Bartali rescues Italy

ednesday 14th July 1948, Carlton Hotel Cannes. It’s the third rest day of the Tour and Gino Bartali is in his room relaxing. Two weeks ago he started the race in fine form, winning the first stage. His spell at the top of the General Classification proved to be short-lived though, and despite picking up another couple of stage wins in the Pyrenees, as the sun rises in Cannes he is more than 21 minutes behind race leader Louison Bobet. Bartali is not even the topranked Italian on GC – that honour belongs to Aldo