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85th Giro d'Italia (GT)
Italy, May 11-June 2, 2002
2001 Results Preview Stage List Team list Past winners
Preview
By Jeff Jones
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The 2002 Giro d'Italia consists of a prologue plus 20 stages with two rest days, totaling 3334 kilometres, will make it the longest of the three grand tours in 2002. Not including the prologue, the race averages 166 kilometres per day, 2.1 kilometres per day less than last year. There will also be a similar number of mountain top finishes - three, and the race will feature more climbing.
The Giro starts in Groningen, Netherlands on May 11 with a 6.5 kilometre prologue. At the launch last year, the parcours for this stage was ridden by four former and current cyclists: Erik Breukink, Claudio Chiappucci, Erik Dekker and Niels Scheuneman, and the whole event covered on Dutch TV. It's only the seventh time in the Giro's history that the race has started outside Italy, the reason being to celebrate the general introduction of the single currency of the European Union, the Euro.
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The Giro will pass through the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France before entering Italian soil on May 17 (Stage 5). These early stages will be suited to the sprinters, with the first hilly stage coming on Stage 6, May 18 from Cuneo to Varazze, including the Bric Berton and the Sassello climbs.
The seventh stage is a relatively short circuit (159 km) around Versilia, and this is followed by the longest stage, 224 kilometres from Capannori to Orvieto. Two more flat stages follow before the first mountain finish on stage 11 from Banevento to Campitello Matese. The riders will race through the Appennines after that, before the second rest day on May 27, which follows Stage 14. Held in Numana, that stage is the first of two time trials, and 20 kilometres of it is climbing.
Stage 15 from Terme Euganee to Conegliano is 158 kilometres, and will again be suited to the sprinters. The 16th stage is going to be tough: 159 kilometres from Conegliano-Corvara in Badia, including the Fedaia, Pordoi (Cima Coppi), Campolongo, finishing at Corvara.
There will be little time to recover from this with the 17th stage from Corvara to Folgaria, which Maurizio Fondriest regards as "the hardest stage of the Giro." It goes over the Bondone and up the hard side of Santa Barbara, which is a very steep, tough climb before finishing with the ascent of Folgaria. The stage is also 222 kilometres long, the second longest of the tour.
The sprinters get a couple more chances after this, with Stage 18 from Rovereto to Brescia and Stage 20, the finale in Milan. The penultimate stage may be a crucial one too - a 44 kilometre time trial from Cambiago to Monticello Brianza, depending on how big a lead the wearer of the maglia rosa at this stage has.
Reactions
Gilberto Simoni
"I thought it would be a tougher Giro."
Francesco Casagrande
"The Giro will return as my objective of the first phase of the season. The last four stages, until the time trial of Monticello Brianza, will be deciding."
Dario Frigo
"For me it will be the Giro of redemption."
Marco Pantani
"A beautiful Giro, not too hard, something for all. The organizers have presented some beautiful climbs."
Mario Cipollini
"The race is adapted for different riders, the climbs that is. It seems balanced enough to me for everyone. Sitting here now, the climbers will say that it will be easy, but we will then have to see how they go on the road. There are also good possibilities for the sprinters, like me."
Daniele Nardello
"The route traces that of the past year and it is opened to everyone."
Paolo Bettini
"This Giro appeals to me. I am still not sure of my participation. Pantani said that it is lacking in climbs, but Il Pirata is never content. For we normal riders this is a tough Giro."
Danilo Di Luca
"I prepare as normal and I will not think of the classification. For that, my captain Gilberto Simoni will be aiming for. Next year I will be aiming for the one day classics."
Franco Ballerini
"It is a very nice Giro, perhaps a little easier than the past two editions but always difficult. It is not for the pure climbers. In my opinion Garzelli and Frigo have good chances, as they are more suited. If Pantani is in good shape and things go his way then anything could happen."
Beppi Conti
"It looks quite different from the last few editions. There are no major historical climbs."
