Giro d'Italia
The 90°Giro d'Italia logo |
|
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | May–June |
| Region | Italy and nearby countries |
| English name | Tour of Italy |
| Local name(s) | Giro d'Italia (Italian) |
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition | UCI World Tour |
| Type | Grand Tour |
| Organiser | RCS Sport |
| History | |
| First edition | 1909 |
| Editions | 94 (as of 2011) |
| First winner | Luigi Ganna (ITA) |
| Most wins | 5 wins |
| Most recent | Alberto Contador (ESP) |
The Giro d'Italia (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdʒiːro diˈtaːlja]; English: Tour of Italy), also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours (the others being the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España), and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. It is the second most prominent stage race in the world (after the Tour), and along with the Tour and the Road World Cycling Championship it makes up the Triple Crown of Cycling.[1]
Contents |
History
1908–1909: The Creation and First Edition
The origin of the Giro d'Italia is similar to that of the Tour de France. It began because of a competition between two newspapers, La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere della Sera. La Gazzetta dello Sporta wished to boost its circulation by holding a professional road race, like the Tour de France. Corriere della Sera wanted to increase its circulation by holding an organized car rally. On 7 August 1908 the newspaper's founder Eugenio Camillo Costamagna, director Armando Cougnet, and its editor Tullio Morgagni announced the inaugural Giro d'Italia to be held in 1909. Corriere della Sera offered a winners bonus of 3,000 lire.
On 13 May 1909 at 02:53 am 127 riders started the first Giro d'Italia, which took place from Loreto Place in Milan. The race was split into eight stages covering 2448 kilometres. A total of 49 riders finished, with Italian Luigi Ganna winning the inaugural event. Ganna won three individual stages and the General Classification. Ganna received 5325 Lira as a winner’s prize, with all riders in the classification receiving 300 lira (at the time the Giro's director received 150 lira a month salary).
1910–1924: Italian Confirmation
During this period (and until 1950 with the victory of the Swiss Hugo Koblet), the ranking of the Giro was exclusively Italian. Regarding stage victories, Stage 2 of the 1910 Giro d'Italia was the first to see a non-Italian win, Jean-Baptiste Dortignacq, from France, was the first non-Italian to win a stage in the Giro d'Italia. In 1912, the ranking was done by teams and again saw the Italians win, this time with team Atala (best team already in 1910). Of the 107 stages of the first 11 routes, 102 of the stages were won by Italian riders. It was in 1919, when the first non-Italian made it on to the podium in the Giro. A Belgian, Marcel Buysse, placed third overall in the General Classification in the 1919 edition of the Giro. Two firsts also occurred during this period: in 1911 Carlo Galetti became the first rider to win two consecutive Giros. Galetti won the Giro d'Italia in 1910 and 1911. Galetti was also a member of Team Atala, when the won the Giro d'Italia in 1912. The 1911 Giro d'Italia was the first Giro d'Italia to not start or finish in Milan. Rome was given the privilege to host the start and finish of the Giro, in order to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the unification of Italy.
1925–1935: The Binda Age
Nicknamed the sitting climber", Alfredo Binda, won his first Giro d'Italia in 1925. Binda won the sixth stage of the 1925 Giro when he was only 23 years old. The following year, 1926, Binda won six stages out of the twelve possible, but he ended up losing to Giovanni Brunero. Brunero placed third overall in the 1925 Giro. By winning the 1926 edition of the race, Brunero became the first rider to win three Giro d'Italias.
Alfredo Binda took his revenge by winning the 1927 Giro. He dominated the field by winning twelve out of the fifteen stages that composed the race that year. Binda's record of twelve stage wins in a single Giro d'Italia is still intact to this day. Giovanni Brunero claimed second place overall, finishing the Giro more than 27 minutes behind Binda. As Costante Girardengo did in 1919, Binda was the leader of the Giro d'Italia from the first stage to the last stage of the race. Binda also won the first Men's Road Race at the 1927 Road World Championships and the Giro d'Italia in the same year.
