# 1999 Giro d'Italia

The 1999 Giro d'Italia was the 82nd edition of the Giro. It began on May 15 with a mass-start stage that stretched from Agrigento to Modica. The race came to a close on June 6 with a mass-start stage that ended in the Italian city of Milan. Eighteen teams entered the race that was won by the Italian Ivan Gotti (sub judice)of the Team Polti team. Second and third were the Italians riders Paolo Savoldelli and Gilberto Simoni. Marco Pantani is credited with four high mountain stage victories.
Late in the race Marco Pantani was accused of using EPO and was expelled either as the result of a failed doping control, or due to a conspiracy involving drug tests being manipulated.
In the race's other classifications, Kelme–Costa Blanca rider Chepe González won the mountains classification, Laurent Jalabert of the ONCE–Deutsche Bank team won the points classification, and Team Polti rider Fabrizio Guidi won the intergiro classification. Vitalicio Seguros finished as the winners of the Trofeo Fast Team classification, ranking each of the eighteen teams contesting the race by lowest cumulative time. The other team classification, the Trofeo Super Team classification, where the teams' riders are awarded points for placing within the top twenty in each stage and the points are then totaled for each team was won by Team Polti.

## Teams

A total of 18 teams were invited to participate in the 1999 Giro d'Italia. Each team sent a squad of nine riders, so the Giro began with a peloton of 162 cyclists. Out of the 162 riders that started this edition of the Giro d'Italia, a total of 116 riders made it to the finish in Milan.
The 18 teams that took part in the race were:
| Amica Chips–Costa de Almería Ballan–Alessio Banesto Cantina Tollo–Alexia Alluminio Kelme–Costa Blanca Lampre–Daikin | Liquigas–Pata Mapei–Quick-Step Mercatone Uno–Bianchi Mobilvetta Design–Northwave Navigare–Gaerne ONCE–Deutsche Bank | Riso Scotti–Vinavil Saeco–Cannondale Team Polti TVM–Farm Frites Vini Caldirola Vitalicio Seguros |

## Route and stages

The route for the 1999 Giro d'Italia was unveiled by race director Carmine Castellano on 14 November 1998 in Milan. It contained four time trial events, there of which were individual and one a team event. There were eleven stages containing high mountains, of which five had summit finishes: stage 5, to Massiccio del Sirino; stage 8, to Gran Sasso d'Italia; stage 15, to Santuario di Oropa; stage 19, to Alpe di Pampeago; and stage 20, to Madonna di Campiglio. The organizers chose to include one rest day. When compared to the previous year's race, the race was 73 km (45 mi) shorter, contained the one more rest day, as well as one more time trial event.
Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Winner |
| 1 | 15 May | Agrigento to Modica | 175 km (109 mi) | | Plain stage | Ivan Quaranta (ITA) |
| 2 | 16 May | Noto to Catania | 133 km (83 mi) | | Plain stage | Mario Cipollini (ITA) |
| 3 | 17 May | Catania to Messina | 176 km (109 mi) | | Plain stage | Jeroen Blijlevens (NED) |
| 4 | 18 May | Vibo Valentia to Terme Luigiane | 186 km (116 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) |
| 5 | 19 May | Terme Luigiane to Massiccio del Sirino | 144 km (89 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | José Jaime González (COL) |
| 6 | 20 May | Lauria to Foggia | 257 km (160 mi) | | Plain stage | Romāns Vainšteins (LAT) |
| 7 | 21 May | Foggia to Lanciano | 153 km (95 mi) | | Plain stage | Jeroen Blijlevens (NED) |
| 8 | 22 May | Pescara to Gran Sasso d'Italia | 253 km (157 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Marco Pantani (ITA) |
| 9 | 23 May | Ancona to Ancona | 32 km (20 mi) | | Individual time trial | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) |
| 10 | 24 May | Ancona to Sansepolcro | 189 km (117 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Mario Cipollini (ITA) |
| 11 | 25 May | Sansepolcro to Cesenatico | 125 km (78 mi) | | Plain stage | Ivan Quaranta (ITA) |
| 12 | 26 May | Cesenatico to Sassuolo | 168 km (104 mi) | | Plain stage | Mario Cipollini (ITA) |
| 13 | 27 May | Sassuolo to Rapallo | 243 km (151 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Richard Virenque (FRA) |
| | 28 May | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day |
| 14 | 29 May | Bra to Borgo San Dalmazzo | 187 km (116 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) |
| 15 | 30 May | Racconigi to Santuario di Oropa | 160 km (99 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Marco Pantani (ITA) |
| 16 | 31 May | Biella to Lumezzane | 232 km (144 mi) | | Plain stage | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) |
| 17 | 1 June | Lumezzane to Castelfranco Veneto | 215 km (134 mi) | | Plain stage | Mario Cipollini (ITA) |
| 18 | 2 June | Treviso to Treviso | 45 km (28 mi) | | Individual time trial | Serhiy Honchar (UKR) |
| 19 | 3 June | Castelfranco Veneto to Alpe di Pampeago | 166 km (103 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Marco Pantani (ITA) |
| 20 | 4 June | Predazzo to Madonna di Campiglio | 175 km (109 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Marco Pantani (ITA) |
| 21 | 5 June | Madonna di Campiglio to Aprica | 190 km (118 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Roberto Heras (ESP) |
| 22 | 6 June | Darfo Boario Terme to Milan | 170 km (106 mi) | | Plain stage | Fabrizio Guidi (ITA) |
| | Total | Total | 3,757 km (2,334 mi) | 3,757 km (2,334 mi) | 3,757 km (2,334 mi) | 3,757 km (2,334 mi) | 3,757 km (2,334 mi) |

