14 April 1907. The first Milano-Sanremo was on its way: 286 km from the Osteria Conca Fallata on the Naviglio Pavese in Milan all the way to Via Roma in Sanremo, the City of Flowers, going over the Turchino Pass. The brainchild of the journalists Tullo Morgagni and Armando Cougnet, with the endorsement of Eugenio Costamagna, the director of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Milano-Sanremo immediately became the most classic cycling race of all time, as well as providing a further opportunity for Italian and French rivals to compete.

The French fielded Lucien Petit-Breton, dubbed “the little Breton”, on a Bianchi and Gustave Garrigou, who went on to win the Tour de France a few years later, wearing a Peugeot jersey. On the Italian front, all eyes were on the “Red Devil”, Luigi Ganna, who had previously secured fourth place in the Classicissima and who would make cycling history the following year. Eleven hours and four minutes later, Petit Breton took first place. A few years later, the arrival of Costante Girardengo (“il Campionissimo”) would have the Italian tricolour flag flying again at the Milano-Sanremo for over a decade. With the Pirelli logo next to it.

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