In 1928 Alfredo Binda was untouchable and won his third edition of the Giro. That victory tied him with Giovanni Brunero for the most overall victories of the Giro d'Italia, each had three tour victories to their name. Binda won six out of the twelve stages that composed the race. The eighth stage was won by his brother, and teammate, Albino Binda. The 1928 edition of the Giro d'Italia was also the one that gathered the largest number of participants, 298 started the race. The following year, 1929, Binda became the first rider to win his fourth Giro d'Italias. During the 1929 Giro, Binda won a total of eight consecutive stages en route to his fourth overall victory. Domenico Piemontesi finished second overall that year, with almost four more minutes of racing than Binda. Three other riders finished with a total time within ten minutes of Binda's.
In 1930, the race organizers paid Alfredo Binda, winner of three consecutive Giro d'Italias, 22,500 lire to not participate in the race. Binda accepted the race organizers' offer and did not compete. Luigi Marchisio took advantage of Binda's absence and won the Giro. By winning, he became the youngest rider to ever win the Giro d'Italia. Marchisio was 21 years old when he won the 1930 Giro d'Italia. His record was later eclipsed by the winner of the 1940 Giro d'Italia, Fausto Coppi. Binda consoled himself that year by winning his second title of World Champion and two stages in the 1930 Tour de France.
He returned to 1931 for the 20th edition of the Giro. This edition was particularly marked by the appearance of pink jersey (Maglia rosa) that is given to the overall leader. Its colour was the same as the newspaper that sponsored the race, La Gazzetta dello Sport. The Italian Learco Guerra, winner of the 1st stage of the Giro was the first to wear it. Guerra won a total of four stages in the 1931 Giro d'Italia. For his return on Italian roads, Alfredo Binda won and took the pink jersey by winning the third and fourth stages. Binda lost the pink jersey after the end of the sixth stage. Binda suffered a fall in the vicinity of Racecourse Villa Glori in Stage 7, that linked Rome and Perugia. The injuries sustained from the crash forced him to abandon the day after. Francesco Camusso, the winner of the eleventh stage, became the first rider in history to wear the Giro's pink jersey in Milan.
The 1932 Giro was a disappointment for Binda. He finished in seventh place overall, finishing 19 minutes behind the winner, Antonio Pesenti, winner of the event, which ends at 4 instead of the 1932 Tour de France the same year. Hermann Buse, winner of the second stage became the first non-Italian to take the pink jersey, he lost it after the seventh stage to Pesenti.
1933 marked a turning point for the Giro with the appearance of King of the Mountains Classification and the first individual time trial (ITT). The first individual time trial took place on the thirteenth stage, between Bologna and Ferrara at a distance of 62 km long. The time trial was won by Alfredo Binda. In addition, the Giro consisted of seventeen stages, it typically was composed of twelve stages per Giro, closing in the format "Grand Tour" today. Unlike the previous year, the Giro was dominated again by Alfredo Binda, who returned to top form by winning the overall, King of the Mountains Classification, and six stages from 13 days in rose. This victory was Binda's fifth overall victory of the Giro d'Italia, a record that still stands today. His record of five victories has since been reached by Eddy Merckx and Fausto Coppi.
Alfredo Binda returned a favorite to the 1934 Giro d'Italia, but again, he was forced to withdraw due to injuries sustained from a crash. This time Binda was forced to retire during the sixth stage after a nasty fall. Binda was wounded by a pedal on his bicycle and he was then hit by a motorcycle Police.[2] This 22nd edition was dominated by Learco Guerra called the locomotive won the General Classification, along with ten of the seventeen stages that made up the 1934 Giro d'Italia. However, Francesco Camusso finished second just 51 seconds behind Guerra. Camusso lost the pink jersey during the fourteenth stage, which was an individual time trial.
The 1935 Giro d'Italia was the last for Alfredo Binda at the age of 32 years. This Giro was also the first Giro d'Italia for twenty year old, Gino Bartali, who would soon make a big name for himself in the world of cycling. Binda finished the Giro in sixteenth place, finishing 31 minutes behind the winner, Vasco Bergamaschi. Bergamaschi won two stages en route to his overall victory. The young Bartali won the sixth stage and the King of the Mountains Classification. The succession of Binda remains to establish the approach of the edition of 1936. Binda would go down in history as the Giro's first rider to win five Giro d'Italia's (a record since equaled but never broken), and also by winning 41 stages of the Giro. Mario Cipollini has been the only one to surpass Binda's record of 41 stage wins, Cipollini won a record total of 42 stage wins of the Giro during his career.
