[Louison Bobet]] and Swiss rider [[Ferdinand Kübler]].<ref name="DK DB4">{{cite news|title=Ronde van Italie|trans-title=Tour of Italy|language=nl|via=[[Delpher]]|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010843594:mpeg21:pdf|work=de Volkskrant|date=14 May 1955|page=17}}</ref> In addition, this was the first Giro d'Italia without two-time winner [[Gino Bartali]] participating.<ref name="LD DB4-2">{{cite news|title=Gino Bartali volgt de Ronde als speciale verslaggever|trans-title=Gino Bartali follows the Ronde as a special reporter|language=nl|via=[[Delpher]]|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010418468:mpeg21:pdf|work=Limburgsch Dagblad|date=14 May 1955|page=9}}</ref> Bartali retired following the previous season, but returned to the Giro d'Italia to provide commentary for several newspapers.<ref name="LD DB4-2"/>

==Route and stages==
[[File:Wout Wagtmans 1955.jpg|right|thumb|[[Wout Wagtmans]] riding during the nineteenth stage.|alt=A cyclist riding a bike.]]

The route's general structure was announced on December 29, 1954 at the Palazzo Marino in [[Milan]] in front of local dignitaries.<ref name="LS DecPv"/> The finalized route was revealed on 9 March 1955.<ref name="CDS UNV">{{cite web|url=http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10187&p=1#page/1/mode/1up|title=Varato il Giro d'Italia chilometri 3857 in 21 tappe|work=Corriere dello Sport|date=10 March 1955|page=1 & 7|access-date=7 July 2013|language=it|trans-title=The Giro d'Italia launched 3857 kilometers in 21 stages|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503184309/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10187&p=1#page/1/mode/2up|archive-date=3 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="LU UNV">{{cite news |url=https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1955/03/10/page_005.pdf |title=Queste le 21 tappe del "Giro d'Italia"|language=it |date=10 March 1955 |page=5 |newspaper=l'Unità |publisher=PCI |access-date=27 May 2012 |trans-title=These are the 21 stages of the "Giro d'Italia"|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503184709/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1955/03/10/page_005.pdf |archive-date=3 May 2019 }}</ref><ref name="LU UNVDAfter">{{cite news |url=https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1955/03/11/page_005.pdf |title=Il percorso del "XXXVIII Giro d'Italia" si addice alle corse a tappe moderne|language=it |date=11 March 1955 |page=5 |newspaper=l'Unità |publisher=PCI |access-date=27 May 2012 |author=Attilio Camoriano|trans-title=The course of the "XXXVIII Giro d'Italia" is suitable for modern stage races|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503185001/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1955/03/11/page_005.pdf|archive-date=3 May 2019 }}</ref> The route was designed in a counter-clockwise direction across twenty-one days of racing and two rest days,It contained two time trial events, one [[individual time trial|individual]] and one [[team time trial|team]] event.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/><ref name="GdL DB4"/><ref name="LL Route">{{cite news|url=https://doc.rero.ch/record/273928/files/1955-05-14.pdf|title=Le Tour d'Italie|trans-title=The Tour of Italy|language=fr|work=La Liberte|date=14 May 1955|page=9|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013135927/https://doc.rero.ch/record/273928/files/1955-05-14.pdf|archive-date=13 October 2023|url-status=live|via=[[RERO (Library Network of Western Switzerland)|RERO]]}}</ref> The team time trial rode over the cobbled roads of [[Genoa]].<ref name="ED 2DB4"/> This race featured the first stage finish and start in [[France]].<ref name="NV 2DB4"/> The tenth stage utilized the route used in the [[1955 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|1955 UCI World Championships men's road race]] that were to be held in [[Frascati]], [[Italy]] August that year in a {{convert|20.4|km|0|abbr=on}} loop that was traversed ten times.<ref name="NV 2DB4"/><ref name="GdL DB4"/><ref name="LS 3DB4">{{cite news|url=https://doc.rero.ch/record/228661/files/1955-05-12.pdf|title= Des samedi, l'attention des sportifs se dirige vers le Sud, ou ... Koblet, Clerici et Coppi batailleront pour remporter le Tour d'Italie |trans-title= On Saturdays, the attention of athletes goes to the South, where ... Koblet, Clerici and Coppi will battle to win the Tour of Italy |author= |language=fr|work=La Sentinelle|date=12 May 1955|page=4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607125205/http://doc.rero.ch/record/228661/files/1955-05-12.pdf|archive-date=7 June 2020|url-status=live|via=[[RERO (Library Network of Western Switzerland)|RERO]]}}</ref> The highest climb was the [[Passo Pordoi]].<ref name="GdL DB4"/> In total the route had roughly {{convert|25000|m|0|abbr=on}} of elevation change of which five stages contained eight categorized climbs that awarded points for the [[Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia|mountains classification]].<ref name="GdL DB4"/><ref name="LL Route"/> The nineteenth stage was deemed the queen stage as it featured the climbs of the [[Falzarego Pass]], the Col de Rolle, the Pordoi, and the Col de Brocon.<ref name="GdL DB4"/><ref name="LL Route"/><ref name="LS 3DB4"/> Five stages ended in a velodrome.<ref name="ED 2DB4"/> 