## Race overview

Defending champion Marco Pantani, leading the general classification in Madonna di Campiglio (20th stage), was disqualified for an excessive hematocrit level before stage 21. The entire Mercatone Uno–Bianchi (Pantani's team) withdrew from the Giro. This left the race open for Gotti to capture his second overall title and wear the final pink jersey as Giro Champion for the 2nd time in three years.

## Classification leadership

Four different jerseys were worn during the 1999 Giro d'Italia. The leader of the general classification – calculated by adding the stage finish times of each rider, and allowing time bonuses for the first three finishers on mass-start stages – wore a pink jersey. This classification is the most important of the race, and its winner is considered as the winner of the Giro.
For the points classification, which awarded a purple (or cyclamen) jersey to its leader, cyclists were given points for finishing a stage in the top 15; additional points could also be won in intermediate sprints. The green jersey was awarded to the mountains classification leader. In this ranking, points were won by reaching the summit of a climb ahead of other cyclists. Each climb was ranked as either first, second or third category, with more points available for higher category climbs. The Cima Coppi, the race's highest point of elevation, awarded more points than the other first category climbs. The intergiro classification was marked by a blue jersey. The calculation for the intergiro is similar to that of the general classification, in each stage there is a midway point that the riders pass through a point and where their time is stopped. As the race goes on, their times compiled and the person with the lowest time is the leader of the intergiro classification and wears the blue jersey. Although no jersey was awarded, there was also one classification for the teams, in which the stage finish times of the best three cyclists per team were added; the leading team was the one with the lowest total time.
The rows in the following table correspond to the jerseys awarded after that stage was run.
| Stage | Winner | General classification | Points classification | Mountains classification | Intergiro classification | Trofeo Fast Team |
| 1 | Ivan Quaranta | Ivan Quaranta | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Mercatone Uno–Bianchi |
| 2 | Mario Cipollini | Mario Cipollini | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Saeco–Cannondale |
| 3 | Jeroen Blijlevens | Jeroen Blijlevens | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Navigare–Gaerne |
| 4 | Laurent Jalabert | Jeroen Blijlevens | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Saeco–Cannondale |
| 5 | José Jaime González | Laurent Jalabert | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Saeco–Cannondale |
| 6 | Romāns Vainšteins | Laurent Jalabert | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Team Polti |
| 7 | Jeroen Blijlevens | Laurent Jalabert | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Team Polti |
| 8 | Marco Pantani | Marco Pantani | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Banesto |
| 9 | Laurent Jalabert | Laurent Jalabert | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Banesto |
| 10 | Mario Cipollini | Laurent Jalabert | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Banesto |
| 11 | Ivan Quaranta | Laurent Jalabert | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Banesto |
| 12 | Mario Cipollini | Laurent Jalabert | Ivan Quaranta | Paolo Bettini | ? | Banesto |
| 13 | Richard Virenque | Laurent Jalabert | Ivan Quaranta | Chepe González | ? | Banesto |
| 14 | Paolo Savoldelli | Marco Pantani | Ivan Quaranta | Chepe González | ? | Banesto |
| 15 | Marco Pantani | Marco Pantani | Ivan Quaranta | Marco Pantani | ? | Vitalicio Seguros |
| 16 | Laurent Jalabert | Marco Pantani | Ivan Quaranta | Marco Pantani | ? | Vitalicio Seguros |
| 17 | Mario Cipollini | Marco Pantani | Ivan Quaranta | Marco Pantani | ? | Vitalicio Seguros |
| 18 | Serhiy Honchar | Marco Pantani | Ivan Quaranta | Marco Pantani | ? | Vitalicio Seguros |
| 19 | Marco Pantani | Marco Pantani | Marco Pantani | Marco Pantani | ? | Vitalicio Seguros |
| 20 | Marco Pantani | Marco Pantani | Marco Pantani | Marco Pantani | ? | Vitalicio Seguros |
| 21 | Roberto Heras | Ivan Gotti | Laurent Jalabert | Marco Pantani | ? | Vitalicio Seguros |
| 22 | Fabrizio Guidi | Ivan Gotti | Laurent Jalabert | Chepe González | ? | Vitalicio Seguros |
| Final | Final | Ivan Gotti | Laurent Jalabert | Chepe González | Fabrizio Guidi | Vitalicio Seguros |