1936–1953: The Bartali-Coppi Dual
In 1936, the hierarchy had to be rebuilt, after the departure of Alfredo Binda. Learco Guerra winner of the 1934 edition, abandoned the race after breaking his arm. Gino Bartali won a total of three stages to help secure his victory in the 1936 Giro. Bartali won at age of 21, his first Giro d'Italia and his second King of the Mountains Classification in a row.
Bartali repeated by winning both classifications in the 1937 Giro d'Italia. The 1937 Giro d'Italia was the first composed of 23 stages for a total of 3840 km and the first to use the roads of the Dolomite[3] which made the reputation of the Giro, the Passo di Costalunga and Passo Rolle. Gino Bartali crossed in front and won the big mountain stage of the Dolomite.
The following year, 1938, Bartali did not participate in the Giro, in order to focus on Tour de France. A fellow Italian, Giovanni Valetti, won the Giro in 1938.
In the 1939 Giro d'Italia, Gino Bartali and Giovanni Valetti competed on the road. Both riders won a total of four stages. Valetti won the Giro by winning a critical Stage 16. The decisive stage victory gave him the lead and the pink jersey. The climbs of the Passo Pordoi and Falzarego are also emerged in mind, both climbed by Bartali[3] 100.
In 1940 Bartali surrounded himself in his team Legnano, containing a young 20 year old Italian, Fausto Coppi. Coppi took advantage of the fall of his team leader, Bartali, by showing his power and shining in the eleventh stage. Coppi's performance on the stage informed the general public of his ability. Coppi made the difference over his rivals, on the rise of Abletone and after 100 km the stage win moved allowed him to take the pink jersey.[4] Despite two stage wins in Stage 17 and 19, Bartali was not able to retake the lead. With Coppi taking the overall victory, Bartali consoled himself by winning the King of the Mountains Classification.
World War II interrupted the running of the Giro d'Italia between the years of 1941 and 1945, thus curbing the ambitions of Gino Bartali to equal the record number of victories by Alfredo Binda. Fausto Coppi was mobilized on the forehead, in Tunisia, and Bartali moved to Vatican alongside Pope Pius XII.[5]
After 5 years of waiting, the Giro resumed in 1946, on the roads that were devastated by war. The Coppi-Bartali Rivalry divided Italy: the first, known as Gino the Pious, was the favorite of the Christian Democrats while the latter, Coppi, was revered by the left and progressives. The epic duel saw the victory of Bartali with only 47 seconds ahead of his rival, Coppi. This edition of the Giro d'Italia was also marked by clashes between activists in favor of the annexation of Trieste to Yugoslavia and Italian police disrupt the stages of the Giro.
Fausto Coppi took his revenge, on Gino Bartali, the following year by winning the 1947 Giro d'Italia.
In 1948 Fausto Coppi was ahead of Gino Bartali in the Dolomites but withdrew from the Giro, along with his team after the 17th stage result. It was suspected by the team of Coppi, to have received improper assistance while on a mountain. Juries inflicted a two minute penalty. However, for Coppi and his team, it was not enough, outraged, they withdrew from the Giro d'Italia leaving the victory to Fiorenzo Magni. Magni won the Giro by only 11 seconds over Ezio Cecchi, thus forming the smallest gap ever recorded in the Giro's history.[6]
Fausto Coppi returned to his best form in 1949, where he won his third Giro d'Italia equalizing his rival, Gino Bartali. He shined especially during the 17th stage, where he crossed the Col de Larche, the Col de Vars, the Col d'Izoard, the Col de Montgenevre, and the Sestriere during a solo breakaway. That distance amounted to more than 190 miles of escape. Coppi finished the stage with nearly 12 minutes on Bartali.[4] The Italian writer Dino Buzzati then special envoy of the Corriere della Sera wrote about the victory of Coppi:
| “ | There is something moving in this slender young man who rides the mountains, one after another, with nothing but the beating of his heart. | ” |
The 1950 Giro d'Italia was the first Giro d'Italia to be won by a non-Italian, it was won by the Swiss cyclist, Hugo Koblet (nicknamed "the charming peddler"). Koblet beat out Gino Bartali for the overall victory of the Giro. Fausto Coppi suffered a fall during the 9th stage, he sustained a fractured pelvis. The injury deprived him of any chance of victory.[8]
Fiorenzo Magni won his second Giro d'Italia in 1951, beating out the likes of Rik Van Steenbergen for the overall victory. Fausto Coppi returned returned to glory, in 1952 and 1953, by winning his fourth and fifth Giro d'Italia (especially in challenging Hugo Koblet in the snowy peaks of the Stelvio in 1959). Coppi's fifth victory in 1953 tied him with Alfredo Binda, for the most Giro d'Italia victories. The 1952 Giro d'Italia was saddened by the death of Italian rider Orfeo Ponsin who crashed against a tree in the fourth stage as he approached a bend.[9]
1954–1967: The Italian Reign Challenged
Two Swiss riders took first and second place at the 37th Giro, with Carlo Clerici taking first and Hugo Koblet placing second. This edition was marred by a strike by riders during the 21st stage, between Bolzano and St. Moritz. The strike transformed the stage into a 222 km walk 10 hours.[10] This was Gino Bartali's last Giro d'Italia. Bartali ended up taking thirteenth place overall. He left the Giro with 3 pink jerseys, 7 King of the Mountains Classifications victorys, and 17 stages wins.
