# 1997 Giro d'Italia

The 1997 Giro d'Italia was the 80th edition of the Giro. It began on 17 May with a mass-start stage that began and ended in Venice. The race came to a close on 8 June 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 of the Saeco–Estro team. Second and third were the Russian rider Pavel Tonkov and Italian Giuseppe Guerini.
In the race's other classifications, Kelme–Costa Blanca rider Chepe González won the mountains classification, Mario Cipollini of the Saeco team won the points classification, and Roslotto–ZG Mobili rider Dimitri Konyshev won the intergiro classification. Kelme – Costa Blanca 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 Saeco.

## Teams

Eighteen teams were invited by the race organizers to participate in the 1997 edition of the Giro d'Italia. Each team sent a squad of ten riders, which meant that the race started with a peloton of 180 cyclists. From the riders that began the race, 110 made it to the finish in Milan.
The eighteen teams that took part in the race were:
| Aki–Safi Amore & Vita–ForzArcore Asics–CGA Batik–Del Monte Brescialat–Oyster Cantina Tollo–Carrier–Starplast | Festina–Lotus Kelme–Costa Blanca Kross–Montanari–Selle Italia Mapei–GB Mercatone Uno MG Maglificio–Technogym | Refin–Mobilvetta Roslotto–ZG Mobili Ros Mary–Minotti Italia–Ideal Saeco–Estro Scrigno–Gaerne Team Polti |

## Route and stages

The route for the 1997 Giro d'Italia was unveiled by race director Carmine Castellano on 9 November 1996 in Milan. It contained two time trial events, all of which were individual. There were ten stages containing high mountains, of which three had summit finishes: stage 5, to Monte Terminillo; stage 14, to Breuil-Cervinia; and stage 20, to Passo del Tonale. The organizers chose to include one rest day. When compared to the previous year's race, the race was 78 km (48 mi) shorter, contained the same amount of rest days and stages, as well as one more individual time trial.
List of stages :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Winner |
| 1 | 17 May | Venezia to Venezia | 128 km (80 mi) | | Plain stage | Mario Cipollini (ITA) |
| 2 | 18 May | Mestre to Cervia | 211 km (131 mi) | | Plain stage | Mario Cipollini (ITA) |
| 3 | 19 May | Santarcangelo di Romagna to San Marino (San Marino) | 18 km (11 mi) | | Individual time trial | Pavel Tonkov (RUS) |
| 4 | 20 May | San Marino (San Marino) to Arezzo | 156 km (97 mi) | | Plain stage | Mario Cipollini (ITA) |
| 5 | 21 May | Arezzo to Monte Terminillo | 215 km (134 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Pavel Tonkov (RUS) |
| 6 | 22 May | Rieti to Lanciano | 210 km (130 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Roberto Sgambelluri (ITA) |
| 7 | 23 May | Lanciano to Mondragone | 210 km (130 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Marcel Wüst (GER) |
| 8 | 24 May | Mondragone to Cava de' Tirreni | 212 km (132 mi) | | Plain stage | Mario Manzoni (ITA) |
| 9 | 25 May | Cava de' Tirreni to Castrovillari | 232 km (144 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Dimitri Konyshev (RUS) |
| 10 | 26 May | Castrovillari to Taranto | 195 km (121 mi) | | Plain stage | Mario Cipollini (ITA) |
| | 27 May | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day |
| 11 | 28 May | Lido di Camaiore to Lido di Camaiore | 155 km (96 mi) | | Plain stage | Gabriele Missaglia (ITA) |
| 12 | 29 May | La Spezia to Varazze | 214 km (133 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Giuseppe Di Grande (ITA) |
| 13 | 30 May | Varazze to Cuneo | 150 km (93 mi) | | Plain stage | Glenn Magnusson (SWE) |
| 14 | 31 May | Racconigi to Breuil-Cervinia | 240 km (149 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Ivan Gotti (ITA) |
| 15 | 1 June | Verrès to Borgomanero | 173 km (107 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Alessandro Baronti (ITA) |
| 16 | 2 June | Borgomanero to Dalmine | 158 km (98 mi) | | Plain stage | Fabiano Fontanelli (ITA) |
| 17 | 3 June | Dalmine to Verona | 200 km (124 mi) | | Plain stage | Mirco Gualdi (ITA) |
| 18 | 4 June | Baselga di Pinè to Cavalese | 40 km (25 mi) | | Individual time trial | Serhiy Honchar (UKR) |
| 19 | 5 June | Predazzo to Pfalzen | 222 km (138 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | José Luis Rubiera (ESP) |
| 20 | 6 June | Bruneck to Passo del Tonale | 176 km (109 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | José Jaime González (COL) |
| 21 | 7 June | Malè to Edolo | 238 km (148 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Pavel Tonkov (RUS) |
| 22 | 8 June | Boario Terme to Milan | 165 km (103 mi) | | Plain stage | Mario Cipollini (ITA) |
| | Total | Total | 3,889 km (2,417 mi) | 3,889 km (2,417 mi) | 3,889 km (2,417 mi) | 3,889 km (2,417 mi) | 3,889 km (2,417 mi) |

