# 1977 Giro d'Italia

The 1977 Giro d'Italia was the 60th running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Bacoli, on 20 May, with a 7 km (4.3 mi) prologue and concluded in Milan, on 13 June, with a 122 km (75.8 mi) mass-start stage. A total of 130 riders from thirteen teams entered the 22-stage race, that was won by Belgian Michel Pollentier of the Flandria team. The second and third places were taken by Italians Francesco Moser and Gianbattista Baronchelli, respectively. Freddy Maertens won 7 of the first 11 stages before abandoning due to a crash on Stage 8B.
Maertens was one of five riders within 1:00 of the lead at the time of his abandonment. This followed his performance of winning 13 stages along with the General Classification at the Vuelta a month earlier.
Moser took the Pink jersey from Maertens in the first week and held it until the high mountains of stage 17 which ended in Cortina d'Ampezzo where Pollentier took a :03 lead by beating Moser by :25. Over the next few stages he built this lead up to about 2:00 before the final time trial where he won the stage by :30 over 2nd place Moser and sealed the Giro victory.
Amongst the other classifications that the race awarded, Sanson's Moser won the points classification, Faustino Fernández Ovies of KAS won the mountains classification, and Sanson's Mario Beccia completed the Giro as the best neo-professional in the general classification, finishing ninth overall. Flandria finished as the winners of the team points classification.

## Teams

A total of 14 teams were invited to participate in the 1977 Giro d'Italia. Each team sent a squad of ten riders, so the Giro began with a peloton of 140 cyclists. Out of the 140 riders that started this edition of the Giro d'Italia, a total of 121 riders made it to the finish in Milan.
The teams entering the race were:
| Bianchi Brooklyn Fiorella GBC Jolly Ceramica | KAS Flandria Magniflex Sanson Scic | Selle Royal Teka Vibor Zonca |

## Pre-race favorites

The starting peloton did include the 1976 winner, Felice Gimondi. Freddy Maertens, Gianbattista Baronchelli, and Gimondi were seen by many news outlets to be the favorites to win the race.