Fiorenzo Magni won his third Giro d'Italia in 1955, finishing only 13 seconds ahead of Coppi. Coppi died in 1960, the end of an era. In this edition, Raphael Géminiani became the first French rider to don the pink jersey.
The Luxembourgian Charly Gaul made a bang while at the 1956 edition of the Giro. Far behind in the General Classification, in the evening of the 18th stage; he was 24th overall, and more than 16 minutes behind the leader. He went on the attack in the twentieth stage between Merano and Monte Bondone. After a start in the rain, snow made an appearance along with the temperature approaching −10 °C (14 °F). Over 60 riders left the race, including the rider with the pink jersey, Pasquale Fornara.[11] Gaul won at the top of the Monte Bondone with more than 8 minutes ahead of the second placed rider on the stage, but Gaul not have the strength to lift his arms. He was taken to hospital where he retired, his jersey still stuck to his skin. This stage victory allowed him to take the pink jersey to Milan, the end of the 1956 Giro. The feat accomplished by the Luxembourg during this stage is considered by some as one of the biggest in the history of cycling. Jacques Goddet wrote the following day:
| “ | Charly Gaul won the victory more comprehensive than the cyclist has achieved in one day ... It is a feat unprecedented in modern cycling. This echoes the character of the mountain stages of prehistoric times. He took it to the celestial cataclysm, but also the class very rare and very special ... the small Luxembourg | ” |
In 1957, French Louison Bobet missed becoming the first French to win the Giro d'Italia. He finished with just 19 more racing seconds than Gastone Nencini. Nencini had been carrying the pink jersey for 8 stages. However, Raphael Géminiani nicknamed "the big gun" won his second King of the Mountains Classification. This edition was marked by an anecdote that was fraught with consequences for Charly Gaul. Indeed, from the 18th stage, he was leading with 56 seconds ahead of Nencini and 1 minutes 17 seconds ahead of Louison Bobet. After 102 km of racing, Gaul stopped on the roadside to urinate; that moment Louison Bobet, Nencini, and Miguel Poblet attacked. Gaul came in furious, placing thirtieth position with a delay of 10 minutes.
The 1958 Giro was won by Ercole Baldini aka "The engine of Forlì" then at the height of his career, in fact, he was crowned the same year Road World Champion, as well as Italian Road Race Champion. This 41st edition was also the last edition in which Fausto Coppi copmeted in before dying two years later.
Charly Gaul was back in the 1959, he won the Giro for the second time in his career. In addition to winning the pink jersey, Gaul also won the maglia verde for the King of the Mountains Classification. Gaul's victory was cemented on the rise of Col du Petit Saint-Bernard at the penultimate stage between Aosta and Courmayeur. Gaul would win the stage, finishing 10 minutes ahead of his competitors, including Jacques Anquetil. Anquetil was the overall leader before the end of the 21st stage of the race.
The 1960 Giro d'Italia was the first Giro to be won by a Frenchman. Jacques Anquetil was the first French cyclist to win the Giro d'Italia. He finished only 28 seconds ahead of Gastone Nencini.