Due to complaints from the riders about the previous year's race, the organizers reduced the amount of kilometers in the race by approximately {{convert|500|km|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="BRI 1955"/> Further, race organizers decided to reduce the length of the stages within the Giro d'Italia closer to {{convert|200|km|0|abbr=on}}, similar to the [[Tour de France]] at the time.<ref name="ED 2DB4">{{cite news|title=Giro 1955 Klaar Voor de Start|trans-title=|language=nl|via=[[Delpher]]|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMRHCE02:163610035:mpeg21:pdf|work=Eindhovens Dagblad|date=13 May 1955|page=7}}</ref><ref name="LS 3DB4"/> The stages had become known as "Italian stages" for their extreme length in hundreds of kilometers, only to have the racing start in the final 10km.<ref name="ED 2DB4"/><ref name="LS 3DB4"/> Through the reduction in stage length, the organizers hoped to have more attacking done by riders.<ref name="ED 2DB4"/> The intermediate sprints or "flying checks" as they were known were well received and thought to have helped animate the race, with several stage winners coming from those that won the sprints of the day.<ref name="ED 2DB4"/> The amount of intermediate sprints has been reduced by 30 this race, leaving 30 to be taken.<ref name="ED 2DB4"/> If you win the prize you must be within the first five positions of the general classification.<ref name="ED 2DB4"/> 

