# 1984 Giro d'Italia

The 1984 Giro d'Italia was the 67th running of the Giro. It started in Lucca, on 17 May, with a 5 km (3.1 mi) prologue and concluded in Verona, on 10 June, with a 42 km (26.1 mi) individual time trial. A total of 171 riders from nineteen teams entered the 22-stage race, that was won by Italian Francesco Moser of the Gis Gelati–Tuc Lu team. The second and third places were taken by Frenchman Laurent Fignon and Italian Moreno Argentin, respectively.
Amongst the other classifications that the race awarded, Urs Freuler of Atala–Campagnolo won the points classification, Fignon of Renault–Elf won the mountains classification, and Renault–Elf's Charly Mottet completed the Giro as the best neo-professional in the general classification, finishing twenty-first overall. Renault–Elf finishing as the winners of the team classification, ranking each of the twenty teams contesting the race by lowest cumulative time. The team points classification was won by Metauro Mobili–Pinarello.

## Teams

A total of nineteen teams were invited to participate in the 1984 Giro d'Italia. Each team sent a squad of nine riders, which meant that the race started with a peloton of 171 cyclists. Riders represented a total of 18 countries. The presentation of the teams – where each team's roster and manager are introduced in front the media and local dignitaries – took place at the Piazza San Marco in Lucca on 16 May. Robin Morton, the team manager of the Gianna-Motta-Linea MD team, was the first female team manager ever in the Giro d'Italia. From the riders that began this edition, 143 made it to the finish in Merano.
The teams entering the race were:
| Del Tongo–Colnago Alfa Lum–Olmo Ariostea Atala–Campagnolo Bianchi–Piaggio Carrera–Inoxpran Dromedario-Alan | Fanini–Wührer Zor–Gemeaz Cusin Gis Gelati–Tuc Lu Gianni Motta–Linea M.D. Italia Cilo–Aufina Malvor–Bottecchia | Metauro Mobili–Pinarello Murella–Rossin Renault–Elf Sammontana–Campagnolo Santini–Conti–Galli Supermercati Brianzoli |

## Pre-race favorites

Team managers when asked about the favorite entering the race felt there was no clear favorite to win. La Gazzetta dello Sport felt four riders – Francesco Moser (Gis Gelati–Tuc Lu), Laurent Fignon (Renault–Elf), Giuseppe Saronni (Del Tongo–Colnago), and Roberto Visentini (Carrera–Inoxpran) – had the best chances to win, but "there is no man who knows how to dominate." When asked about his biggest challenge, Moser stated: "First, Visentini, because last year he was second, he has a very homogeneous squad and is the Italian runner in better shape..." Ángel Ruocco of El País felt that the race would be between 1983 Tour de France champion Fignon and Saronni, the winner of the Giro the previous year. He added that Silvano Contini, Mario Beccia, and Fignon as other challengers. Marino Lejarreta (Alfa Lum–Olmo) who rode the 1984 Vuelta a España to prepare, as well as Alberto Fernández (Zor–Gemeaz Cusin) who displayed great results when the race reached the Apennines last year.