Arnaldo Pambianco was the surprise winner of the 1961 Giro d'Italia. With a record almost clear, he won the Giro in front of Jacques Anquetil, Antonio Suárez, and Charly Gaul. With a breakaway during the 14th in stage difficult climatic conditions, Pambianco took the overall lead in the race. Despite the back of the favorites in the mountains including the rise of Stelvio Pass, he would retain the advantage until the arrival of Milan, thus winning the Giro.
The 1962 edition of the Giro d’Italia was won by Franco Balmamion. This edition was also marked by severe weather conditions. The fourteenth stage was shortened following a violent storm which prevented the rise of the last two mountain passes, and forced the management of the race to try the finish on top of the Passo Rolle. This stage also saw the of the abandonment of 57 riders, which was rare in cycling. However, it was the sixteenth stage was won by Angelino Soler, King of the Mountains Classification winner in 1962, that was decisive. Franco Balmamion finished second on the stage, just 1 minute 30 behind Soler. Balmamion made a big recovery in the overall standings, would allow him wear the pink jersey the next day and keep it up to Milan.
Franco Balmamion repeated his performance in the Giro, by winning his second Giro next year, thanks to his consistency and cycling talent. However, it was Vito Taccone, who marked the spirits during this 46th edition by being unstoppable in the mountain stages. Taccone won the green jersey by spending in the lead for 12 of 17 mountain passes for points where the King of the Mountains Classification points were distributed. He also won 5 stages, including 4 consecutively.
Jacques Anquetil absent from last year's Giro, in 1963, but he was back in 1964. Anquetil was untouchable by wearing the pink jersey for 18 stages, winning his second Giro d‘Italia. He also won the Tour de France in the same year, completing the rare Giro-Tour double.
The 1965 Giro d'Italia was won by Vittorio Adorni. This victory came during a difficult season for him, he finished second in the Milan-San Remo, the Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and in the Italian National Road Race. He built his victory in the time-trial during the 13th stage along the 58 km route, and won it. This was the first year the Cima Coppi was introduced to the Giro d'Italia, the Cima Coppi is the highest point the Giro d'Italia crosses each year. The first Cima Coppi was the Passo dello Stelvio. The climb was shortened by 800m, because of an avalanche. The first rider to cross the Stelvio was Graziano Battistini.
The edition of 1966, was won by Gianni Motta. This edition was marked by the appearance of the Points Classification, which was also won by Gianni Motta. Motta, thus became the first to achieve a double of that kind. Italo Zilioli finished the Giro for the third consecutive time, in second place. Zilioli never won the Giro.
The 1967 Giro d'Italia was the first of the young Belgian rider, Eddy Merckx. Merckx won the twelfth and fourteenth stages of this edition. Felice Gimondi won the nineteenth stage on the top stage of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, before Eddy Merckx and Gianni Motta. The stage was canceled because many riders took advantage of repeated supporters, who helped cyclists push up the hill under heavy snowfall. Gimondi, who should have taken the pink jersey at the end of this stage, threatened to quit. However, he continued to race, and won his first of three Giros, after an epic duel with Jacques Anquetil on the Passo del Tonale Passo and dell'Aprica.
Classifications
Whereas the overall leader of the Tour de France is awarded a yellow jersey (originally to correspond with L'Auto 's yellow pages), since 1931 the leader of the general classification in the Giro sports the maglia rosa (pink jersey), which corresponds with newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport 's pink newsprint. The leader of the mountains classification wears the maglia verde (green jersey). The leader of the points classification used to wear the maglia ciclamino (mauve jersey) but from 2010 wears the Maglia Rosso Passione (red jersey). The best young rider wears the maglia bianca (white jersey).
Italian Felice Gimondi holds the record for the most podium finishes: nine in total, consisting of three victories, two second places and four third place finishes.
In the 1940s, there also was a black jersey, for the cyclist who was last in the general classification.
General classification
The maglia rosa, or pink jersey, is worn each day by the cyclist with the fastest overall time up to that point of the Giro. The rider wearing the jersey may change from day to day, but given the glory and extra exposure for the team, individual and sponsor of the rider who holds the jersey, teams often make extra efforts to keep the jersey on the race leader from day to day. In fact, each team brings several pink jerseys to the race in case one of their riders becomes the leader. The cyclist with the lowest time at the end of the Giro's last stage wins the Giro. This is similar to the Yellow jersey used in the Tour de France.