## Final standings

Legend :
| Denotes the winner of the General classification | Denotes the winner of the Mountains classification |
| Denotes the winner of the Points classification | Denotes the winner of the Intergiro classification |

### General classification

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Ivan Gotti (ITA) | Team Polti | 99h 55' 56" |
| 2 | Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) | Saeco–Cannondale | + 3' 35" |
| 3 | Gilberto Simoni (ITA) | Ballan–Alessio | + 3' 36" |
| 4 | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | ONCE–Deutsche Bank | + 5' 16" |
| 5 | Roberto Heras (ESP) | Kelme–Costa Blanca | + 7' 47" |
| 6 | Niklas Axelsson (SWE) | Navigare–Gaerne | + 9' 38" |
| 7 | Serhiy Honchar (UKR) | Vini Caldirola | + 12' 07" |
| 8 | Daniele De Paoli (ITA) | Amica Chips–Costa de Almería | + 14' 20" |
| 9 | Daniel Clavero (ESP) | Vitalicio Seguros | + 15' 53" |
| 10 | Roberto Sgambelluri (ITA) | Cantina Tollo-Alexia Alluminio Italia | + 17' 31" |

### Points classification

| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | ONCE–Deutsche Bank | 175 |
| 2 | Fabrizio Guidi (ITA) | Team Polti | 170 |
| 3 | Massimo Strazzer (ITA) | Mobilvetta Design–Northwave | 126 |
| 4 | Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) | Saeco–Cannondale | 117 |
| 5 | Ivan Gotti (ITA) | Team Polti | 110 |
| 6 | Gian Matteo Fagnini (ITA) | Saeco–Cannondale | 96 |
| 7 | Gilberto Simoni (ITA) | Ballan–Alessio | 94 |
| 8 | Matteo Tosatto (ITA) | Ballan–Alessio | 88 |
| 9 | Serhiy Honchar (UKR) | Vini Caldirola | 87 |
| 10 | Oscar Camenzind (SUI) | Lampre–Daikin | 82 |

### Mountains classification

| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Chepe González (COL) | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 61 |
| 2 | Mariano Piccoli (ITA) | Lampre–Daikin | 45 |
| 3 | Paolo Bettini (ITA) | Mapei–Quick-Step | 44 |
| 4 | Ivan Gotti (ITA) | Team Polti | 33 |
| 5 | Gilberto Simoni (ITA) | Ballan–Alessio | 33 |
| 6 | Roberto Heras (ESP) | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 26 |
| 7 | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | ONCE–Deutsche Bank | 25 |
| 8 | Hernán Buenahora (COL) | Vitalicio Seguros | 18 |
| 9 | Gabriele Missaglia (ITA) | Lampre–Daikin | 14 |
| 10 | Richard Virenque (FRA) | Team Polti | 13 |

### Intergiro classification

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Fabrizio Guidi (ITA) | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 58h 47' 30" |
| 2 | Massimo Strazzer (ITA) | Mobilvetta Design–Northwave | + 2" |
| 3 | Gian Matteo Fagnini (ITA) | Saeco–Cannondale | + 24" |
| 4 | Biagio Conte (ITA) | Liquigas | 2' 02" |
| 5 | Matteo Tosatto (ITA) | Ballan–Alessio | + 2' 13" |

### Trofeo Fast Team classification

| | Team | Time |
| 1 | Vitalicio Seguros | 300h 39' 35" |
| 2 | Kelme–Costa Blanca | + 22' 11" |
| 3 | Team Polti | + 22' 45" |
| 4 | Lampre–Daikin | + 29' 16" |
| 5 | ONCE–Deutsche Bank | + 58' 57" |
| 6 | Amica Chips–Costa de Almería | + 1h 15' 16" |
| 7 | Liquigas–Pata | + 1h 15' 18" |
| 8 | Navigare–Gaerne | + 1h 47' 23" |
| 9 | Cantina Tollo-Alexia Alluminio Italia | + 1h 56' 17" |
| 10 | Saeco–Cannondale | + 1h 59' 41" |

### Trofeo Super Team classification

| | Team | Points |
| 1 | Team Polti | 1243 |
| 2 | Saeco–Cannondale | 1136 |
| 3 | ONCE–Deutsche Bank | 1034 |
| 4 | Ballan–Alessio | 676 |
| 5 | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 663 |