Giro D'Italia
Denson said of a day spent chasing Gianni Motta through Naples:
"They were chucking rubbish at us from balconies: tomatoes, spaghetti, old newspapers, anything. I was covered with the contents of the dustbins when I walked into the hotel at Naples. The bastards!"
Denson won a stage of the Giro d'Italia, stage 9 in 1966 before finishing 40th overall. He said:
| “ | There were certain days when we were told there was going to be a lull and we could go for a stage. I was going strong and I dropped them on the last hill. I cracked on. I'd slipped a gear but I flicked it the other way and crucified myself to get up the last climb. I was pleased with my ride - it gave me a little bit to put in the pot because we all used to share our winnings. | ” |
Denson said Italian fans often made a pretence of helping push foreign riders up hills while pulling at their brakes to slow them down.
| “ | "We'd hack at these characters with our pumps to try and get them off and at the finish we'd get fined for being pushed." | ” |
He said his time-trialling experience helped him chase riders like Motta.
| “ | Time-trialling helps when you are in a break or getting across from bunch to break. It helped to make me strong and powerful and able to attack. I also did a lot of pursuiting, too, for the speed. | ” |
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