## Route and stages

The route for the race was revealed on 19 February 1977.
Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Winner |
| P | 20 May | Bacoli to Monte di Procida | 7 km (4 mi) | | Individual time trial | Freddy Maertens (BEL) |
| 1 | 21 May | Lago Miseno to Avellino | 159 km (99 mi) | | Plain stage | Freddy Maertens (BEL) |
| 2a | 22 May | Avellino to Foggia | 118 km (73 mi) | | Plain stage | Rik Van Linden (BEL) |
| 2b | 22 May | Foggia to Foggia | 65 km (40 mi) | | Plain stage | Luciano Borgognoni (ITA) |
| 3 | 23 May | Foggia to Isernia | 166 km (103 mi) | | Plain stage | Simone Fraccaro (ITA) |
| 4 | 24 May | Isernia to Pescara | 228 km (142 mi) | | Plain stage | Freddy Maertens (BEL) |
| 5 | 25 May | Pescara to Monteluco di Spoleto | 215 km (134 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Mario Beccia (ITA) |
| 6a | 26 May | Spoleto to Gabicce Mare | 185 km (115 mi) | | Plain stage | Freddy Maertens (BEL) |
| 6b | 26 May | Gabicce Mare to Gabicce Mare | 70 km (43 mi) | | Plain stage | Freddy Maertens (BEL) |
| 7 | 27 May | Gabicce Mare to Forlì | 163 km (101 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Freddy Maertens (BEL) |
| 8a | 28 May | Forlì to Circuito del Mugello | 103 km (64 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Freddy Maertens (BEL) |
| 8b | 28 May | Circuito del Mugello to Circuito del Mugello | 79 km (49 mi) | | Plain stage | Marino Basso (ITA) |
| 9 | 29 May | Lucca to Pisa | 25 km (16 mi) | | Individual time trial | Knut Knudsen (NOR) |
| 10 | 30 May | Pisa to Salsomaggiore Terme | 205 km (127 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Giacinto Santambrogio (ITA) |
| 11 | 31 May | Salsomaggiore Terme to Santa Margherita Ligure | 198 km (123 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Claudio Bortolotto (ITA) |
| | 1 June | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day |
| 12 | 2 June | Santa Margherita Ligure-San Giacomo di Roburent | 160 km (99 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Wilmo Francioni (ITA) |
| 13 | 3 June | Mondovì to Varzi | 192 km (119 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Giancarlo Tartoni (ITA) |
| 14 | 4 June | Voghera to Vicenza | 247 km (153 mi) | | Plain stage | Marc Demeyer (BEL) |
| 15 | 5 June | Vicenza to Trieste | 223 km (139 mi) | | Plain stage | Ercole Gualazzini (ITA) |
| 16a | 6 June | Trieste to Gemona del Friuli | 107 km (66 mi) | | Plain stage | Marc Demeyer (BEL) |
| 16b | 6 June | Gemona del Friuli to Conegliano | 116 km (72 mi) | | Plain stage | Pierino Gavazzi (ITA) |
| 17 | 7 June | Conegliano to Cortina d'Ampezzo | 220 km (137 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Giuseppe Perletto (ITA) |
| 18 | 8 June | Cortina d'Ampezzo to Pinzolo | 223 km (139 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) |
| 19 | 9 June | Pinzolo to San Pellegrino Terme | 205 km (127 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Renato Laghi (ITA) |
| 20 | 10 June | San Pellegrino Terme to Varese | 138 km (86 mi) | | Plain stage | Wilmo Francioni (ITA) |
| 21 | 11 June | Binago to Binago | 29 km (18 mi) | | Individual time trial | Michel Pollentier (BEL) |
| 22 | 12 June | Milan to Milan | 122 km (76 mi) | | Plain stage | Luciano Borgognoni (ITA) |
| | Total | Total | 3,968 km (3,968 km) | 3,968 km (3,968 km) | 3,968 km (3,968 km) | 3,968 km (3,968 km) | 3,968 km (3,968 km) |