## Route and stages

The route for the 1984 edition of the Giro d'Italia was revealed to the public by head organizer Vincenzo Torriani on 18 February 1984. Covering a total of 3,808 km (2,366 mi), it included four time trials (three individual and one for teams), and eleven stages with categorized climbs that awarded mountains classification points. Five of these eleven stages had summit finishes: stage 3, to Madonna di San Luca; stage 5, to Blockhaus; stage 16, to Bardonecchia; stage 19, to Selva di Val Gardena; and stage 20, to Arabba. The organizers chose to include two rest days. When compared to the previous year's race, the race was 114 km (71 mi) shorter and contained the same number of time trials and rest days. In addition, this race contained the same number of stages.
Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Winner |
| P | 17 May | Lucca | 5 km (3 mi) | | Individual time trial | Francesco Moser (ITA) |
| 1 | 18 May | Lucca to Marina di Pietrasanta | 55 km (34 mi) | | Team time trial | Renault–Elf |
| 2 | 19 May | Marina di Pietrasanta to Firenze | 127 km (79 mi) | | Plain stage | Urs Freuler (SUI) |
| 3 | 20 May | Bologna to Madonna di San Luca | 110 km (68 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Moreno Argentin (ITA) |
| 4 | 21 May | Bologna to Numana | 238 km (148 mi) | | Plain stage | Stefan Mutter (SUI) |
| 5 | 22 May | Numana to Blockhaus | 194 km (121 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Moreno Argentin (ITA) |
| 6 | 23 May | Chieti to Foggia | 193 km (120 mi) | | Plain stage | Francesco Moser (ITA) |
| 7 | 24 May | Foggia to Marconia di Pisticci | 226 km (140 mi) | | Plain stage | Urs Freuler (SUI) |
| 8 | 25 May | Policoro to Agropoli | 228 km (142 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Urs Freuler (SUI) |
| 9 | 26 May | Agropoli to Cava de' Tirreni | 104 km (65 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Dag Erik Pedersen (NOR) |
| | 27 May | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day |
| 10 | 28 May | Cava de' Tirreni to Isernia | 209 km (130 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Martial Gayant (FRA) |
| 11 | 29 May | Isernia to Rieti | 243 km (151 mi) | | Plain stage | Urs Freuler (SUI) |
| 12 | 30 May | Rieti to Città di Castello | 175 km (109 mi) | | Plain stage | Paolo Rosola (ITA) |
| 13 | 31 May | Città di Castello to Lerici | 269 km (167 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Roberto Visentini (ITA) |
| 14 | 1 June | Lerici to Alessandria | 204 km (127 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Sergio Santimaria (ITA) |
| 15 | 2 June | Certosa di Pavia to Milan | 38 km (24 mi) | | Individual time trial | Francesco Moser (ITA) |
| | 3 June | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day |
| 16 | 4 June | Alessandria to Bardonecchia | 198 km (123 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Dag Erik Pedersen (NOR) |
| 17 | 5 June | Bardonecchia to Lecco | 249 km (155 mi) | | Plain stage | Jürg Bruggmann (SUI) |
| 18 | 6 June | Lecco to Merano | 252 km (157 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Bruno Leali (ITA) |
| 19 | 7 June | Merano to Selva di Val Gardena | 74 km (46 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Marino Lejarreta (ESP) |
| 20 | 8 June | Selva di Val Gardena to Arabba | 169 km (105 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Laurent Fignon (FRA) |
| 21 | 9 June | Arabba to Treviso | 208 km (129 mi) | | Plain stage | Guido Bontempi (ITA) |
| 22 | 10 June | Soave to Verona | 42 km (26 mi) | | Individual time trial | Francesco Moser (ITA) |
| | Total | Total | 3,808 km (2,366 mi) | 3,808 km (2,366 mi) | 3,808 km (2,366 mi) | 3,808 km (2,366 mi) | 3,808 km (2,366 mi) |

## Classification Leadership

Four different jerseys were worn during the 1984 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. Time bonuses of 20, 10, and 5 seconds were awarded to each stage's first three finishers.
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 originally the Stelvio Pass, but it was changed to the Pordoi Pass. The first rider to cross the Pordoi Pass was French rider Laurent Fignon. The white jersey was worn by the leader of young rider classification, a ranking decided the same way as the general classification, but considering only neo-professional cyclists (in their first three years of professional racing).
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. There was another team classification that awarded points to each team based on their riding's finishing position in every stage. The team with the highest total of points was the leader of the classification.
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 | Young rider classification | Team classification |
| P | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | not awarded | not awarded | not awarded | not awarded |
| 1 | Renault–Elf | Laurent Fignon | not awarded | not awarded | not awarded | Renault–Elf |
| 2 | Urs Freuler | Laurent Fignon | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Renault–Elf |
| 3 | Moreno Argentin | Laurent Fignon | Moreno Argentin | Chioccioli | ? | Renault–Elf |
| 4 | Stefan Mutter | Laurent Fignon | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Renault–Elf |
| 5 | Moreno Argentin | Francesco Moser | Moreno Argentin | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 6 | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Moreno Argentin | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 7 | Urs Freuler | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 8 | Urs Freuler | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | Moreno Argentin | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 9 | Dag Erik Pedersen | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | Moreno Argentin | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 10 | Martial Gayant | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 11 | Urs Freuler | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 12 | Paolo Rosola | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 13 | Roberto Visentini | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 14 | Sergio Santimaria | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 15 | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 16 | Dag Erik Pedersen | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 17 | Jürg Bruggmann | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 18 | Bruno Leali | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | Flavio Zappi | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 19 | Marino Lejarreta | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | ? | ? | Carrera–Inoxpran |
| 20 | Laurent Fignon | Laurent Fignon | Urs Freuler | Laurent Fignon | ? | Renault–Elf |
| 21 | Guido Bontempi | Laurent Fignon | Johan van der Velde | Laurent Fignon | ? | Renault–Elf |
| 22 | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | Laurent Fignon | ? | Renault–Elf |
| Final | Final | Francesco Moser | Urs Freuler | Laurent Fignon | Charly Mottet | Renault–Elf |

