The 29th Giro d'Italia (15 June-7 July 1946) was the first edition of the Italian grand tour after Workd War II.
72 riders, only ItalIans (including Italian-American Joseph Magnani), started the racey 40 completed.
This was the first Giro d'Italia, when Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali weren't team mates. Coppi just left. Legnano and moved to Bianchi.
Giro d'Italia 1946 was Gino Bartali's third (and last) overall victory. However, this time he did not won a single stage.He managed to take the pink jersey 5 srages before the end of the race.
Although the war in Europe was over since more than one year, certain regional tensions did not cease. On 30 June, during the stage from Rovigo to Trieste, anti-Italian activists in favour of the annexation of Trieste to Yugoslavia blocked the Giro caravan about 2 km east of Pieris, obstructing the road with concrete blocks and targeting the riders with nails and stones.