Sadly Brian Robinson handed away in October final 12 months. Brian was a pioneer for the ‘British Legion’ {of professional} bike 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’.
* You possibly can learn Ed Hood’s dialog with Brian Robinson on his Dauphine Libere win right here. *
PhotoSport Worldwide picture of the 1958 Tour de France stage 7 which Brian Robinson gained
“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 would possibly nicely 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 trip for St. Raphael
“I used to be 27 and using for St. Raphael-Gemiani, that was the workforce I rode with for my entire profession, albeit we had totally different bike sponsors. I had simply ridden Paris-Good, which is sweet coaching for Milan-San Remo and while I can’t bear in mind my precise placings, I believe I bought second on a stage and was within the prime ten general. In different phrases, I used to be going in addition to I ever had. Earlier than the beginning, our supervisor mentioned that he was tying to poach the Spanish sprinter, Miguel Poblet away from the workforce he was with on the time – Ignis and we must always assist Poblet if we might; 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 finest on the day was the protected rider, that was one of many issues I favored in regards to the workforce. I wasn’t actually a classics man, however that was a race that suited me; practically 300 kilometres and hilly. The parcours for the finale was very comparable 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 outcome) and opened a spot. I used to be about 50 yards clear and behind me I heard Poblet yelling at me to attend. I did, and he bought as much as me, coming in to the finale there have been three of us, the Belgian, Fred De Bruyne, who had gained the Primavera in 1956 (De Bruyne was a really profitable roadman-sprinter, he additionally gained 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 must always play the dash; he mentioned that he wished me to lead-out. That’s what I did, Poblet gained and De Bruyne bought 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 definitely sounded as if he had the legs to do higher; “I typically 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 positively have cleared-off they usually 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, mockingly 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 in regards to the bikes of the day; “My bike weighed 28 kilos – I want I had the bike I trip now, again then. We all the time had good tools so I used to be on Campag gears and chainset, 46/52 I believe, prime 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 hassle to maintain trophies and mementos again then.” And, did I say that the morning I interviewed Brian, he had simply completed 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 Consequence:
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.
# Due to all of the unknown photographers. #
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