1997 Giro d'Italia

Stage 22--June 9
An unexpected finish to an unpredictable race
Pavel Tonkov put the finishing touch on his overall win today. But the final stage of this year's Giro proved to be every bit as unpredictable as the previous 21 stages, with a group of riders surprising everyone with an early break that the peloton could not close.

Overall race standings

Stage 21--June 8
Tonkov triumphs atop Mortirolo
With only a short 20-kilometer stage tomorrow, an overall victory is virtually assured for Pavel Tonkov. Pre-race favorite Abraham Olano finished a disappointing fifth place today, his hopes of winning the 1996 Giro dashed by the brutal Dolomites.

Stage 20--June 7
Olano stakes his claim
World champion Abrahan Olano finally takes charge of the race everyone expected him to dominate from the beginning. But with only two stages left, tomorrow he will put on the leader's jersey for the first time, having pulled a fraction of a second ahead of the hungry upstart Pavel Tonkov. Enrico Zaina won the stage, and now sits in third place overall.
Race notes: The mountains loom ahead, the fans go berserk

Stage 19--June 6
Tonkov beats predictions, keeps the pink jersey
Pavel Tonkov wasn't supposed to be still wearing pink. But after a spectacular performance in the time trial, this Russian rider continues to hold the big names at bay, hanging onto first place with a tenuous one-second lead.
Peloton stories: High-tech bikes in a land of medieval romance

Stage 18--June 5
All eyes on the time trial
Mario Cipollini won his fourth stage today, proving his dominance of the field sprint. But the entire peloton is preoccupied with tomorrow's time trial, which most expect to be decisive in producing an overall champion in a race so far devoid of stars.
News from the peloton: A thinning of the field and a new bike for Olano

Stage 17--June 4
Two unknowns dominate stage
Who are these guys? Two fresh faces left the big names behind early on and passed the time discussing their respective chances for victory.
Meals on wheels: A Coca-Cola pit stop at 50 kilometers

Stage 16--June 3
Gontsjenkov surfaces again, wins with solo sprint
Alexander Gontsjenkov was racing down the Swiss Alps, running from a pack of serious challengers Monday. Then a black cat darted across his path. Bad luck? Hardly. The Ukrainian pushed on to win.

Stage 15--June 2
Bugno flares to life for win
As the peloton raced toward the foot of Mont Blanc at the end of Sunday's racing, a small breakaway exploded, throwing cycling legend Gianni Bugno across the finish first. This was one for the fans, he said, standing in the twilight of his career.

Stage 14--June 1
Pascal Richard breaks for win on familiar ground
A mad dash up and over the highest point of the Giro on Saturday proved successful for Swiss rider Pascal Richard, who managed to hold off a wild, late challenge by Claudio Chiappucci. The Giro, somewhat sedate to this point, appears ready to explode in a final flurry.
Plus: A few tidbits from the Alps.

Stage 13--May 31
A game of Russian roulette
Few would argue with today's stage winner Russian Pavel Tonkov when he said today that the outcome of this year's Giro is still wide open. Heavy favorite Olano took an unspectacular sixth, while Italians Dotti and Simeoni got rough near the finish line.

Stage 12--May 30
He'd rather be eating pizza
Veteran pro Fabiano Fontanelli is the paradox of the day at the Giro. The winner of today's stage claims he's rather eat pizza than train, and he's a sprinter who's wearing the climbing jersey.
Crazed fans in Giroland: A nation with a passion for cycling

Stage 11--May 29
Local boy makes good
Saeco's Mario Cipollini takes win number three of the Giro in a race which included a ride through his Tuscan hometown.
Cipollini is afraid of no one, and Andrew Hood reports from the land of Michelangelo.

Stage 10--May 28
Massi triumphs in Tuscany
The son of Italian farmers, Rodolfo Massi overcame back problems to win Stage 10 in wet, slippery conditions. Confident at the top, 24-year-old race leader Davide Rebellin announces the arrival of a new generation of riders.
A Giro casualty: Gianluca Bortolami recovers from surgery

Stage 9--May 27
An Italian with something to prove
Enrico Zaina takes his turn in the sun, nearly grabbing the lead from Davide Rebellin. With 12 days of racing left, the race appears to be wide open.

Stage 8--May 26
The peloton powers past Pompeii
In one of the easiest stages in the Giro, Mario Cipollini squeaked out a victory in the 135-kilometer dash from Polla to Naples, while Team Polti assured Rebellin at least one more day in pink. Meanwhile, notorious Naples lives up to its reputation.

Stage 7--May 25
Rebellin rides to victory atop Monte Sirino
Another Italian put on the leader's pink jersey today, when Davide Rebellin delighted Italian fans with a stage victory as the serious climbing begins.
Italian tragedy: TV signal goes out during final climb in the stage

Stage 6--May 24
A Frenchman moves into first
Pascal Hervé put on the pink jersey this afternoon in the hilltop town of Catanzaro; he was the first Frenchman to do so since 1994. And he told reporters he plans on wearing it all week. "It fits nice," he said.
Behind the scenes: Andrew Hood reports from Catanzaro, Italy

Stage 5--May 23
Sprint finish brings Edo his first Giro stage
Spaniard Angel Edo squeaked out a victory today, winning the mad dash to the line when he pulled ahead a few yards from the finish. Martinello took third in yet another sprinter's race, and hangs onto first place overall.

Stage 4--May 22
Cipollini back on form back home
Mario Cipollini, having spent the first three stages battling slow finishes and stomach problems, appears to have recovered. The powerful sprinter, who collected 17 victories last season, claimed the first Giro stage back on Italian soil.

May 21
Rest day in Ostuni
This is transfer day, with riders leaving Greece to begin the Italian leg of the tour. After flying across the Adriatic to Ostuni, most will head out for a training run, watched by eager crowds of local tifisi (fans).

Stage 3--May 20
Zanini takes narrow points lead in Giro d'Italia
The Italians battled it out for the top places in Stage 3 today. Stefano Zanini just missed taking first, but his second-place finish succeeded in putting him in first place overall.
Stefano Zanini, the new Maglia Rosa. By Bill Henderson

Stage 2--May 19
A Swede claims a stage in the Italian tour
After a slow start, the peloton finally roared to life in the final hour of the 231-kilometer race on Sunday. The surprise finish, with Glenn Magnusson sprinting for the win, suggests that once again the Giro will have plenty of fiesty battles.
An overview of the Giro's first two days. By Bill Henderson

Stage 1--May 18
Martinello gives Italy winning start to Giro
The Giro stormed through the streets of Athens Saturday, producing an unlikely winner. Used to helping his stronger teammates to victory, Silvio Martinello had his turn in the sun. While few spectators turned up to watch, there was no shortage of action today, with potholes and pile-ups galore.

Race preview
A look up the road
In honor of the centennial Olympics, Greece hosts the first three stages of the great Italian road race this year. From the land of Zeus to the Swiss Alps, here's a glance ahead at the stages of the Giro.

Race roster
Teams and riders
The Italians have strength in numbers, providing the majority of teams this year, as usual.

Past winners
A century of champions
Interrupted by nothing short of world war, the Giro d'Italia dates back to the early part of the century.