## Classification leadership

Four different jerseys were worn during the 1997 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 Cima Coppi for this Giro was the Pordoi Pass and was first climbed by the Colombian José Jaime González. 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.
Classification leadership by stage :
| Stage | Winner | General classification | Points classification | Mountains classification | Intergiro classification | Trofeo Fast Team |
| 1 | Mario Cipollini | Mario Cipollini | Mario Cipollini | not awarded | Dimitri Konyshev | Saeco–Estro |
| 2 | Mario Cipollini | Mario Cipollini | Mario Cipollini | not awarded | Dimitri Konyshev | Saeco–Estro |
| 3 | Pavel Tonkov | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Pavel Tonkov | Dimitri Konyshev | Mapei–GB |
| 4 | Mario Cipollini | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Pavel Tonkov | Dimitri Konyshev | Mapei–GB |
| 5 | Pavel Tonkov | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Pavel Tonkov | Dimitri Konyshev | Saeco–Estro |
| 6 | Roberto Sgambelluri | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Pavel Tonkov | Dimitri Konyshev | Saeco–Estro |
| 7 | Marcel Wüst | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Pavel Tonkov | Dimitri Konyshev | Saeco–Estro |
| 8 | Mario Manzoni | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Mariano Piccoli | Dimitri Konyshev | Asics-C.G.A. |
| 9 | Dimitri Konyshev | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Mariano Piccoli | Dimitri Konyshev | Asics-C.G.A. |
| 10 | Mario Cipollini | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Mariano Piccoli | Dimitri Konyshev | Asics-C.G.A. |
| 11 | Gabriele Missaglia | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Mariano Piccoli | Dimitri Konyshev | Asics-C.G.A. |
| 12 | Giuseppe Di Grande | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Mariano Piccoli | Dimitri Konyshev | Asics-C.G.A. |
| 13 | Glenn Magnusson | Pavel Tonkov | Mario Cipollini | Mariano Piccoli | Dimitri Konyshev | Asics-C.G.A. |
| 14 | Ivan Gotti | Ivan Gotti | Mario Cipollini | José Jaime González | Dimitri Konyshev | Team Polti |
| 15 | Alessandro Baronti | Ivan Gotti | Mario Cipollini | José Jaime González | Dimitri Konyshev | Asics-C.G.A. |
| 16 | Fabiano Fontanelli | Ivan Gotti | Mario Cipollini | José Jaime González | Dimitri Konyshev | Asics-C.G.A. |
| 17 | Mirco Gualdi | Ivan Gotti | Mario Cipollini | José Jaime González | Dimitri Konyshev | Team Polti |
| 18 | Serhij Hončar | Ivan Gotti | Mario Cipollini | José Jaime González | Dimitri Konyshev | Team Polti |
| 19 | José Luis Rubiera | Ivan Gotti | Mario Cipollini | José Jaime González | Dimitri Konyshev | Kelme–Costa Blanca |
| 20 | José Jaime González | Ivan Gotti | Mario Cipollini | José Jaime González | Dimitri Konyshev | Kelme–Costa Blanca |
| 21 | Pavel Tonkov | Ivan Gotti | Mario Cipollini | José Jaime González | Dimitri Konyshev | Kelme–Costa Blanca |
| 22 | Mario Cipollini | Ivan Gotti | Mario Cipollini | José Jaime González | Dimitri Konyshev | Kelme–Costa Blanca |
| Final | Final | Ivan Gotti | Mario Cipollini | José Jaime González | Dimitri Konyshev | Kelme–Costa Blanca |