- 5 wins: Alfredo Binda (1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1933), Fausto Coppi (1940, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953), Eddy Merckx (1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974)
- 3 wins: Giovanni Brunero (1921, 1922, 1926), Gino Bartali (1936, 1937, 1946), Fiorenzo Magni (1948, 1951, 1955), Felice Gimondi (1967, 1969, 1976), Bernard Hinault (1980, 1982, 1985)
Mountains classification
During mountain stages of the race, points are awarded to the rider who is first to reach the top of each significant climb. Points are also awarded for riders who closely follow the leader up each climb. The number of points awarded varies according to the hill classification, which is determined by the steepness and length of that particular hill. The green jersey is worn by the rider who, at the start of each stage, has the largest amount of climbing points. If a rider holds both the pink and green jerseys, the green jersey is worn by the rider in second place. At the end of the Giro, the rider holding the most climbing points wins the climbing competition. In fact, some riders, particularly those who are neither sprinters nor particularly good at time-trialing, may attempt only to win this particular competition within the race. This is a similar competition to the polka dot jersey award of the Tour de France, except that the Giro uses three categories for mountains while the Tour uses five. In the Giro, there are no Hors Catégorie or fourth-category ratings. Also, the Cima Coppi, the highest point reached in a particular Giro, is worth more points than the race's other first-category climbs.[12] In 2011, this classification was won by Stefano Garzelli.
- 7 wins: Gino Bartali
- 4 wins: José Manuel Fuente
- 3 wins: Claudio Chiappucci, Claudio Bortolotto, Franco Bitossi, Fausto Coppi
Points classification
Points are given to the rider who is first to reach the end of, or determined places during, any stage of the Giro. The red jersey is worn by the rider who at the start of each stage, has the largest amount of points. The rider whom at the end of the Giro, holds the most points, wins the points competition. This is a similar competition as the green jersey of the Tour de France, with one key difference. Whereas in the Tour de France flat stages award more points than climbing stages, in the Giro all stages award the same points on the same scale. The stage win awards 25 points, second place is worth 20 points, third 16, fourth 14, fifth 12, sixth 10, and one point less per place down the line, to a single point for fifteenth. The 2011 winner was Alberto Contador.
In addition, stages can have one or more intermediate sprints: 6, 4, and 2 points are awarded to the first three cyclists passing these lines. These points also count toward the TV classification (Traguardo Volante, or "flying sprint"), a separate award.
- 4 wins: Francesco Moser, Giuseppe Saronni
- 3 wins: Mario Cipollini, Roger De Vlaeminck, Johan Van der Velde
Youth Competition
The youth competition is a competition within the giro, celebrating young riders. The white jersey is given to the rider under the age of 25 who gets the highest ranking in the general classification. In 2011 it was won by Roman Kreuziger.
Where the Giro has started and ended
For nearly half a century, the Giro started and finished by Milan, the city where the headquarters of the Gazzetta dello Sport were located. Though with occasional exceptions, this has been the rule until 1960 that year, the place of departure is changed each time. For some periods (1965, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1981–1989) and the place of arrival has changed, but the 1990 was added to restore the traditional Milan, with a circuit to be repeated several times that serves as the final parade.
In 2009, to commemorate the centennial of the event, the arrival took place in Rome. The capital had already been place in the final round of the 1911 and 1950. The 2010 edition ended in Verona, as happened in editions 1981 and 1984.
The tour takes place mainly in Italy, but often are included departure or conclusion of stage abroad, especially in countries bordering or close like San Marino, France, Monaco, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. Some stages were held in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany (2002 and 2006), and Greece (1996).