## 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 Young rider classification |

### General classification

Final general classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Name | Team | Time |
| 1 | Francesco Moser (ITA) | Gis Gelati–Tuc Lu | 98h 32' 20" |
| 2 | Laurent Fignon (FRA) | Renault–Elf | + 1' 03" |
| 3 | Moreno Argentin (ITA) | Sammontana | + 4' 26" |
| 4 | Marino Lejarreta (ESP) | Alfa Lum–Olmo | + 4' 33" |
| 5 | Johan van der Velde (NED) | Metauro Mobili | + 6' 56" |
| 6 | Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) | Murella–Rossin | + 7' 48" |
| 7 | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) | Metauro Mobili | + 10' 19" |
| 8 | Beat Breu (SUI) | Cilo–Aufina | + 11' 39" |
| 9 | Mario Beccia (ITA) | Malvor–Bottecchia | + 11' 41" |
| 10 | Dag Erik Pedersen (NOR) | Murella–Rossin | + 13' 35" |

### Points classification

Final points classification (1-5) :
| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Urs Freuler (SUI) | Carrera–Inoxpran | 178 |
| 2 | Johan van der Velde (NED) | Metauro Mobili | 172 |
| 3 | Francesco Moser (ITA) | Gis Gelati–Tuc Lu | 166 |
| 4 | Dag Erik Pedersen (NOR) | Murella–Rossin | 160 |
| 5 | Laurent Fignon (FRA) | Renault–Elf | 150 |

### Mountains classification

Final mountains classification (1-5) :
| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Laurent Fignon (FRA) | Renault–Elf | 53 |
| 2 | Flavio Zappi (ITA) | Metauro Mobili | 40 |
| 3 | Moreno Argentin (ITA) | Sammontana | 30 |
| 4 | Johan van der Velde (NED) | Metauro Mobili | 29 |
| 5 | Jesús Rodríguez Magro (ESP) | Zor–Gemeaz Cusin | 28 |

### Young rider classification

Final young rider classification (1-5) :
| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Charly Mottet (FRA) | Renault–Elf | 99h 02' 11" |
| 2 | Jens Veggerby (DEN) | Fanini–Wührer | + 3' 59" |
| 3 | Giocondo Dalla Rizza (ITA) | Supermercati Brianzoli | + 10' 19" |
| 4 | Elio Festa (ITA) | Santini–Conti–Galli | + 10' 52" |
| 5 | Jesús Ignacio Ibáñez Loyo (ESP) | Zor–Gemeaz Cusin | + 15' 47" |

### Time trial classification

Final time trial classification (1-5) :
| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Francesco Moser (ITA) | Gis Gelati–Tuc Lu | 1h 43' 10" |
| 2 | Urs Freuler (SUI) | Carrera–Inoxpran | + 4' 26" |
| 3 | Laurent Fignon (FRA) | Renault–Elf | + 4' 27" |
| 4 | Daniel Gisiger (SUI) | Atala | + 5' 10" |
| 5 | Moreno Argentin (ITA) | Sammontana | + 5' 47" |