A writer for ''Nouvelliste Valaisan'' felt a [[rouler]] could win the general classification if they could take advantage of the course before the race hits the [[Dolomites]].<ref name="NV 2DB4"/> The ''Gazette de Lausanne'' writer Serge Lang wrote that the route was the hardest since [[World War II]] and felt the general public and most newspapers felt the route was well designed.<ref name="GdL DB4"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Stage characteristics and results<ref name="BRI 1955"/><ref name="CDS SC">{{cite web|url=http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10243&p=2#page/7/mode/1up|title=Le caratteristiche delle tappe|work=Corriere dello Sport|date=14 May 1955|page=7|access-date=7 July 2013|language=it|trans-title=The characteristics of the stages|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223205426/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10243&p=2|archive-date=23 December 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- style="background:#efefef;"
!Stage
!Date
!Course
!Distance
!colspan="2"|Type
!Winner
|-
!style="text-align:center"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|14 May
|[[Milan]] to [[Turin]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|163|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Plainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Plain stage
| {{flagathlete|[[Guido Messina]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|15 May
|[[Turin]] to [[Cannes]] ([[France]])
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|243|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Fiorenzo Magni]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|3
| style="text-align:center;"|16 May
|[[Cannes]] (France) to [[Sanremo]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|123|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Nino Defilippis]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|4
| style="text-align:center;"|17 May
|[[Sanremo]] to [[Acqui Terme]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|192|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Alessandro Fantini]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|5
| style="text-align:center;"|18 May
|[[Acqui Terme]] to [[Genoa]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|170|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Giancarlo Astrua]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|6
| style="text-align:center;"|19 May
|[[Genoa]] to Lido d'[[Albaro]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|18|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Image:Time Trial.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|[[Team time trial]]
| Torpado
|-
!style="text-align:center"|7
| style="text-align:center;"|20 May
|[[Genoa]] to [[Viareggio]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|164|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Giovanni Corrieri]]|ITA}}
|-
!
|align="center"|21 May
|colspan="6" align=center| Rest day
|-
!style="text-align:center"|8
| style="text-align:center;"|22 May
|[[Viareggio]] to [[Perugia]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|260|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Rino Benedetti]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|9
| style="text-align:center;"|23 May
|[[Perugia]] to [[Rome]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|174|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Gastone Nencini]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|10
| style="text-align:center;"|24 May
| [[Frascati]] to [[Frascati]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|207|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Bernardo Ruiz]]|ESP|1945}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|11
| style="text-align:center;"|25 May
|[[Rome]] to [[Naples]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|242|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Plainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Plain stage
| {{flagathlete|[[Vincenzo Zucconelli]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|12
| style="text-align:center;"|26 May
|[[Naples]] to [[Scanno, Abruzzo|Scanno]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|216|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Gastone Nencini]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|27 May
|[[Scanno, Abruzzo|Scanno]] to [[Ancona]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|251|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Giorgio Albani]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|14
| style="text-align:center;"|28 May
|[[Ancona]] to Pineta di [[Cervia]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|173|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Giuseppe Minardi]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|15
| style="text-align:center;"|29 May
|Pineta di [[Cervia]] to [[Ravenna]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|50|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Image:Time Trial.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|[[Individual time trial]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Pasquale Fornara]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|16
| style="text-align:center;"|30 May
|[[Ravenna]] to [[Jesolo|Lido di Jesolo]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|245|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Plainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Plain stage
| {{flagathlete|[[Rino Benedetti]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|17
| style="text-align:center;"|31 May
|[[Jesolo|Lido di Jesolo]] to [[Trieste]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|150|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Alessandro Fantini]]|ITA}}
|-
!
|align="center"|1 June
|colspan="6" align=center| Rest day
|-
!style="text-align:center"|18
| style="text-align:center;"|2 June
|[[Trieste]] to [[Cortina d'Ampezzo]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|236|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Angelo Conterno]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|19
| style="text-align:center;"|3 June
|[[Cortina d'Ampezzo]] to [[Trento]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|227|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Jean Dotto]]|FRA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|20
| style="text-align:center;"|4 June
|[[Trento]] to [[San Pellegrino Terme]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|216|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Mountainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Stage with mountain(s)
| {{flagathlete|[[Fausto Coppi]]|ITA}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|21
| style="text-align:center;"|5 June
|[[San Pellegrino Terme]] to [[Milan]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|141|km|0|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Image:Plainstage.svg|22px|link=|alt=]]
|Plain stage
| {{flagathlete|[[Hugo Koblet]]|SUI}}
|-
!
|colspan="2" align=center| Total
|colspan="5" align="center"| {{convert|3871|km|0|abbr=on}}
|-
|}