Giro starts outside Italy
| Year[13] | Country | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | San Marino | |
| 1966 | Monaco | Monte Carlo |
| 1973 | Belgium | Verviers |
| 1974 | Vatican | |
| 1996 | Greece | Athens |
| 1998 | France | Nice |
| 2002 | Netherlands | Groningen |
| 2006 | Belgium | Seraing |
| 2010 | Netherlands | Amsterdam |
| 2012 | Denmark | Herning |
In 2012, the Giro will start abroad once again, in Denmark with stages in Herning (hometown of Bjarne Riis) and Horsens.[14]
Winners
Multiple winners
| Cyclist | Total | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Alfredo Binda (ITA) | 5 | 1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1933 |
| Fausto Coppi (ITA) | 5 | 1940, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953 |
| Eddy Merckx (BEL) | 5 | 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974 |
| Giovanni Brunero (ITA) | 3 | 1921, 1922, 1926 |
| Gino Bartali (ITA) | 3 | 1936, 1937, 1946 |
| Fiorenzo Magni (ITA) | 3 | 1948, 1951, 1955 |
| Felice Gimondi (ITA) | 3 | 1967, 1969, 1976 |
| Bernard Hinault (FRA) | 3 | 1980, 1982, 1985 |
| Carlo Galetti (ITA) | 2 | 1910, 1911 |
| Costante Girardengo (ITA) | 2 | 1919, 1923 |
| Giovanni Valetti (ITA) | 2 | 1938, 1939 |
| Charly Gaul (LUX) | 2 | 1956, 1959 |
| Jacques Anquetil (FRA) | 2 | 1960, 1964 |
| Franco Balmamion (ITA) | 2 | 1962, 1963 |
| Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) | 2 | 1979, 1983 |
| Miguel Indurain (ESP) | 2 | 1992, 1993 |
| Ivan Gotti (ITA) | 2 | 1997, 1999 |
| Gilberto Simoni (ITA) | 2 | 2001, 2003 |
| Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) | 2 | 2002, 2005 |
| Ivan Basso (ITA) | 2 | 2006, 2010 |
| Alberto Contador (ESP) | 2 | 2008, 2011 |
By country
| Country | Victories | First title | Last title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 66 | 1909 | 2010 |
| Belgium | 7 | 1968 | 1978 |
| France | 6 | 1960 | 1989 |
| Spain | 4 | 1992 | 2011 |
| Switzerland | 3 | 1950 | 1995 |
| Russia | 3 | 1994 | 2009 |
| Luxembourg | 2 | 1956 | 1959 |
| Sweden | 1 | 1971 | 1971 |
| Ireland | 1 | 1987 | 1987 |
| USA | 1 | 1988 | 1988 |
Stage wins
| Rank | Name | Country | Wins[16] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Cipollini | Italy | 42 |
| 2 | Alfredo Binda | Italy | 41 |
| 3 | Learco Guerra | Italy | 31 |
| 4 | Costante Girardengo | Italy | 30 |
| 5 | Eddy Merckx | Belgium | 25 |
| Alessandro Petacchi | Italy | 25 | |
| 7 | Giuseppe Saronni | Italy | 24 |
| 8 | Francesco Moser | Italy | 23 |
| 9 | Fausto Coppi | Italy | 22 |
| Roger De Vlaeminck | Belgium | 22 | |
| 11 | Franco Bitossi | Italy | 21 |
| 12 | Giuseppe Olmo | Italy | 20 |
| Miguel Poblet | Spain | 20 | |
| 14 | Gino Bartali | Italy | 17 |
| 15 | Guido Bontempi | Italy | 16 |
| 16 | Marino Basso | Italy | 15 |
| Raffaele Di Paco | Italy | 15 | |
| Urs Freuler | Switzerland | 15 | |
| Rik Van Steenbergen | Belgium | 15 | |
| 20 | Moreno Argentin | Italy | 13 |
| 21 | Rik Van Looy | Belgium | 12 |
| Robbie McEwen | Australia | 12 | |
| 23 | Charly Gaul | Luxembourg | 11 |
| Michele Dancelli | Italy | 11 | |
| Vittorio Adorni | Italy | 11 |
Records
- Most Giro d'Italia victories: 5 by Alfredo Binda, Fausto Coppi, and Eddy Merckx
- Most days in the maglia rosa: 76 by Eddy Merckx
- Most stage victories in one Giro d'Italia: 12 by Alfredo Binda in 1927
- Most consecutive stage victories: 8 by Alfredo Binda in the 1929 Giro d'Italia
- Smallest margin of victory: Fiorenzo Magni wins by 11 seconds over Ezio Cecchi in 1948
- Longest Giro d'Italia: 4,337 km in 1954
- Shortest Giro d'Italia: 2,245 km in 1909
- Fewest Competitors in one Giro d'Italia: 56 riders in 1912
- Most Competitors in one Giro d'Italia: 298 riders in 1928
- Fewest Finishers in one Giro d'Italia: 8 people finished in 1914
- Longest Breakaway: 222 km by Antonio Menendez in 1976
- Fastest Speed by Stage Winner: 126 km average 49 KPH by Miltono Ernesto Pridemore in 1981