### Trofeo Fiat Uno classification

Final Trofeo Fiat Uno classification (1-5) :
| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Dante Morandi (ITA) | Atala | 18 |
| 2 | Johan van der Velde (NED) | Metauro Mobili | 12 |
| 3 | Laurent Fignon (FRA) | Renault–Elf | 10 |
| 4 | Marino Lejarreta (ESP) | Alfa Lum–Olmo | 9 |
| 5 | Mario Noris (ITA) | Atala | 8 |
| 5 | Bruno Leali (ITA) | Carrera–Inoxpran | 8 |

### Premio dell'Agonismo classification

Final Premio dell'Agonismo classification (1-4) :
| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Daniel Gisiger (SUI) | Atala | 24 |
| 2 | Giovanni Renosto (ITA) | Murella-Rosin | 15 |
| 3 | Steen-Michael Petersen (DEN) | Fanini–Wührer | 11 |
| 4 | Alf Segersäll (SWE) | Atala | 8 |
| 4 | Juan Fernández (ESP) | Zor–Gemeaz Cusin | 8 |

### Team classification

Final team classification (1-5) :
| | Team | Time |
| 1 | Renault–Elf | 293h 48' 45" |
| 2 | Murella–Rossin | + 2' 34" |
| 3 | Carrera–Inoxpran | + 27' 41" |
| 4 | Del Tongo–Colnago | + 40' 30" |
| 5 | Alfa Lum–Olmo | + 40' 46" |

### Team points classification

Final team points classification (1-3) :
| | Team | Points |
| 1 | Metauro Mobili | 351 |
| 2 | Atala–Campagnolo | 336 |
| 3 | Murella–Rossin | 281 |

## Aftermath

Since the race's conclusion, the race has been marred by accusations of race officials favoring Francesco Moser. On several occasions, Moser was seen drafting behind team cars and being pushed up mountains which is not allowed in the race rules. Moser was not penalized the times he committed the violations, but several other riders in the race were punished by officials when they committed the same infractions. Renault manager Cyrille Guimard especially upset with Moser's lack of punishment because his rider, Fignon, was awarded a twenty-second penalty for receiving food outside of the feed zone. Another instance appeared when the race officials cancelled the crossing of the Stelvio Pass during the eighteenth stage. Snow had fallen on the Stelvio and was thought to be able to be cleared by the day of the stage as race director Vincenzo Torriani had photos showing that it could be done. The French magazine Vélo published photos of the pass being clear of snow and open to the public. However, the day before the stage, the snow had yet to be cleared. There's speculation that a government official from Trent – Moser's hometown – would not allow the Giro to cross the Stelvio. The race was re-routed to go over the Tonale Pass and Palade Pass. The changes in the stage resulted in another collective finish of the general classification contenders, thus keeping the time gaps the same and playing into the hand of Moser. 1986 race winner Roberto Visentini quit the race because he felt the it was being fixed.. In the final time trial, TV helicopters have been accused of flying low behind Moser in order to propel him forward, increasing his speed. Fignon told the media that the helicopters were flying in front of him in order to slow his pace.
Fignon later published an autobiography in 2010 entitled We Were Young and Carefree: The Autobiography of Laurent Fignon where he discussed this edition of the Giro. He wrote that the "breaches in the rules were obvious" and that Moser had received many pushes from spectators while climbing during the twentieth stage. Fignon elaborated on the final time trial, stating that the helicopter pilot "almost mowing the number off of my back with his rotorblades." He stated the helicopter's turbulence slowed him down and also nearly crashed him a few times during the stage. Ultimately, Fignon felt that if the entire race was run according to the route and abiding by the rules, he would've won the race. In 2015, Moser was inducted to the Giro d'Italia Hall of Fame. At the ceremony, he received a replica of the modern-day trophy for his victory in the race. Moser spoke of how he and Fignon talked years after the race and he still blamed his victory on the helicopter, while Moser insisted that the cheering from the crowds is what motivated him to perform so well during the day. He further commented on Fignon: "Poor Fignon! He lost two Grand Tours on the last day and in time trials, too. If either of those races had ended with a climb, it would have been a very different story."