==Classification leadership==

One jersey was worn during the 1955 Giro d'Italia. The leader of the [[General classification in the Giro d'Italia|general classification]] – calculated by adding the stage finish times of each rider – wore a pink jersey. This classification is the most important of the race, and its winner is considered as the winner of the Giro.<ref name="demystified">{{cite web|author=Laura Weislo |url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/giro08/?id=/features/2008/giro_classifications08 |title=Giro d'Italia classifications demystified |date=13 May 2008 |work=Cycling News |publisher=Future Publishing Limited |access-date=13 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508234448/http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/giro08/?id=/features/2008/giro_classifications08 |archive-date=8 May 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia|mountains classification]] leader. The climbs all awarded three points to the first rider and one point to the second rider to cross the summit.<ref name="CDS M">{{cite web|url=http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10261&p=1#page/7/mode/1up|title=Il ruolino di Marcia del Gr. Pr. Della Montagna|work=Corriere dello Sport|date=4 June 1955|page=7|access-date=7 July 2013|language=it|trans-title=The road march of Gr . Pr . Mountain|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404180605/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10261&p=1|archive-date=4 April 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Although no jerseys were awarded, there was also two classification for the teams, in which the teams were awarded points for their rider's performance during the stages. One classification was for the teams based inside Italy and the other was for teams based outside of Italy.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size:smaller;"
|+Classification leadership by stage
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! style="width:1%;"| Stage
! style="width:15%;"| Winner
!  style="background:#efefef; width:14%;"|[[General classification in the Giro d'Italia|General classification]]<br>[[Image:Jersey pink.svg|25px|link=|alt=A pink jersey]]
!  style="background:#efefef; width:14%;"|[[Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia|Mountains classification]]
!  style="background:#efefef; width:14%;"|Italian Team classification
!  style="background:#efefef; width:14%;"|Foreign Team classification
|-
! 1
| [[Guido Messina]]
|style="background:pink;" rowspan="1"| [[Guido Messina]]
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" rowspan="1"| ''not awarded''
|style="background:lightyellow;" rowspan="1"| ?
|style="background:navajowhite;" rowspan="2"| ?
|-
! 2
| [[Fiorenzo Magni]]
|style="background:pink;" rowspan="8"| [[Fiorenzo Magni]]
|style="background:lightgreen;" rowspan="10"| [[Bruno Monti]]
|style="background:lightyellow;" rowspan="4"| Leo-Chlorodont
|-
! 3
| [[Nino Defilippis]]
|style="background:navajowhite;" rowspan="3"| Doniselli
|-
! 4
| [[Alessandro Fantini]]
|-
! 5
| [[Giancarlo Astrua]]
|-
! 6
| Torpado
|style="background:lightyellow;" rowspan="2"| Nivea-Fuchs
|style="background:navajowhite;" rowspan="5"| Faema
|-
! 7
| [[Giovanni Corrieri]]
|-
! 8
| [[Rino Benedetti]]
|style="background:lightyellow;" rowspan="1"| ?
|-
! 9
| [[Gastone Nencini]]
|style="background:lightyellow;" rowspan="13"| Atala
|-
! 10
| [[Bernardo Ruiz]]
|style="background:pink;" rowspan="2"| [[Bruno Monti]]
|-
! 11
| [[Vincenzo Zucconelli]]
|style="background:navajowhite;" rowspan="11"| Francia
|-
! 12
| [[Gastone Nencini]]
|style="background:pink;" rowspan="3"| [[Raphaël Géminiani]]
|style="background:lightgreen;" rowspan="2"| [[Bruno Monti]] & [[Gastone Nencini]]
|-
! 13
| [[Giorgio Albani]]
|-
! 14
| [[Giuseppe Minardi]]
|style="background:lightgreen;" rowspan="4"| [[Giuseppe Minardi]], [[Bruno Monti]] & [[Gastone Nencini]]
|-
! 15
| [[Pasquale Fornara]]
|style="background:pink;" rowspan="5"| [[Gastone Nencini]]
|-
! 16
| [[Rino Benedetti]]
|-
! 17
| [[Alessandro Fantini]]
|-
! 18
| [[Angelo Conterno]]
|style="background:lightgreen;" rowspan="1"| [[Bruno Monti]]
|-
! 19
| [[Jean Dotto]]
|style="background:lightgreen;" rowspan="3"| [[Gastone Nencini]]
|-
! 20
| [[Fausto Coppi]]
|style="background:pink;" rowspan="2"| [[Fiorenzo Magni]]
|-
! 21
| [[Hugo Koblet]]
|-
! colspan=2| '''Final'''
! style="background:#F660AB;"| '''[[Fiorenzo Magni]]'''
! style="background:#32CD32;"| '''[[Gastone Nencini]]'''
! style="background:yellow;"| '''Atala'''
! style="background:orange;"| '''Francia'''
|}

==Final standings==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2| Legend
|-
| &nbsp;&nbsp;[[Image:Jersey pink.svg|20px|alt=Pink jersey]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
| Denotes the winner of the [[General classification in the Giro d'Italia|General classification]]
|}

