Nineteen teams were invited by the race organizers to participate in the 1952 edition of the Giro d'Italia,^[4] but only seventeen accepted the invitation.^[5][6] The Paglianti team, assigned bib numbers 71 to 77, did not start, so the Giro started with sixteen teams.^[7] Each team sent a squad of seven riders, which meant that the race started with a peloton of 112 cyclists.^[7][8] From the riders that began the race, 98 made it to the finish in Milan.^[9]

The teams entering the race were:^[7]

The "Big Three" of Italian cycling started the race and were all seen as strong favorites to win the race.^[8] Reigning champion Fiorenzo Magni (Ganna) started the race with hopes of winning the race a third time (He also won in 1948).^[6] Three-time champion (1940, 1947, & 1949) Fausto Coppi (Bianchi).^[6] Gino Bartali (Bartali) made his twelfth start at the race, with a history of winning the race three times (1936, 1937, & 1946) and four second-place finishes.^[6]

Due to the participation of several strong riders at the time, including many non-Italian riders, at the race was thought to be very competitive and the event growing into a more international event.^[9] Current Swiss road race champion and world road race champion Ferdinand Kübler (Fiorelli) started the race.^[6] Kübler entered the race after having won two of the three races comprising the Ardennes classics that took place in early May (Liège–Bastogne–Liège and La Flèche Wallonne).^[6][8] He was seen as a strong favorite to contend for the general classification,^[6][8] along with having a strong team in support.^[8] Hugo Koblet (Guerra), who won the 1950 Giro d'Italia, started the race.^[6] Attilio Camoriano of l'Unità wrote that Koblet could be a threat in the race if he was not using it as preparation for the upcoming Tour de France.^[10] The previous year's runner-up Rik Van Steenbergen and teammate Stan Ockers (Girardengo) were seen as the best Belgian entrants with general classification chances.^[6][8] Milan–San Remo winner Loretto Petrucci (Bianchi) was known to ride for Coppi, but there were thoughts that he would be able to attack after the Dolomites.^[6]

The Nilux team featured three Australian riders,^[9][7][11] who may have been the first Australian riders to participate in the race. The Torpado team featured famed Spanish riders Bernardo Ruiz and Jesús Loroño.^[9][7] It was noted that top French riders at the time were lacking from the race's start list, although Raphaël Géminiani (Bianchi) did participate as a support for Coppi.^[8][9] Géminiani had finished second at the 1951 Tour de France and had the reputation of a climber.^[9] Tour de Romandie winner Wout Wagtmans (Garin) was set to ride the Giro, but withdrew at the last moment.^[8] It was speculated to be a battle between Swiss and Italian riders.^[8]

The route was revealed on 29 February 1952.^{[12][13][14][15][16]} The race route contained twenty stages, of which two were individual time trials, as well as three rest days.^[6] There were twelve categorized climbs that awarded points for the mountains classification across seven stages.^[17]

The route was thought to give chances of success to all types of riders as there were several flat stages, "mixed" stages, time trials, and mountainous stages.^[6] The first time trial was flat, while the second had a final 7 km (4 mi) that was downhill.^[6] The eleventh and nineteenth stages were seen as the most important.^[6] The eleventh leg featured three climbs as the race traveled from Venice to Bolzano and climbed the Falzarego, Pordoi Pass, and Passo Sella.^[6] Stage 19 stretched from Saint-Vincent to Verbania and featured the climbs of Great St Bernard Pass, which was the highest pass of the race at 2,473 m (8,114 ft), and Simplon Pass.^[6][17] Camoriano wrote when the route was announced that the route was open and good for those that are "capable and complete."^[12]

One jersey was worn during the 1953 Giro d'Italia. The leader of the general classification – calculated by adding the stage finish times of each rider – wore a pink jersey. This classification is the most important of the race, and its winner is considered as the winner of the Giro.^[18]

Additionally, the highest ranked cyclist riding with a licence for independents was identified by the white jersey; at the end of the Giro this was Donato Zampini.^[19] Another classification was calculated in the same method, but was exclusive to foreign riders and awarded a green jersey.^[20] The mountains classification leader wore no leader's jersey. There was one category for mountains which awarded 6, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point to the first riders to cross.^[17] Although no jersey was awarded, there was also one classification for the teams, in which the stage finish times of the best three cyclists per team were added; the leading team was the one with the lowest total time.

General classification edit

Team classification edit

Kubler was the highest ranked non-Italian rider.^[24]

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