The Milano-Borgomanero was created in 1972 and then enhanced by Giuseppe Venzon and Olivo Gavazzeni, to commemorate Giuseppe Cerutti, a great journalist who wrote for years in Ciclismo d'Italia, at the time the official organ of the Italian Cycling Federation, who passed away prematurely in the early seventies. The race was organized by the Giuseppe Cerutti Cycling Association in Milan with the patronage of Vicario-Gru Mechanical Workshops in collaboration with the Velo Club Borgomanero and Amici Sportivi San Marco. It took place from 1972 to 1992 and over the years became the classic end-of-season race for third-category/junior amateurs. The first three editions were reserved for the youth category, and Alfonso Spampinato (Tre Farioli) was the first to write his name in the prestigious golden book. He was echoed the following year by Giuseppe Cassani of Velo Club Varese Ganna and then Paolo Rosola.
The former professional from Brescia, then with the Sebino Tecnogiocattoli team from Cologne, won the 1974 edition by beating his breakaway companion Pietro Bungaro (US Azzini), whom Rosola harshly accused of never collaborating. Gianluigi Nicolini (VC Borgomanero) completed the podium. Giuseppe Saronni (Buscatese), the favorite at the start, had to settle for seventh place. Rosola, who had meanwhile moved to Passerini Gomme, repeated his victory the following year in the first edition for third-category riders.
He won by breaking away, anticipating the group by 5" regulated by Domenico Pellegrini (SC Rescaldinese) over Maurizio Orlandi of Ciclo Lombardo Framesi. After Rosola's double, Silvestro Milani crossed the finish line with arms raised. The sprinter from Pedale Sportivo Trevigliese was the protagonist of a masterpiece sprint, triumphing with several meters of advantage over Silvano Contini (SC Lavenese) and Enrico Follini from SC Pezza Aramis. A three-way finish in 1977 saw the victory of Alessandro Mainetti, from Società Ciclistica Sestese, ahead of Giancarlo Perini (Pedale Arquatese) and Ivan Gatti (VC Varese Ganna), while in '78 Flavio Zappi (VC Varese Ganna), at the end of an irresistible sprint, won the race by beating Luigi Moretti from Bustese Hoonved and Giuseppe Rinaldi (Sala Colnago). The latter took his beautiful revenge the following year.
ùDespite winter weather with cold and torrential rain, Rinaldi (Sala Colnago) caught the escapees Ferlenghi and Dell'Oca 14 km from the finish, and soloed to triumph with 30" over Roberto Ferlenghi himself (CC Cremonese 1891) and Renato Artico from Pedale Saronnese Guerciotti, who recently passed away. The eighties opened with the thrust of Andrea Campioli (Medese Medamobili), who managed the feat of overtaking none other than Adriano Baffi (Audax Treviglio) and Alessandro Biasci (GS Natali) in the sprint. Baffi made the mistake of starting too early, dramatically giving way in the last meters.
World Champion Roberto Ciampi participated in that edition. Eros Poli had the honor of winning the 1981 edition. Attacking in the last 37 km together with Maurizio Missaglia, the Veronese from Ristorante Andriollo freed himself from his opponent with 22 km to go, arriving at the finish with 13" over Angelo Tosi (Pedale Casalese Grulland) and Sergio Finazzi from Polisportiva Caluschese.
Among the placed riders, Gianni Bugno finished eleventh. The Paduan Paolo Rando made his mark in 1982. 224 riders were at the start in Milan. Rando, from Velo Club Mantovani Rovigo, seized the moment three kilometers from the finish, preceding the group by 10" regulated by Giuseppe Chiavassa (Brunero Boeris) over Angelo Tosi (Rossi Santini): fourth Bortolazzo, fifth Bugno. An isolated arrival also occurred the following year (199 starters) thanks to the Lombard Mauro Fumagalli.