===General classification===

{| class="wikitable" style="width:45em;margin-bottom:0;"
|+ Final general classification (1–10)<ref name="BRI 1955"/><ref name="l'Unità final">{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=/archivio/uni_1955_06/19550606_0004.pdf |title=La morale del 38 Giro d'Italia e che i piu forti sono ancora i "vecchi" |language=it |date=6 June 1955 |page=4 |newspaper=l'Unità |publisher=PCI |access-date=27 May 2012 |trans-title=38 The moral of the 38 Tour of Italy and that the strongest are still the "old" |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6QnQEJ8KR?url=http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=%2Farchivio%2Funi_1955_06%2F19550606_0004.pdf&query= |archive-date=2014-07-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="1955p2 elm final">{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/06/06/pagina-6/627531/pdf.html# |title=Terminó la Vuelta a Italia |language=es |date=6 June 1955 |page=6 |publisher=El Mundo Deportivo |access-date=27 May 2012 |trans-title=Final the Tour of Italy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508224610/http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/06/06/pagina-6/627531/pdf.html |archive-date=8 May 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="CDS GC Fin">{{cite web|url=http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10262&p=1#page/1/mode/1up|title=Classifica generale|work=Corriere dello Sport|date=6 June 1955|page=1|access-date=7 July 2013|language=it|trans-title=General classification|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222235818/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10262&p=1|archive-date=22 December 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!Rank
!Name
!Team
!Time
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 1 
| {{flagathlete|[[Fiorenzo Magni]]|ITA}} [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px|link=General classification in the Giro d'Italia|alt=Pink jersey]]
| Nivea
|align="right"| {{nowrap|108h 56' 12"}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 2 
| {{flagathlete|[[Fausto Coppi]]|ITA}}
| Bianchi
|align="right"| + 13"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 3
| {{flagathlete|[[Gastone Nencini]]|ITA}}
| Chlorodont
|align="right"| + 4' 08"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 4
| {{flagathlete|[[Raphaël Géminiani]]|FRA}}
| France
|align="right"| + 4' 51"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 5
| {{flagathlete|[[Agostino Coletto]]|ITA}}
| Fréjus
|align="right"| + 7' 19"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 6
| {{flagathlete|[[Aldo Moser]]|ITA}} 
| Torpado
|align="right"| + 8' 01"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 7
| {{flagathlete|[[Pasquale Fornara]]|ITA}}
| Chlorodont
|align="right"| + 9' 16"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 8
| {{flagathlete|[[Salvador Botella]]|ESP|1945}}
| Ignis
|align="right"| + 14' 10"
|- 
!style="text-align:center"| 9
| {{flagathlete|[[Wout Wagtmans]]|NED}}
| Doniselli
|align="right"| + 16' 03"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 10
| {{flagathlete|[[Hugo Koblet]]|SUI}}
| Faema
|align="right"| + 20' 16"
|-
|}

===Foreign rider classification===

{{columns-start}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Final foreign rider classification (1–10)<ref name="CDS GC Fin"/>
|-
!Rank
!Name
!Team
!Time
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 1 
| {{flagathlete|[[Raphaël Géminiani]]|FRA}}
| France
|align="right"| {{nowrap|109h 01' 03"}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 2 
| {{flagathlete|[[Salvador Botella]]|ESP|1945}}
| Ignis
|align="right"| + 9' 19"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 3
| {{flagathlete|[[Wout Wagtmans]]|NED}}
| Doniselli
|align="right"| + 11' 12"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 4
| {{flagathlete|[[Hugo Koblet]]|SUI}}
| Faema
|align="right"| + 15' 25"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 5
| {{flagathlete|[[Hein Van Breenen]]|NED}}
| Doniselli
|align="right"| + 19' 49"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 6
| {{flagathlete|[[Nello Lauredi]]|FRA}}
| Olympia
|align="right"| + 32' 10"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 7
| {{flagathlete|[[Jean Dotto]]|FRA}}
| France
|align="right"| + 35' 03"
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 8
| {{flagathlete|[[Carlo Clerici]]|SUI}}
| Faema
|align="right"| + 50' 44"
|- 
!style="text-align:center"| 9
| {{flagathlete|[[Bernardo Ruiz]]|ESP|1945}}
| Ignis
|align="right"| + 56' 28"
|- 
!style="text-align:center"| 10
| {{flagathlete|[[Gerrit Voorting]]|NED}}
| Doniselli
|align="right"| + 58' 49"
|- 
|}

{{column}}

===Mountains classification===

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Final mountains classification (1–7)<ref name="BRI 1955"/><ref name="l'Unità final"/>
|-
!Rank
!Name
!Team
!Points
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 1 
| {{flagathlete|[[Gastone Nencini]]|ITA}}
| Chlorodont
|style="text-align:center"| 7
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 2 
| {{flagathlete|[[José Serra Gil|José Serra]]|ESP|1945}}
| Ignis
|style="text-align:center"| 6
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 3
| {{flagathlete|[[Bruno Monti]]|ITA}}
| Atala
|style="text-align:center" rowspan="2"| 4
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 4
| {{flagathlete|[[Antonio Gelabert]]|ESP|1945}}
| Ignis
|-
!style="text-align:center" rowspan="2"| 5
| {{flagathlete|[[Giuseppe Minardi]]|ITA}}
| Legnano
|style="text-align:center" rowspan="2"| 3
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Jean Dotto]]|FRA}}
| France
|-
!style="text-align:center" rowspan="5"|7
| {{flagathlete|[[Wout Wagtmans]]|NED}}
| Doniselli
|style="text-align:center" rowspan="5"| 1
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Raphaël Géminiani]]|FRA}}
| France
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Pierino Baffi]]|ITA}}
| Nivea-Fuchs
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Giancarlo Astrua]]|ITA}}
| Atala
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Salvador Botella]]|ESP|1945}}
| Ignis
|}