## 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) | Saeco–Estro | 102h 53' 58" |
| 2 | Pavel Tonkov (RUS) | Mapei–GB | + 1' 27" |
| 3 | Giuseppe Guerini (ITA) | Team Polti | + 7' 40" |
| 4 | Nicola Miceli (ITA) | Aki–Safi | + 12' 20" |
| 5 | Serhiy Honchar (UKR) | Aki–Safi | + 12' 44" |
| 6 | Wladimir Belli (ITA) | Brescialat–Oyster | + 12' 48" |
| 7 | Giuseppe Di Grande (ITA) | Mapei–GB | + 12' 54" |
| 8 | Marcos-Antonio Serrano (ESP) | Kelme–Costa Blanca | + 16' 07" |
| 9 | Stefano Garzelli (ITA) | Mercatone Uno | + 18' 08" |
| 10 | José Luis Rubiera (ESP) | Kelme–Costa Blanca | + 18' 56" |

### Points classification

| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Mario Cipollini (ITA) | Saeco–Estro | 202 |
| 2 | Dimitri Konyshev (RUS) | Roslotto–ZG Mobili | 146 |
| 3 | Glenn Magnusson (SWE) | Amore & Vita–ForzArcore | 145 |
| 4 | Pavel Tonkov (RUS) | Mapei–GB | 121 |
| 5 | Ivan Gotti (ITA) | Saeco–Estro | 102 |
| 6 | Mariano Piccoli (ITA) | Brescialat–Oyster | 93 |
| 7 | Marcel Wüst (GER) | Festina–Lotus | 92 |
| 8 | Chepe González (COL) | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 81 |
| 9 | Gabriele Missaglia (ITA) | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 81 |
| 10 | Evgeni Berzin (RUS) | Batik–Del Monte | 74 |

### Mountains classification

| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Chepe González (COL) | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 99 |
| 2 | Mariano Piccoli (ITA) | Brescialat–Oyster | 35 |
| 3 | Roberto Conti (ITA) | Mercatone Uno | 28 |
| 4 | Pavel Tonkov (RUS) | Mapei–GB | 24 |
| 5 | Ivan Gotti (ITA) | Saeco–Estro | 23 |
| 6 | Dimitri Konyshev (RUS) | Roslotto–ZG Mobili | 16 |
| 7 | José Luis Rubiera (ESP) | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 16 |
| 8 | Andrea Noè (ITA) | Asics–CGA | 15 |
| 9 | Martin Hvastija (SLO) | Cantina Tollo–Carrier–Starplast | 15 |
| 10 | Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) | Roslotto–ZG Mobili | 14 |

### Intergiro classification

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Dimitri Konyshev (RUS) | Roslotto–ZG Mobili | 52h 48' 18" |
| 2 | Mario Cipollini (ITA) | Saeco–Estro | + 3' 01" |
| 3 | Glenn Magnusson (SWE) | Amore & Vita–ForzArcore | + 3' 15" |
| 4 | Serhiy Honchar (UKR) | Aki–Safi | + 3' 22" |
| 5 | Evgeni Berzin (RUS) | Batik–Del Monte | + 3' 41" |

### Trofeo Fast Team classification

| | Team | Time |
| 1 | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 309h 26' 09" |
| 2 | Mapei–GB | + 14' 07" |
| 3 | Saeco–Estro | + 33' 18" |
| 4 | Mercatone Uno | + 36' 21" |
| 5 | Aki–Safi | + 40' 12" |
| 6 | Team Polti | + 45' 39" |
| 7 | Asics–CGA | + 1h 01' 25" |
| 8 | Roslotto–ZG Mobili | + 1h 09' 24" |
| 9 | Brescialat–Oyster | + 1h 19' 39" |
| 10 | Festina–Lotus | + 1h 57' 47" |

### Trofeo Super Team classification

| | Team | Points |
| 1 | Saeco–Estro | 399 |
| 2 | Mapei–GB | 391 |
| 3 | Team Polti | 367 |
| 4 | Roslotto–ZG Mobili | 365 |
| 5 | Aki–Safi | 306 |
| 6 | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 304 |
| 7 | MG Maglificio–Technogym | 284 |
| 8 | Brescialat–Oyster | 283 |
| 9 | Asics–CGA | 280 |
| 10 | Amore & Vita–ForzArcore | 244 |