In the 1962 Giro, the first of two won consecutively by Franco Balmamion, the fifth stage took place on 23 May, from Perugia to Rieti. They are 258 kilometers and you have to face the climb to Terminillo twice. Spaniard Antonio Suarez starts in the pink jersey, fearing above all Vito Taccone, the climber from Avezzano, who announced battle not far from home. But Joseph Carrara, a good long-distance climber appointed to rush to the aid of Captain Henri Anglade, leader of Liberia, takes the lead.
French
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Carrara defends the French colours, but his large family is of clear Bergamo origins: in search of work, in the 1930s they moved beyond the Alps, to Savoy, before the birth of Joseph, who in fact saw the light in Hauteville, in the region of ‘Ain. Well, that day the good Carrara invents a day off, abandons the usual care of Captain Anglade and treats himself to the best day of his career. In fact, he goes on the attack when there are 200 kilometers to go to the finish line and he flies towards the finish line alone, which he crosses with 1’44” on the chasing group, led by the Dutchman Van Est and also including Taccone and Anglade themselves.
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the return to the ranks
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But the effort spent to achieve the long-range escape is costly. The next day, in the Rieti-Fiuggi, Carrara is so exhausted that he can’t help but step aside. He then returned to anonymity, usually reserved for riders like him, only to return two years later, when he won a stage and the classification of the Tour of Catalonia.
