Giordano Cottur


Giordano Cottur was an Italian road cyclist. He was born in Trieste. His palmarès include three 3rd places overall at the Giro d'Italia and an 8th overall at the 1947 Tour de France.

Racing career

He started competing as an amateur in the 1930s, he was particularly active with the amateur team Dopolavoro Ferroviario di Trieste, during which time he want two editions of the Bassano-Monte Grappa as well as a Biella-Santuario di Oropa, both uphill races showing his ability as a climber.
He became a professional in 1938 with the Lygie team, followed by some time racing with and Wilier Triestina. He competed in seven editions of the Giro d'Italia, finishing third on three occasions, in 1940, 1948 and 1949. He obtained 5 stage wins between 1938 and 1948, wearing the pink jersey for a total of 14 days.
Cottur also competed in three Tour de France with a best finish of eighth place in 1947. Other notable career results include winning the 1939 Giro dell'Umbria, second place in the 1939 Giro del Lazio, fourth at the 1942 Milan–San Remo and third at the 1947 Giro del Lazio. He retired from racing in 1950.

1946 Giro d'Italia

Cottur is remembered for the events of the 1946 Giro d'Italia. 1946 was the first running of the race following the Second World War and his home city of Trieste was involved in a territorial dispute between Italy and Tito's Yugoslavia, which would only begin to settle the following year.
Cottur was the team captain of a strong Wilier Triestina with strong sponsorship ties to the city of Trieste. He started off the Giro strongly, winning the first stage by almost 1 minute from Wilier Triestina teammate Bevilacqua, this would prove to be a popular victory due to the disputed status of Trieste, combined with the recent news that the city had recently been taken of the itenarary of the Giro.
He would lose the pink jersey to Bevilacqua the following day, and by the end of the 11th stage he had fallen to fifth, more than 8 minutes behind the leader Vito Ortelli.
The allied forces eventually decided to allow the 12th stage of the Giro from Rovigo to Trieste to go ahead as planned on the 30th of June. About 40 km from Trieste, in the vicinity of, near San Canzian d'Isonzo the cyclists were met by a group of pro-Tito demonstrators who had blocked the road. Demonstrators threw stones and nails at the riders and shots were fired during the confrontation between police and the demonstrators. The organizers decided to cancel the stage and move the start of the following stage from Trieste to Udine for public order reasons, however a group of 17 riders, led by Cottur, were determined to continue to Trieste. They were escorted to the city under armed guard and Cottur was the first to cross the finish line.
Upon his arrival Cottur was greeted as a hero and the event was seen as a symbolic victory for the pro-Italian side. Cottur would eventually finish the Giro in 8th place, 38 minutes and 28 seconds behind winner Gino Bartali.

Retirement

After his retirement, Cottur managed some professional teams, including two seasons with his former team Wilier Triestina. In 1956 he founded the cycling club S.C. Cottur, which he directed until his death in 2006.

Legacy

His biography was published in 2009, titled Giordano Cottur - Il padre il figlio e la bicicletta. His city of Trieste named a cyclepath after him beginning in the city center in and following the route of the former going through the Rosandra Valley up to the border with Slovenia, past.

Major results

;1938
;1939
;1940
;1946
;1947
;1948
;1949

Classics results timeline

—Did not compete
DNFDid not finish
DSQDisqualified