1962, Salo di Garda, Italy
It was not climbing – though being in situated in the Lombardy region, on the banks of Lake Garda, there was plenty of that – but distance and heat that made the 1962 race particularly hard. The professional road race was some 296km long, the longest in the history of the World Championships, and the heat that day was oppressive. Ireland’s Shay Elliott was in the form of his life and when he got into the final breakaway of five, he looked likely to take the rainbow jersey. But allegiances were formed between the other riders and his strongest attack was chased down. Elliott’s training partner and friend Jean Stablinksi was the beneficiary. When the Frenchman counter-attacked no chase came and he rode away to the title.
