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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
GdI May 17 to June 08, 1997 |
3,889 Km |
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Finishers: 110 |
Average Speed: 38.074 km/h |
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Gotti Ends a 6 Year Italian Drought
The 1997 Giro d'Italia was the 80th edition of Italy’s Grand Tour.
Defending champion Pavel Tonkov returned with great optimism but with a left hand that fractured twice in three months, he came to Italy with a bit of uncertainty. The Russian did get cleared by doctors to compete but was told he must be careful for the first ten days.
Teams:
The eighteen teams entering the race were:
- Mapei-GB
- AKI-Safi
- Amore & Vita-Forzacore
- Asics-CGA
- Batik-Del Monte
- Brescialat-Oyster
- Cantina Tollo-Carrier
- Festina-Lotus
- Kelme-Costa Blanca
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- Mercatone Uno
- MG Maglificio-Technogym
- Team Polti
- Refin-Mobilvetta
- Roslotto-ZG Mobili
- Saeco-Estro
- Kross-Montanari-Selle Italia
- Scrigno-Gaerne
- Ros Mary-Minotti Italia
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Each team sent a team of ten riders.
Race Summary:
Stage 3: After sprinter Mario Cipollini took the first two stage wins Tonkov began to display his good leg. On stage 3, an 18 km Individual Time Trial, he excelled and gained his first Maglia Rosa.
Stage 14: The mountainous fourteenth stage from Racconigi to Breiuil Cervinia saw Italian Ivan Gotti climb to the stage win and get a 1’46” time gain on race leader Tonkov. The Maglia Rosa passed to Gotti.
SPECIAL NOTE: at the start line of stage 18 ITT lead race official Michel Riviere ruled out Tonkov’s special time trial bike. The problem stemmed from a “spoiler” on the frame. Tonkov had to switch to one of his bikes used in warm-up.
Stage 18: On the 18 km Individual Time Trial Ivan Gotti lost only 14” to main rival Pavel Tonkov, his race lead was reduced to 37” with four stages remaining.
Stage 19: (Cima Coppi * click to see Special Note): This was the first of three brutal stages in the Dolomites. The 220 km stage featured eight separate climbs including the Sella, Pordoi (Cima Coppi) and Campolongo, but the decisive climbs came in the final 50 km. The finishing climb to Falze was short, but after 15,000 feet of climbing on the stage, the final effort to finish would be demanding. Spanish climber Jose Rubiera rode solo for more than 25 kilometers and took the stage win. However, the action behind affected the Giro’s General Classification.
A crash on the rain-soaked descent from the Passo di Campolongo set back Tonkov’s effort. The Russian chased hard for more than 90 kilometers and did manage to cut Gotti's advantage to 55 seconds at the finish. His deficit in the GC was now 1’32” with 3 stages (2 mountain stages) to the finish in Milan.
Stage 21: The long stage would be Tonkov’s final chance to gain time on the race leader. The Russian attacked on the 12.5 km climb of the Passo del Mortirolo but could not shake a persistent race leader. Tonkov did sprint to the stage win but only managed a 1 second time gain on Gotti.
Stage 22: Ivan Gotti rode into Milan to become the first Italian winner of the Giro d'Italia in six years.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stg 1 Venezia-Circuito Lido di Venezia, 128 km |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
Stage 2 Mestre-Cervia, 211 km |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
Stage 3 Santarcangelo-San Marino, 18 km ITT |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stage 4 San Marino-Arezzo, 156 km |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stage 5 Arezzo-Terminillo, 215 km |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stage 6 Rieti-Lanciano, 210 km |
Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stage 7 Lanciano-Mondragone, 210 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stage 8 Mondragone-Cava dei Tirreni, 212 km |
Mario Manzoni (Ita) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stage 9 Cava dei Tirreni-Castrovillari, 232 km |
Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stage 10 Castrovillari-Taranto, 195 km |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stg 11 Camaiore/Circuito della Versilia, 155 km |
Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stage 12 La Spezia-Varazze, 214 km |
Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stage 13 Varazze-Cuneo, 150 km |
Glenn Magnusson (Swe) |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Stage 14 Racconigi-Breuil Cervinia, 240 km |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Stage 15 Verres-Borgomanero, 173 km |
Alessandro Baronti (Ita) |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Stage 16 Borgomanero-Dalmine, 158 km |
Fabiano Fontanelli (Ita) |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Stage 17 Dalmine-Verona, 200 km |
Mirko Gualdi (Ita) |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Stage 18 Baselga di Pine-Cavalese, 40 km ITT |
Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Stage 19 Predazzo-Falzes, 222 km |
Jose-Luis Rubiera (Spa) |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Stage 20 Brunico-Passo Tonale, 176 km |
J-J Gonzales-Pico (Col) |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Stage 21 Male-Edolo, 238 km |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Stage 22 Boario Terme-Milan, 165 km |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
 Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
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Mountain Classification |
 J-J Gonzales-Pico (Col)
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Points Classification |
 Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Ivan GOTTI (Ita)  |
Saeco-Estro |
102h 53' 58" |
2 |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Mapei-GB |
+1'27" |
3 |
Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) |
Team Polti |
+7'40" |
4 |
Nicola Miceli (Ita) |
AKI-Safi |
+12'20" |
5 |
Sergei Hontchar (Ukr) |
AKI-Safi |
+12'44" |
6 |
Wladimir Belli (Ita) |
Brescialat-Oyster |
+12'48" |
7 |
Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita) |
Mapei-GB |
+12'54" |
8 |
Marcos-Antonio Serrano (Spa) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
+16.07" |
9 |
Stefano Garzelli (Ita) |
Mercatone Uno |
+18'08" |
10 |
Jose-Luis Rubiera (Spa) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
+18'56" |
11 |
Andrea Noe (Ita) |
+20'51" |
61 |
Michele Poser (Ita) |
+2h25'53" |
12 |
Felix Manuel Garcia (Spa) |
+21'50" |
62 |
Mirko Gualdi (Ita) |
+2h26'21" |
13 |
Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) |
+24'20" |
63 |
Fabio Roscioli (Ita) |
+2h29'07" |
14 |
Dario Frigo (Ita) |
+31'35" |
64 |
Jaime-Javi Hernandez (Spa) |
+2h29'50" |
15 |
Chepe Gonzalez (Col) |
+37'34" |
65 |
Michele Laddomada (Ita) |
+2h31'36" |
16 |
Alberto Volpi (Ita) |
+41'32" |
66 |
Bruno Boscardin (Ita) |
+2h33'52" |
17 |
Massimo Podenzana (Ita) |
+43'28" |
67 |
Gianpaolo Mondini (Ita) |
+2h39'18" |
18 |
Roberto Conti (Ita) |
+47'22" |
68 |
Lylian Lebreton (Fra) |
+2h40'53" |
19 |
Axel Merckx (Bel) |
+47'44" |
69 |
Valerio Tebaldi (Ita) |
+2h43'17" |
20 |
Evgueni Berzin (Rus) |
+49'02" |
70 |
Alessandro Baronti (Ita) |
+2h44'16" |
21 |
Ricardo Forconi (Ita) |
+51'47" |
71 |
Francesco Frattini (Ita) |
+2h44'35" |
22 |
Jose-Javier Gomez (Spa) |
+53'47" |
72 |
Alexander Moos (Sui) |
+2h48'05" |
23 |
Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) |
+54'16" |
73 |
Omar Pumar (Ven) |
+2h48'42" |
24 |
Roberto Petito (Ita) |
+1h02'58" |
74 |
Alessandro Pozzi (Ita) |
+2h49'38" |
25 |
Paolo Bettini (Ita) |
+1h04'55" |
75 |
Gianni Bugno (Ita) |
+2h50'07" |
26 |
Marcello Siboni (Ita) |
+1h05'06" |
76 |
Roberto Caruso (Ita) |
+2h53'59" |
27 |
Felice Puttini (Sui) |
+1h13'14" |
77 |
Denis Zanette (Ita) |
+2h54'29" |
28 |
Gianni Faresin (Ita) |
+1h14'37" |
78 |
Jose-Angel Vidal (Spa) |
+2h54'41" |
29 |
Daniele De Paoli (Ita) |
+1h15'11" |
79 |
Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) |
+2h55'14" |
30 |
Marco Velo (Ita) |
+1h16'10" |
80 |
Vjatceslav Djavanian (Rus) |
+2h55'26" |
31 |
Fabian Jeker (Sui) |
+1h16'18" |
81 |
Francisco Cabello (Spa) |
+2h55'31" |
32 |
Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) |
+1h29'16" |
82 |