Meanwhile, the race had taken on an international label and was also valid as a pre-world event for the World Championships in Wanganui (New Zealand): the rider from Comense 1887 Banca Briantea was clever in fooling the peloton with a powerful attack, and the chase by the Italian Marco Saligari (Sala Colnago Monza), who finished in second position ahead of Riccardo Re (Moto Zorzi), was to no avail. '84 saw the solo ride of Fabio Ferrario from Bustese Hoonved. The rider from Varese seized the right moment on the Invorio climb and at the finish line he anticipated Massimiliano Michelazzo from Comense and Daniele Silvestri from Cadidavid Printeco. Fabio Ferrario topped everyone again in 1985. On that occasion too, he managed to surprise the group (with a record 256 participants) thanks to a decisive attack near Borgomanero. Ferrario (Velo Club Sommese Hoonved) relegated Marco Breme from Comense and Gianluca Fieni from VC Abbiategrasso to second place. Twelve months later, the Lombard-Piedmontese classic saw the triumph of Maurizio Tomi.
Protagonist of a long sprint, the athlete from Canturino-Cicli Maggioni imposed himself in front of Giovanni Bianchi from Comense and Claudio Capuzzo from GS Maglificio MG Boys. With a final move, Luca Zanotti made the 1987 edition his own. Wearing the colors of Nuova Baggio San Siro by Alcide Cerato, the winner carried out his action, giving 20" to Sergio Giannosso (Sironi Tanzi) and his teammate Giovanni Lombardi (now a cycling agent). In the following editions, Flavio Della Bella (Crennese) who preceded Simone Tomi and Marco Borghetti, then the Brianza rider Roberto Pistore (Sironi Tanzi) who after a 25 km breakaway won with a 25" margin over Marco Giroletti (Arlunese) and Paolo Barni (USC Inveruno) up to Ivano Zuccotti from Canturino-Cicli Maggioni.
The 1990 edition was characterized by the presence of world champion Marco Serpellini, who won the sprint but was relegated to third place for unsportsmanlike conduct 100 meters from the finish towards Zuccotti, who had finished second. Victory was therefore awarded to the Pavia rider, second Marco Tramontin (Sassi Elah Gios Torino), third Serpellini (US Palazzago). The last two editions were signed by the glorious and historic Comense 1887 Banca Briantea society. Dario Frigo emerged as the winner in 1991 ahead of Stefano Borghetti (Biringhello) and Claudio Grossi (Sassi Elah Sannino). The last highlight was that of Salvatore Commesso. The Neapolitan burned Marco Cannone from Biringhello Moda Oro and Roberto Cattaneo from Salus Seregno in the sprint. Then, in order, Piva, Ivan Quaranta, and Matteo Frutti were classified. From its early years, the Milano-Borgomanero captured the interest of the media and the general public, becoming one of the most coveted classics in youth cycling. With its twenty-one editions, it has written a golden book of undisputed value. The start was usually placed at the Vigorelli Velodrome, and for some years in front of the Sports Palace in Milan, Via Tesio.

GOLDEN BOOK
1972- Spampinato Alfonso (GS Tre Farioli)
1973- Cassani Giuseppe (Velo Club Varese Ganna)
1974- Rosola Paolo (GS Sebino Ternogiocattoli)
1975- Rosola Paolo (GS Passerini Gomme)
1976- Milani Silvestro (Pedale Sportivo Trevigliese)
1977- Mainetti Alessandro (S.C. Sestese)
1978- Zappi Flavio (Velo Club Varese Ganna)
1979- Rinaldi Giuseppe (GS Sala Colnago)
1980- Campioli Andrea (GS Medese Medamobili)
1981- Poli Eros (Ristorazione Andriollo)
1982- Rando Paolo (Velo Club Rovigo Mantovani)
1983- Fumagalli Mauro (UC Comense 1887 Banca Briantea)
1984- Ferrario Fabio (UC Bustese)
1985- Ferrario Fabio (Velo Club Sommese Hoonved)
1986- Tomi Maurizio (CC Canturino 1902 Colnago)
1987- Zanotti Luca (Nuova Baggio San Siro)
1988- Della Bella Flavio (SC Crennese)
1989- Pistore Roberto (Sironi Tanzi)
1990- Zuccotti Ivano (CC Canturino 1902-Cicli Maggioni)
1991- Frigo Dario (UC Comense 1887 Banca Briantea)
1992- Commesso Salvatore (UC Comense 1887 Banca Briantea)