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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
GdI May 17 to June 07, 1998 |
3,811 Km |
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Finishers: 94 |
Average Speed: 38.571 km/h |
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“Il Pirata” Climbs to Victory
This year’s Giro d’Italia was not for the faint-of-heart. The 1998 racecourse was designed for climbers with only five flat stages for the sprinters. The favorites for the overall victory include:
- Defending champion Ivan Gotti
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- Young Swiss rider Alex Zulle (riding his first Giro)
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- Italian super climber Marco “Il Pirata” Pantani
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Teams:
The eighteen teams entering the race were:
- Amore & Vita-Forzacore
- Asics-CGA
- Ballan
- Brescialat-Liquigas
- Cantina Tollo-Alexia Alluminio
- Casino-AG2R
- Festina-Lotus
- Kelme-Costa Blanca
- Mapei-Bricobi
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- Mercatone Uno-Bianchi
- Riso Scotti-MG Maglificio
- Team Polti
- Ros Mary-Amica Chips
- Saeco-Cannondale
- Scrigno-Gaerne
- TVM-Farm Frites
- Vini Caldirola-Sidermec
- Vitalicio Seguros
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Each team sent a team of nine riders.
Race Summary:
Stage 16: Prologue Time Trial winner Alex Zulle controlled the race through stage 16, when the brutally tough climbing began.
Stage 17: (Cima Coppi ): Marco Pantani took the race leader’s Maglia Rosa from Zulle with an impressive display of climbing. The brutal Stage 17 contained four massive climbs: Passo Duran, Forcella Staulanza, Passo Fedaia-Marmolada, and the Passo Sella (Cima Coppi). Pantani won the Cima Coppi and finished second on the stage but more significantly gained 4’37” on the GC contenders.
Stage 18: The race was not over. Pantani held a slim thirty second lead on Tonkov and 1’01” on 3rd place Zulle. The tough climbing continued in the Dolomites Mountains, which allowed Pantani to extend his lead in the GC, but with the final Individual Time Trial still to come Zulle was still a threat. Marco Pantani finished second on the stage and conceded only one second to Tonkov. Swiss Alex Zulle finished 4th at +58” and now trialed Pantani by 2’08” in the GC.
Stage 19: The Italian climber “put paid” on this year’s Giro on the final stage in the mountains. Over the second summit of the stage Pantani had 7’30” on a fading Zulle. By the finish at the summit of the Plan di Monte Campione “Il Pirate” had eliminated the Swiss rider. Zulle lost 30’03” on the stage.
SPECIAL NOTE: The elimination of two riders after a blood test showed both had hematocrit levels above 51%.
Stage 22: Marco Pantani rode into Milan to claim the first major stage race of his career, an impressive victory in the Giro d’Italia.
SPECIAL NOTE: Two months after his Giro victory, Pantani won the Tour de France and became only the seventh rider to win the “Giro/Tour” double victory in the same year.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Prologue Nice (Fra), 7 km ITT |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 1 Nice (Fra)-Cuneo, 162 km |
Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 2 Alba-Imperia, 160 km |
Angel Edo (Spa) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 3 Rapallo-Forte dei Marmi, 196 km |
Nicola Minali (Ita) |
Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) |
Stage 4 Viareggio-Monte Argentario, 239 km |
Nicola Miceli (Ita) |
Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) |
Stage 5 Orbetello-Frascati, 206 km |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
Michele Bartoli (Ita) |