Past winners
Year Maglia Rosa Second Third 2001 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Abraham Olano (Spa) Unai Osa (Spa) 2000 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Gilberto Simoni (Ita) 1999 Ivan Gotti (Ita) Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Gilberto Simoni (Ita) 1998 Marco Pantani (Ita) Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) 1997 Ivan Gotti (Ita) Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) 1996 Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Enrico Zaina (Ita) Abraham Olano (Spa) 1995 Tony Rominger (Swi) Evgeni Berzin (Rus) Piotr Ugrumov (Rus) 1994 Evgeni Berzin (Rus) Marco Pantani (Ita) Miguel Indurain (Spa) 1993 Miguel Indurain (Spa) Piotr Ugrumov (Lat) Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) 1992 Miguel Indurain (Spa) Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) Franco Chioccioli (Ita) 1991 Franco Chioccioli (Ita) Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) Massimiliano Lelli (Ita) 1990 Gianni Bugno (Ita) Charles Mottet (Fra) Marco Giovannetti (Ita) 1989 Laurent Fignon (Fra) Flavio Giupponi (Ita) Andrew Hampsten (USA) 1988 Andrew Hampsten (USA) Erik Breukink (Ned) Urs Zimmermann (Swi) 1987 Stephen Roche (Irl) Robert Millar (Sco) Erik Breukink (Ned) 1986 Roberto Visentini (Ita) Giuseppe Saronni (Ita) Francesco Moser (Ita) 1985 Bernard Hinault (Fra) Francesco Moser (Ita) Greg Lemond (USA) 1984 Francesco Moser (Ita) Laurent Fignon (Fra) Moreno Argentin (Ita) 1983 Giuseppe Saronni (Ita) Roberto Visentini (Ita) Alberto Fernandez (Spa) 1982 Bernard Hinault (Fra) Tommy Prim (Swe) Silvano Contini (Ita) 1981 Giovanni Battaglin (Ita) Tommy Prim (Swe) Giuseppe Saronni (Ita) 1980 Bernard Hinault (Fra) Wladimiro Panizza (Ita) Giovanni Battaglin (Ita) 1979 Giuseppe Saronni (Ita) Francesco Moser (Ita) Bernt Johansson (Swe) 1978 Johan De Muynck (Bel) G. Baronchelli (Ita) Francesco Moser (Ita) 1977 Michel Pollentier (Bel) Francesco Moser (Ita) G. Baronchelli (Ita) 1976 Felice Gimondi (Ita) Johan De Muynck (Bel) Fausto Bertoglio (Ita) 1975 Fausto Bertoglio (Ita) Francisco Galdos (Spa) Felice Gimondi (Ita) 1974 Eddy Merckx (Bel) G. Baronchelli (Ita) Felice Gimondi (Ita) 1973 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Felice Gimondi (Ita) Giovanni Battaglin (Ita) 1972 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Jose Manuel Fuente (Spa) Francisco Galdos (Spa) 1971 Gosta Pettersson (Swe) Herman Van Springel (Bel) Ugo Colombo (Ita) 1970 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Felice Gimondi (Ita) Martin Vandenbossche (Bel) 1969 Felice Gimondi (Ita) Claudio Michelotto (Ita) Italo Zilioli (Ita) 1968 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Vittorio Adorni (Ita) Felice Gimondi (Ita) 1967 Felice Gimondi (Ita) Franco Balmamion (Ita) Jacques Anquetil (Fra) 1966 Gianni Motta (Ita) Italo Zilioli (Ita) Jacques Anquetil (Fra) 1965 Vittorio Adorni (Ita) Italo Zilioli (Ita) Felice Gimondi (Ita) 1964 Jacques Anquetil (Fra) Italo Zilioli (Ita) Guido De Rosso (Ita) 1963 Franco Balmamion (Ita) Vittorio Adorni (Ita) Giorgio Zancanaro (Ita) 1962 Franco Balmamion (Ita) Imerio Massignan (Ita) Nino Defilippis (Ita) 1961 Arnaldo Pambianco (Ita) Jacques Anquetil (Fra) Antonio Suarez (Spa) 1960 Jacques Anquetil (Fra) Gastone Nencini (Ita) Charly Gaul (Lux) 1959 Charly Gaul (Lux) Jacques Anquetil (Fra) Diego Ronchini (Ita) 1958 Ercole Baldini (Ita) Jean Brankart (Bel) Charly Gaul (Lux) 1957 Gastone Nencini (Ita) Louison Bobet (Fra) Ercole Baldini (Ita) 1956 Charly Gaul (Lux) Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) Agostino Coletto (Ita) 1955 Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) Fausto Coppi (Ita) Gastone Nencini (Ita) 1954 Carlo Clerici (Swi) Hugo Koblet (Swi) Nino Assirelli (Ita) 1953 Fausto Coppi (Ita) Hugo Koblet (Swi) Pasquale Fornara (Ita) 1952 Fausto Coppi (Ita) Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) Ferdy Kubler (Swi) 1951 Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) Ferdy Kubler (Swo) 1950 Hugo Koblet (Swi) Gino Bartali (Ita) Alfredo Martini (Ita) 1949 Fausto Coppi (Ita) Gino Bartali (Ita) Giordano Cottur (Ita) 1948 Fiorenzo Magni (Ita) Ezio Cecchi (Ita) Giordano Cottur (Ita) 1947 Fausto Coppi (Ita) Gino Bartali (Ita) Giulio Bresci (Ita) 1946 Gino Bartali (Ita) Fausto Coppi (Ita) Vito Ortelli (Ita) 1940 Fausto Coppi (Ita) Enrico Mollo (Ita) Giordano Cottur (Ita) 1939 Giovanni Valetti (Ita) Gino Bartali (Ita) Mario Vicini (Ita) 1938 Giovanni Valetti (Ita) Ezio Cecchi (Ita) Severino Canavesi (Ita) 1937 Gino Bartali (Ita) Giovanni Valetti (Ita) Enrico Mollo (Ita) 1936 Gino Bartali (Ita) Giuseppe Olmo (Ita) Severino Canavesi (Ita) 1935 Vasco Bergamaschi (Ita) Giuseppe Martano (Ita) Giuseppe Olmo (Ita) 1934 Learco Guerra (Ita) Francesco Camusso (Ita) Giovanni Cazzulani (Ita) 1933 Alfredo Binda (Ita) Jef Demuysere (Bel) Domenico Piemontesi (Ita) 1932 Antonio Pesenti (Ita) Jef Demuysere (Bel) Remo Bertoni (Ita) 1931 Francesco Camusso (Ita) Luigi Giacobbe (Ita) Luigi Marchisio (Ita) 1930 Luigi Marchisio (Ita) Luigi Giacobbe (Ita) Allegro Grandi (Ita) 1929 Alfredo Binda (Ita) Domenico Piemontesi (Ita) Leonida Frascarelli (Ita) 1928 Alfredo Binda (Ita) Giuseppe Pancera (Ita) Bartolomeo Aymo (Ita) 1927 Alfredo Binda (Ita) Giovanni Brunero (Ita) Antonio Negrini (Ita) 1926 Giovanni Brunero (Ita) Alfredo Binda (Ita) Arturo Bresciani (Ita) 1925 Alfredo Binda (Ita) Costante Girardengo (Ita) Giovanni Brunero (Ita) 1924 Giuseppe Enrici (Ita) Federico Gay (Ita) Angiolo Gabrielli (Ita) 1923 Costante Girardengo (Ita) Giovanni Brunero (Ita) Bartolomeo Aymo (Ita) 1922 Giovanni Brunero (Ita) Bartolomeo Aymo (Ita) Giuseppe Enrici (Ita) 1921 Giovanni Brunero (Ita) Gaetano Belloni (Ita) Bartolomeo Aymo (Ita) 1920 Gaetano Belloni (Ita) Angelo Gremo (Ita) Jean Alavoine (Fra) 1919 Costante Girardengo (Ita) Gaetano Belloni (Ita) Marcel Buysse (Fra) 1914 Alfonso Calzolari (Ita) Pierino Albini (Ita) Luigi Lucotti (Ita) 1913 Carlo Oriani (Ita) Eberardo Pavesi (Ita) Giuseppe Azzini (Ita) 1912 Atala Peugeot Gerbi 1911 Carlo Galetti (Ita) Giovanni Rossignoli (Ita) Giovanni Gerbi (Ita) 1910 Carlo Galetti (Ita) Eberardo Pavesi (Ita) Luigi Ganna (Ita) 1909 Luigi Ganna (Ita) Carlo Galetti (Ita) Giovanni Rossignoli (Ita)
