Quick Facts
LibraBiography
Learco Guerra (October 14, 1902 - February 7, 1963) was an Italian professional road racing cyclist. The highlight of his career was his overall win in the 1934 Giro d'Italia.
Laearco Guerra, born in San Nicolò Po, a frazione of Bagnolo San Vito in Lombardy, gained the nickname of "Human Locomotive" for his enduring quality in plain stages. After mediocre attempts to play football, Guerra became a professional cyclist in 1928, at 26. The following year he became Italian champion, racing as an independent or semi-professional.
In 1930 he won his first Italian National Road Race Championships, the first of five straight wins. That same year he came second in the Tour de France after Italy's leader, Alfredo Binda, proved in poor form. The race was won by the Frenchman, André Leducq. In 1931 Guerra won four stages of the Giro d'Italia but not the final victory. The same year he won the world cycling championship.
In 1933 Guerra was again second in the Tour de France, and he won the Milan–San Remo. In 1934 came his greatest success, 10 stages of the Giro d'Italia and the general classification. He was also second in the world championship.
Guerra set a record of victories in a single year that was beaten only in the 1970s. His fame was exploited by the Fascist government, which profited from his heroic status.
After retirement, he worked as a team manager for riders such as Hugo Koblet and Charly Gaul.
Affected by Parkinson's disease, he died in Milan in 1963.
Career achievements
Major results
- 1929
- Coppa Diamante
- Roncoferraro
- Vignola-Modena
- 1930
- Circuito Monte Berici
- Coppa Caivano
- Giro d'Italia:
- 9th place overall classification
- Winner stage 8 and 11
Italian National Road Race Championships- Torino
- Tour de France:
- 2nd place overall classification
- Wearing yellow jersey for seven days
- Winner stages 2, 13 and 15
- Predappio-Roma
- 1931
- Coppa de la Victoria
- Giro d'Italia:
- Winner stages 1, 2, 7 and 8
- Giro della Provincia Di Reggio Calabria
- Milano
- UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race
- Italian National Road Race Championships
- 1932
- Giro d'Italia:
- 4th place overall classification
- Winner stages 1, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 13
- Giro di Campania
- Giro di Toscana
- Italian National Road Race Championships
- Predappio-Roma
- 1933
- Bologna
- Circuito Belfiore
- Giro d'Italia:
- Winner stages 1, 3 and 5
- Milan–San Remo
- Milano
- Italian National Road Race Championships
- Tour de France:
- 2nd place overall classification
- Winner stages 2, 6, 7 and 18
- 1934
- Firenze
- Giro d'Italia:
Winner overall classification- Winner stages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14
- Giro del Piemonte
- Lugano
- Milano-Modena
- Italian National Road Race Championships
- Pavia
- Giro di Campania
- Azencriterium Milano
- GP Valle Scrivia
- Roma-Napoli-Roma
- Giro di Lombardia
- Giro della provincia Milano
- 1935
- Giro d'Italia:
- 4th place overall classification
- Winner stages 3, 4, 7, 8 and 10
- Giro della Romagna
- Six days of Antwerp (with Adolphe van Nevele)
- Giro di Campania
- Milan-Modena
- Giro della Provincia Milano (with Fabio Battesini)
- 1936
- Giro della Provincia Milano (with Gino Bartali)
- 1937
- Circuito Cuneo
- Giro d'Italia:
- Winner stage 9
- Lugano
- Milano
- 1940
- Circuito de Casalecchio di Reno
- Italy national track stayer championship
Grand Tour general classification results timeline
| Grand Tour | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Giro d'Italia | — | — | 4 | DNF | 1 | 4 | DNF | DNF |
 Tour de France | 2 | — | DNF | 2 | — | — | — | — |
 Vuelta a España | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| — | Did not compete |
|---|---|
| DNF | Did not finish |