Stage 6 Maddaloni-Lago Laceno, 160 km |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 7 Lago Laceno-Matera, 235 km |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 8 Matera-Lecce, 191 km |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 9 Foggia-Vasto, 169 km |
Glenn Magnusson (Swe) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 10 Vasto-Macerata, 212 km |
Mario Cipollini (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 11 Macerata-San Marino, 214 km |
Andrea Noe (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 12 San Marino-Carpi, 202 km |
Laurent Roux (Fra) |
Laurent Roux (Fra) |
Stage 13 Carpi-Schio, 168 km |
Michele Bartoli (Ita) |
Andrea Noe (Ita) |
Stage 14 Schio-Piancavallo, 165 km |
Marco Pantani (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 15 Trieste-Trieste, 40 km ITT |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 16 Udine-Asiago, 236 km |
Fabiano Fontanelli (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 17 Asiago-Selva Val Gardena, 215 km |
Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) |
Marco Pantani (Ita) |
Stg 18 Selva Val Gardena-Pampeago, 115 km |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Marco Pantani (Ita) |
Stage 19 Cavalese-Monte Campione, 243 km |
Marco Pantani (Ita) |
Marco Pantani (Ita) |
Stage 20 Boario Terme-Mendrisio (Sui), 143 km |
Gian-Matteo Fagnini (Ita) |
Marco Pantani (Ita) |
Stg 21 Mendrisio (Sui)-Lugano (Sui), 34 km ITT |
Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) |
Marco Pantani (Ita) |
Stage 22 Lugano (Sui)-Milan, 102 km |
Gian-Matteo Fagnini (Ita) |
 Marco Pantani (Ita) |
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Mountain Classification |
 Marco Pantani (Ita)
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Points Classification |
 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Marco PANTANI (Ita)  |
Mercatone Uno |
98h 48' 32" |
2 |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Mapei-Bricobi |
+1'33" |
3 |
Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) |
Team Polti |
+6'51" |
4 |
Oskar Camenzind (Sui) |
Mapei-Bricobi |
+12'16" |
5 |
Daniel Clevero (Spa) |
Vitalicio Seguros |
+18'04" |
6 |
Gianni Faresin (Ita) |
Mapei-Bricobi |
+18'31" |
7 |
Paolo Bettini (Ita) |
Asics-CGA |
+21'03" |
8 |
Daniele De Paoli (Ita) |
Ros Mary-Amica Chips |
+21'35" |
9 |
Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) |
Saeco-Cannondale |
+25'54" |
10 |
Serguei Hontchar (Ukr) |
Cantina Tollo-Alexia Alluminio |
+25'58" |
11 |
Massimo Podenzana (Ita) |
+28'22" |
53 |
Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) |
+1h36'22" |
12 |
Chepe Gonzales (Col) |
+29'24" |
54 |
Santiago Botero (Col) |
+1h36'56" |
13 |
Jose-Luis Rubiera (Spa) |
+31'25" |
55 |
Arsenio Gonzales (Spa) |
+1h42'23" |
14 |
Alex Zülle (Sui) |
+33'26" |
56 |
Mauro Zanetti (Ita) |
+1h44'39" |
15 |
Andrea Noe (Ita) |
+34'29" |
57 |
Bruno Cenghialta (Ita) |
+1h47'13" |
16 |
Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) |
+35'56" |
58 |
Gilberto Simoni (Ita) |
+1h47'49" |
17 |
Claus-Michael Moller (Den) |
+39'22" |
59 |
Vicente Aparicio (Spa) |
+1h48'52" |
18 |
Paolo Lanfranchi (Ita) |
+40'06" |
60 |
Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) |
+1h49'17" |
19 |
Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) |
+40'33" |
61 |
Mario Scirea (Ita) |
+1h51'51" |
20 |
Marco Velo (Ita) |
+40'53" |
62 |
Giorgio Furlan (Ita) |
+1h56'10" |
21 |
Stefano Garzelli (Ita) |
+41'28" |
63 |
Federico Profeti (Ita) |
+2h00'24" |
22 |
Stefano Faustini (Ita) |
+41'33" |
64 |
Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) |
+2h02'10" |
23 |
Vladislav Bobrik (Rus) |
+41'53" |
65 |
Carlo Finco (Ita) |
+2h05'06" |
24 |
Francesco Secchiari (Ita) |
+42'28" |
66 |
Mirko Gualdi (Ita) |
+2h06'06" |
25 |
Wladimir Belli (Ita) |
+42'48" |
67 |
Stefano Cattai (Ita) |
