Sadly Brian Robinson handed away in October 2022. Brian was a pioneer for the ‘British Legion’ {of professional} bicycle owner who adopted him throughout the English Channel to strive their hand within the continental peloton. Brian stood on the third step of the 1957 Milan-Sanremo, Ed Hood spoke to Brian about ‘la Classicissima’.
“I’m by no means happier than once I’m writing.”
~ Ed Hood, as spoken to Martin Williamson from the passenger seat, driving alongside a stage route on the Tour de France.
Pricey Readers – Our beloved colleague and pal Ed Hood suffered a critical stroke in February. We don’t count on Ed will make it again into our bunch, so we’ve began a GoFundMe web page to assist Ed together with his future. Learn the complete put up right here – and please contemplate donating.
** Click on this hyperlink to donate to the GoFundMe web page to assist Ed **
We’ll be posting a number of Ed’s work from the previous 16 years, as a result of nice story-telling by no means will get previous.
PhotoSport Worldwide picture of the 1958 Tour de France stage 7 which Brian Robinson received
“If there had been the Poggio again then, they wouldn’t have seen me till the end!” So says Brian Robinson, who in 1957, turned the primary English-speaker to face on the rostrum of the Primavera. However for the biking politics of the time, Robinson may effectively have pre-dated Tom Simpson as the primary Englishman to win this legendary race, however let’s return to ’57 and listen to it from Brian.
Poblet by no means did experience for St. Raphael
“I used to be 27 and driving for St. Raphael-Gemiani, that was the workforce I rode with for my complete profession, albeit we had completely different bike sponsors. I had simply ridden Paris-Good, which is sweet coaching for Milan-San Remo and while I can’t keep in mind my actual placings, I feel I received second on a stage and was within the high ten total. In different phrases, I used to be going in addition to I ever had. Earlier than the beginning, our supervisor stated that he was tying to poach the Spanish sprinter, Miguel Poblet away from the workforce he was with on the time – Ignis and we should always assist Poblet if we may; he was even on a Geminiani bike.”
Robinson left, Simpson proper
I requested who was designated workforce chief for the race: “The squad wasn’t structured like that, whoever was going greatest on the day was the protected rider, that was one of many issues I favored concerning the workforce. I wasn’t actually a classics man, however that was a race that suited me; almost 300 kilometres and hilly. The parcours for the finale was very related again then, however the Poggio wasn’t added till later.”
“I attacked on the Capo Berta (one of many coastal climbs which helps mould the ultimate end result) and opened a niche. I used to be about 50 yards clear and behind me I heard Poblet yelling at me to attend. I did, and he received as much as me, coming in to the finale there have been three of us, the Belgian, Fred De Bruyne, who had received the Primavera in 1956 (De Bruyne was a really profitable roadman-sprinter, he additionally received Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Paris-Excursions) had come throughout to us.”
2nd, Fred De Bruyne
“I used to be pleasant with Poblet and requested him how we should always play the dash; he stated that he wished me to lead-out. That’s what I did, Poblet received and De Bruyne received spherical me too, so I used to be third – I wasn’t sad with that.”
Poblet, De Bruyne and Robinson
I requested if he had any regrets, it actually sounded as if he had the legs to do higher; “I generally suppose that I ought to have performed my very own playing cards as an alternative of taking part in them for another person. If there had been a Poggio again then I might undoubtedly have cleared-off and so they wouldn’t have seen me once more till the end. However there have been workforce orders on the time and you may’t flip the clock again, paradoxically although, the negotiations to get Poblet to hitch our squad got here to nothing, so I ought to have ridden my very own race!”
Brian Robinson at a prepare crossing within the Tour
Poblet – Spain’s first one-day specialist
I enquired concerning the bikes of the day; “My bike weighed 28 kilos – I want I had the bike I experience now, again then. We all the time had good gear so I used to be on Campag gears and chainset, 46/52 I feel, high gear was 52 x 14, solely Anquetil rode a 53 ring. The workforce tyres had been French Dourdognes, however I rode Clement 50’s for particular races. I used to stock-up on them once I visited Italy, you can purchase them cheaper there.”
Podium for Poblet
I questioned if there have been any souvenirs of that nice day; “No, that’s one remorse I do have, we didn’t trouble to maintain trophies and mementos again then.” And, did I say that the morning I interviewed Brian, he had simply carried out three hours on the bike? Sixty plus years-on and he’s nonetheless turning these pedals; it’s only a disgrace that there was no Poggio in 1957.
1957 Milano-Sanremo End result:
1. Miguel Poblet (Spa) Ignis-Doniselli in 6:55:51
2. Alfred de Bruyne (Bel) Carpano
3. Brian Robinson (GB) St.Raphael-Geminiani
4. Julien Schepens (Bel) Mercier-Hutchinson
5. Joseph Planckaert (Bel) Peugeot-BP-Dunlop
6. Nicolas Barone (Fra) St.Raphael-Geminiani
7. Nino Defilippis (Ita) Bianchi-Pirelli at 0:24
8. Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) Peugeot-BP-Dunlop
9. Guido Messina (Ita) Asborno-Frejus
10. Dino Bruni (Ita) Bianchi-Pirelli.
* Learn Ed Hood’s dialog with Brian Robinson on his Dauphine Libere win right here. *
# Because of all of the unknown photographers. #
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