{{columns-end}}

{{columns-start}}

===Intermediate sprints classification===

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Final intermediate sprints classification (1–9)<ref name="l'Unità final"/>
|-
!Rank
!Name
!Team
!Points
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 1 
| {{flagathlete|[[Nino Defilippis]]|ITA}}
| Torpado
|align="right"| 42
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 2 
| {{flagathlete|[[Giorgio Albani]]|ITA}}
| Legnano
|align="right"| 39
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 3
| {{flagathlete|[[Rino Benedetti]]|ITA}}
| Leo-Chlorodont
|align="right"| 38
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 4 
| {{flagathlete|[[Fiorenzo Magni]]|ITA}} [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px|link=General classification in the Giro d'Italia|alt=Pink jersey]]
| Nivea
|align="right"| 16
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 5
| {{flagathlete|[[Fausto Coppi]]|ITA}}
| Bianchi
|align="right"| 13
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 6 
| {{flagathlete|[[Giuseppe Favero]]|ITA}}
| Bianchi
|align="right"| 13
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 7 
| {{flagathlete|[[Louis Caput]]|FRA}}
| France
|align="right"| 12
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 8
| {{flagathlete|[[Donato Piazza]]|ITA}}
| Nivea-Fuchs
|style="text-align:right"| 11
|-
!style="text-align:center" rowspan="3"| 9 
| {{flagathlete|[[Gastone Nencini]]|ITA}}
| Chlorodont
|style="text-align:right" rowspan="3"| 10
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Giovanni Corrieri]]|ITA}}
| Arbos
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Angelo Conterno]]|ITA}}
| Torpado
|}

{{column}}

===Italian team classification===

{| class="wikitable" style="width:25em;margin-bottom:0;"
|+ Final Italian team classification (1–9)<ref name="l'Unità final"/><ref name="CDS T Fin">{{cite web|url=http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10262&p=1#page/13/mode/1up|title=Le classifiche|work=Corriere dello Sport|date=6 June 1955|page=13|access-date=7 July 2013|language=it|trans-title=The classifications|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222235818/http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?&c=1&f=10262&p=1|archive-date=22 December 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!Rank
!Team
!Points
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 1 
| Atala
|align="right"| 840
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 2 
| Chlorodont
|align="right"| 918
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 3 
| Nivea
|align="right"| 1117
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 4
| Bianchi
|align="right"| 1203
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 5 
| Torpado
|align="right"| 1222
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 6
| Legnano
|align="right"| 1237
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 7
| Fréjus
|align="right"| 1437
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 8
| Arbos
|align="right"| 1461
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 9 
| Welter
|align="right"| 1667
|-
|}

{{columns-end}}

===Foreign team classification===

{| class="wikitable" style="width:25em;margin-bottom:0;"
|+ Final foreign team classification (1–5)<ref name="BRI 1955"/><ref name="1955p2 elm final"/><ref name="CDS T Fin"/>
|-
!Rank
!Team
!Points
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 1 
| France
|align="right"| 1050
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 2 
| Faema
|align="right"| 1190
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 3 
| Doniselli
|align="right"| 1334
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 4
| Ignis
|align="right"| 1347
|-
!style="text-align:center"| 5 
| Girardengo
|align="right"| 2086
|-
|}
{{commons category|Giro d'Italia 1955}}
==References==

===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book| last1= Gallagher  | first1= Brendan | title= Corsa Rosa: A History of the Giro D'Italia | chapter= A Race for All Shapes, Sizes and Nationalities (1954-66) | edition= 1st | publisher= Bloomsbury Publishing | year= 2017 | location= London, UK | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=V97oDAAAQBAJ| isbn= 978-1-4729-1881-9}}
{{Refend}}

{{1955 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo}}
{{Giro d'Italia}}
{{Giro d'Italia general classification winners}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hiro D'Italia, 1955}}
[[Category:Giro d'Italia by year|1955]]
[[Category:1955 in Italian sport]]
[[Category:1955 in road cycling]]
[[Category:May 1955 sports events in Europe]]
[[Category:June 1955 sports events in Europe]]
[[Category:1955 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo]]