+2h07'03" |
26 |
Fabrice Gougot (Fra) |
+44'41" |
68 |
Davide Bramati (Ita) |
+2h08'34" |
27 |
Herman Buenahora (Col) |
+47'26" |
69 |
Ermanno Brignoli (Ita) |
+2h10'08" |
28 |
Laurent Roux (Fra) |
+49'14" |
70 |
Marco Serpellini (Ita) |
+2h10'33" |
29 |
Roberto Conti (Ita) |
+50'28" |
71 |
Filippo Casagrande (Ita) |
+2h10'44" |
30 |
Davide Rebellin (Ita) |
+50'48" |
72 |
Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) |
+2h12'37" |
31 |
Marco Magnani (Ita) |
+51'17" |
73 |
Luca Mazzanti (Ita) |
+2h13'01" |
32 |
Massimo Codol (Ita) |
+54'26" |
74 |
Maurizio De Pasquale (Ita) |
+2h13'01" |
33 |
Amilcare Tronca (Ita) |
+57'25" |
75 |
Michele Coppolillo (Ita) |
+2h13'48" |
34 |
Luc Leblanc (Fra) |
+58'41" |
76 |
Luca Gelfi (Ita) |
+2h13'52" |
35 |
Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
+1h01'33" |
77 |
Gianmatteo Fagnini (Ita) |
+2h13'58" |
36 |
Pavel Padrnos (Cze) |
+1h03'09" |
78 |
Angelo Canzonieri (Ita) |
+2h14'15" |
37 |
Felix Garcia (Spa) |
+1h04'25" |
79 |
Frederic Bessy (Fra) |
+2h15'24" |
38 |
Nicklas Axelsson (Swe) |
+1h05'28" |
80 |
Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) |
+2h24'16" |
39 |
Felice Puttini (Sui) |
+1h09'00" |
81 |
Andrea Patuelli (Ita) |
+2h25'44" |
40 |
Piotr Ugrumov (Rus) |
+1h09'24" |
82 |
Stefano Finesso (Ita) |
+2h28'53" |
41 |
Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) |
+1h09'25" |
83 |
Marco Della-Vedova (Ita) |
+2h31'37" |
42 |
Dario Frigo (Ita) |
+1h09'38" |
84 |
David Lefevre (Fra) |
+2h32'00" |
43 |
Marcello Siboni (Ita) |
+1h12'21" |
85 |
Rolf Jaermann (Sui) |
+2h32'49" |
44 |
Alexandre Shefer (Kaz) |
+1h13'31" |
86 |
Andrea Brognara (Ita) |
+2h39'59" |
45 |
Juan-Carlos Dominguez (Spa) |
+1h15'43" |
87 |
Andrea Vatteroni (Ita) |
+2h42'52" |
46 |
Nicola Loda (Ita) |
+1h23'51" |
88 |
Martin Hvastija (Slo) |
+2h45'19" |
47 |
Leonardo Calzavara (Ita) |
+1h24'03" |
89 |
David Tani (Ita) |
+2h50'30" |
48 |
Armin Meier (Sui) |
+1h26'04" |
90 |
Vladimir Duma (Ukr) |
+2h55'52" |
49 |
Fabian Jeker (Sui) |
+1h30'05" |
91 |
Massimo Strazzer (Ita) |
+3h07'18" |
50 |
Gianni Bugno (Ita) |
+1h35'00" |
92 |
Marco Saligari (Ita) |
+3h09'15" |
51 |
Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) |
+1h35'06" |
93 |
Giuseppe Calcaterra (Ita) |
+3h09'55" |
52 |
Gabriele Colombo (Ita) |
+1h35'35" |
94 |
Marco-Antonio Di Renzo (Ita) |
+3h14'08" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Marco PANTANI (Ita) |
Mercatone Uno-Bianchi |
89 |
2 |
‘Chepe’ Gonzales (Col) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
62 |
3 |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Mapei-Bricobi |
49 |
4 |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Festina-Lotus |
37 |
5 |
Paolo Bettini (Ita) |
Asics-CGA |
30 |
6 |
Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) |
Team Polti |
23 |
7 |
Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
Brescialat-Liquigas |
22 |
8 |
Andrea Noe (Ita) |
Asics-CGA |
17 |
9 |
Leonardo Calzavara (Ita) |
Vini Caldirola-Sidermec |
15 |
10 |
Herman Buenahora (Col) |
Vitalicio Seguros |
10 |
Final Points Classification |
Rank |
Rider |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Mariano PICCOLI (Ita) |
Brescialat-Liquigas |
194 |
2 |
Marco Pantani (Ita) |
Mercatone Uno-Bianchi |
158 |
3 |
Gian-Matteo Fagnini (Ita) |
Saeco-Cannondale |
156 |
4 |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Mapei-Bricobi |
140 |
5 |
Alex Zülle (SUI) |
Festina-Lotus |
117 |
6 |
Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) |
Team Polti |
107 |
7 |
Nicola Loda (Ita) |
Ballan |
90 |
8 |
Massimo Strazzer (Ita) |
Cantina Tollo-Alexia Alluminio |
76 |
9 |
Davide Rebellin (Ita) |
Team Polti |
72 |
10 |
Oscar Camenzind (Sui) |
Mapei-Bricobi |
70 |
GdI 1999
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