Mario Chiesa (Ita) |
+2h55'58" |
33 |
Michele Coppolillo (Ita) |
+1h30'01" |
83 |
Massimo Apollonio (Ita) |
+2h59'24" |
34 |
Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) |
+1h30'32" |
84 |
David Tani (Ita) |
+2h59'26" |
35 |
Leonardo Calzavara (Ita) |
+1h33'24" |
85 |
Glenn Magnusson (Swe) |
+2h59'36" |
36 |
Germano Pierdomenico (Ita) |
+1h34'22" |
86 |
Cristiano Frattini (Ita) |
+3h01'13" |
37 |
Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) |
+1h36'55" |
87 |
Torsten Schmidt (Ger) |
+3h01'30" |
38 |
Massimo Donati (Ita) |
+1h37'32" |
88 |
Mauro Bettin (Ita) |
+3h03'39" |
39 |
Oscar Pellicioli (Ita) |
+1h39'50" |
89 |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
+3h05'38" |
40 |
Bruno Cenghialta (Ita) |
+1h42'29" |
90 |
Oscar Dalla Costa (Ita) |
+3h09'47" |
41 |
Luca Mazzanti (Ita) |
+1h43'22" |
91 |
Rossano Brasi (Ita) |
+3h13'54" |
42 |
Andrea Paluan (Ita) |
+1h43'56" |
92 |
Fabiano Fontanelli (Ita) |
+3h14'24" |
43 |
Sergio Barbero (Ita) |
+1h45'13" |
93 |
Paolo Alberati (Ita) |
+3h15'34" |
44 |
Nicola Loda (Ita) |
+1h46'24" |
94 |
Serguei Outschakov (Ukr) |
+3h16'16" |
45 |
Pavel Padrnos (Cze) |
+1h46'28" |
95 |
Stefano Giraldi (Ita) |
+3h17'14" |
46 |
Marco Fincato (Ita) |
+1h47'56" |
96 |
Davide Bramati (Ita) |
+3h17'59" |
47 |
Alexei Sivakov (Rus) |
+1h49'21" |
97 |
Sauto Gallorini (Ita) |
+3h21'07" |
48 |
Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
+1h53'17" |
98 |
Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) |
+3h24'44" |
49 |
Andrea Patuelli (Ita) |
+1h59'59" |
99 |
Dario Bottaro (Ita) |
+3h25'06" |
50 |
Alvaro Lozano (Col) |
+2h00'22" |
100 |
Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) |
+3h26'09" |
51 |
Serguei Ouslamine (Rus) |
+2h03'27" |
101 |
Gianluca Pianegonda (Ita) |
+3h26'43" |
52 |
Arsenio Gonzalez (Spa) |
+2h06'29" |
102 |
Fabrizio Bontempi (Ita) |
+3h34'24" |
53 |
Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) |
+2h06'34" |
103 |
Giuseppe Calcaterra (Ita) |
+3h34'49" |
54 |
Fausto Dotti (Ita) |
+2h09'16" |
104 |
Uwe Peschel (Ger) |
+3h36'24" |
55 |
Marco Vergnani (Ita) |
+2h11'54" |
105 |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
+3h37'48" |
56 |
Angelo Lecchi (Ita) |
+2h14'40" |
106 |
Enrico Cassani (Ita) |
+3h40'47" |
57 |
Maurizio Molinari (Ita) |
+2h14'46" |
107 |
Mauro-Ant Santaromita (Ita) |
+3h51'36" |
58 |
Stefano Finesso (Ita) |
+2h16'15" |
108 |
Sandro Giacomelli (Ita) |
+4h04'38" |
59 |
Martin Hvastija (Slo) |
+2h19'17" |
109 |
Michelangelo Cauz (Ita) |
+4h05'44" |
60 |
Marco Della Vedova (Ita) |
+2h21'16" |
110 |
Marco-Antonio Di Renzo (Ita) |
+4h22'23" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
‘Chepe' GONZALES (Col) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
99 |
2 |
Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
Brescialat-Oyster |
35 |
3 |
Roberto Conti (Ita) |
Mercatone Uno |
28 |
4 |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Mapei-GB |
24 |
5 |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Saeco-Estro |
23 |
6 |
Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) |
Roslotto-ZG Mobili |
16 |
7 |
Jose-Luis Rubiera (Spa) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
16 |
8 |
Andrea Noe (Ita) |
Asics-CGA |
15 |
9 |
Martin Hvastija (Slo) |
Cantina Tollo-Carrier |
15 |
10 |
Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) |
Roslotto-ZG Mobili |
14 |
Final Points Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Mario CIPOLLINI (Ita) |
Saeco-Estro |
202 |
2 |
Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) |
Roslotto-ZG Mobili |
146 |
3 |
Glenn Magnusson (Swe) |
Amore & Vita-Forzacore |
145 |
4 |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Mapei-GB |
121 |
5 |
Ivan Gotti (Ita) |
Saeco-Estro |
102 |
6 |
Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
Brescialat-Oyster |
93 |
7 |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Festina-Lotus |
92 |
8 |
‘Chepe’ Gonzalez (Col) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
81 |
9 |
Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) |
Mapei-GB |
81 |
10 |
Evgeni Berzin (Rus) |
Batik-Del Monte |
74 |
GdI 1998
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