- Youngest Rider to win the Giro d'Italia: Fausto Coppi in 1940 he was 20 years, 8 months and 25 days old
- Oldest Rider to win the Giro d'Italia: Fiorenzo Magni in 1955 he was 35 years old
- Youngest Rider to win a stage at the Giro d'Italia: Olimpio Bizzi in 1936 he was 19 years and 299 days old
- Oldest Rider to win a stage at the Giro d'Italia: Giovanni Rossignoli in 1920 he was 37 years old and 186 days old
- Shortest Road Stage: 55 km in 2002
- Shortest Time Trial Stage: 1.15 km in 2005
- Most times on the podium: Felice Gimondi 3 wins, 2-time second placed; 4-time third placed[15][17]
Stage towns
Some cities and towns have hosted 25 or more stage starts and finishes:
- Milan – 137
- Rome – 100
- Genoa – 85
- Turin – 85
- Naples – 79
- Florence – 59
- Bologna – 45
- Bari – 39
- Verona – 39
- Trieste – 39[15]
See also
References
- ^ http://www.kmenozzi.com/1/post/2011/5/13-facts-about-il-giro-ditalia.html
- ^ http://ouestfrance.cd-script.fr/opdf/1934/05/26/85/1934-05-26_85_07.pdf
- ^ a b "Le Giro a 100 ans". larousse.fr. http://www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie/article/Le_Giro_a_100_ans/11018987. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ a b "Il y a 50 ans, Fausto Coppi nous quittait". cyclismactu.net. http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-divers_il_y_a_50_ans__fausto_coppi_nous_quittait-4255.html. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ "Le Centenaire du Giro". SportVox.fr. http://www.sportvox.fr/article.php3?id_article=24691. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ "1948 Giro D'Italia". servinghistory.com. http://www.servinghistory.com/topics/1948_Giro_d%27Italia. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ "Tour d'Italie". larousse.fr. http://www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie/divers/Tour_dItalie/147186. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
- ^ "TOP 5 DES ÉTRANGERS VAINQUEURS DU GIRO". lequipemag.fr. http://www.lequipemag.fr/EquipeMag/Top5/top-5-des-etrangers-vainqueurs-du-giro-20090511_105634.html. Retrieved 16 Septembre 2010.
- ^ "Orfeo PONSIN". museociclismo.it. http://www.museociclismo.it/content/ciclisti/ciclista.php?type=team&da=3&tot=6&strparam=NTE2Mg==. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ "Le Tour d’Italie : la grande fête en rose". cyclismactu. http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-legende_le_tour_det_8217_italie___la_grande_fete_en_rose-5912.html. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
- ^ "Monte Bondone 56, l’Everest de Charly Gaul". SportVox. http://www.sportvox.fr/article.php3?id_article=27018. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
- ^ Laura Weislo (13 May 2008). "Giro d'Italia classifications demystified". Cycling News. http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/giro08/?id=/features/2008/giro_classifications08. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
- ^ http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/it/01-04-2011/giro-sempre-piu-globale-80690136930.shtml
- ^ AFP (24 May 2010). "2012 Giro d’Italia to start in Denmark, not Washington, D.C.". VeloNews.com. http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/04/news/2012-giro-ditalia-to-start-in-denmark-not-washington-d-c_166317. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "Giro d'Italia – Giro d'Italia: In numbers". Yahoo. 6 May 2011. p. 1. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/06052011/58/giro-d-italia-giro-d-italia-numbers.html. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ "87th Giro d'Italia: a bit of History". dailypeloton.com. http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=5226. Retrieved 29 October 2007.
- ^ "www.cyclingnews.com presents the 92nd Giro d'Italia". Autobus.cyclingnews.com. http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/giro09/?id=/features/2009/giro09_50facts. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
External links
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