Sadly Brian Robinson handed away in October 2022. 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’.
In January we misplaced our good friend and colleague Ed Hood, two years after his devastating stroke. We’ll always remember Ed and his information, connections within the biking world, his writing model and love for the game. Ed wrote 1000’s of gorgeous articles for PEZ, so we pays homage the ‘King of the Blackberry’ with re-runs of his nice work.
And an enormous thanks to everybody who contributed to Ed’s ‘Go Fund Me’. It made a distinction to his final two years.
You possibly can learn the PEZ-Crew’s recollections of Ed Hood HERE.
PhotoSport Worldwide photograph 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 properly 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 journey for St. Raphael
“I used to be 27 and driving for St. Raphael-Gemiani, that was the group I rode with for my complete profession, albeit we had totally different bike sponsors. I had simply ridden Paris-Good, which is nice coaching for Milan-San Remo and while I can’t bear in mind my precise placings, I feel I received 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 group 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 group 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 preferred concerning the group. 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 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 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 must always play the dash; he mentioned that he needed 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 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 a substitute of taking part in them for another person. If there had been a Poggio again then I might undoubtedly have cleared-off they usually wouldn’t have seen me once more till the end. However there have been group orders on the time and you’ll’t flip the clock again, sarcastically 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 practice 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 journey now, again then. We at all times had good gear so I used to be on Campag gears and chainset, 46/52 I feel, prime gear was 52 x 14, solely Anquetil rode a 53 ring. The group tyres had been French Dourdognes, however I rode Clement 50’s for particular races. I used to stock-up on them after I visited Italy, you possibly can purchase them cheaper there.”
Podium for Poblet
I puzzled 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 achieved 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.
* 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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