## Classification leadership

There were four main individual classifications contested in the 1977 Giro d'Italia, as well as a team competition. Four of them awarded jerseys to their leaders. The general classification was the most important and was calculated by adding each rider's finishing times on each stage. The rider with the lowest cumulative time was the winner of the general classification and was considered the overall winner of the Giro. The rider leading the classification wore a pink jersey to signify the classification's leadership.
The second classification was the points classification. Riders received points for finishing in the top positions in a stage finish, with first place getting the most points, and lower placings getting successively fewer points. The rider leading this classification wore a purple (or cyclamen) jersey. The mountains classification was the third classification and its leader was denoted by the green jersey. 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. Most stages of the race included one or more categorized climbs, in which points were awarded to the riders that reached the summit first. 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 Valparola Pass. The first rider to cross the Valparola Pass was Spanish rider Faustino Fernández Ovies. The fourth classification, the young rider classification, was decided the same way as the general classification, but exclusive to neo-professional cyclists (in their first three years of professional racing). The leader of the classification wore a white jersey.
The final classification, the team classification, awarded no jersey to its leaders. This was calculated by adding together points earned by each rider on the team during each stage through the intermediate sprints, the categorized climbs, stage finishes, etc. The team with the most points led the classification.
There were other minor classifications within the race, including the Campionato delle Regioni classification. The leader wore a blue jersey with colored vertical stripes ("maglia azzurra con banda tricolore verticale"). The Fiat Ritmo classification, which was created in honor Juan Manuel Santisteban who died in stage 1A of 1976 edition. In all stages longer than 131 km (81 mi), there was a banner at that point in the stage to designate a special sprint. The winner of the sprint in each stage received a Fiat 127 in this edition, as opposed to a Fiat 131 in its inaugural year.
Classification leadership by stage :
| Stage | Winner | General classification | Points classification | Mountains classification | Young rider classification | Team classification |
| P | Freddy Maertens | Freddy Maertens | Freddy Maertens | not awarded | José Enrique Cima | Flandria |
| 1 | Freddy Maertens | Freddy Maertens | Freddy Maertens | not awarded | José Enrique Cima | Flandria |
| 2a | Rik Van Linden | Freddy Maertens | Freddy Maertens | Faustino Fernández Ovies | José Enrique Cima | Flandria |
| 2b | Luciano Borgognoni | Freddy Maertens | Freddy Maertens | Faustino Fernández Ovies | José Enrique Cima | Flandria |
| 3 | Simone Fraccaro | Freddy Maertens | Freddy Maertens | Francesco Moser | José Enrique Cima | Flandria |
| 4 | Freddy Maertens | Freddy Maertens | Freddy Maertens | Francesco Moser | José Enrique Cima | Flandria |
| 5 | Mario Beccia | Francesco Moser | Freddy Maertens | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 6a | Freddy Maertens | Francesco Moser | Freddy Maertens | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 6b | Freddy Maertens | Francesco Moser | Freddy Maertens | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 7 | Freddy Maertens | Francesco Moser | Freddy Maertens | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 8a | Freddy Maertens | Francesco Moser | Freddy Maertens | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 8b | Marino Basso | Francesco Moser | Freddy Maertens | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 9 | Knut Knudsen | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 10 | Giacinto Santambrogio | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 11 | Claudio Bortolotto | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 12 | Wilmo Francioni | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 13 | Giancarlo Tartoni | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 14 | Marc Demeyer | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 15 | Ercole Gualazzini | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 16a | Marc Demeyer | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 16b | Pierino Gavazzi | Francesco Moser | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 17 | Giuseppe Perletto | Michel Pollentier | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 18 | Gianbattista Baronchelli | Michel Pollentier | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 19 | Renato Laghi | Michel Pollentier | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 20 | Wilmo Francioni | Michel Pollentier | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 21 | Michel Pollentier | Michel Pollentier | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| 22 | Luciano Borgognoni | Michel Pollentier | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |
| Final | Final | Michel Pollentier | Francesco Moser | Faustino Fernández Ovies | Mario Beccia | Flandria |

## 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 Points classification | Denotes the winner of the Points classification |

### General classification

Final general classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Name | Team | Time |
| 1 | Michel Pollentier (BEL) | Flandria | 107h 27' 16" |
| 2 | Francesco Moser (ITA) | Sanson | + 2' 32" |
| 3 | Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) | Scic | + 4' 02" |
| 4 | Alfio Vandi (ITA) | Magniflex | + 7' 50" |
| 5 | Wladimiro Panizza (ITA) | Scic | + 7' 56" |
| 6 | Ronald De Witte (BEL) | Brooklyn | + 10' 04" |
| 7 | Walter Riccomi (ITA) | Scic | + 12' 28" |
| 8 | Claudio Bortolotto (ITA) | Sanson | + 13' 41" |
| 9 | Mario Beccia (ITA) | Sanson | + 13' 48" |
| 10 | Wilmo Francioni (ITA) | Magniflex | + 16' 11" |

### Points classification

Final points classification (1-9) :
| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Francesco Moser (ITA) | Sanson | 225 |
| 2 | Pierino Gavazzi (ITA) | Scic | 183 |
| 3 | Luciano Borgognoni (ITA) | Scic | 183 |
| 4 | Michel Pollentier (BEL) | Flandria | 153 |
| 5 | Wilmo Francioni (ITA) | Magniflex | 143 |
| 6 | Marc Demeyer (BEL) | Flandria | 141 |
| 7 | Enrico Paolini (ITA) | Scic | 133 |
| 8 | Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) | Scic | 123 |
| 9 | Miguel María Lasa (ESP) | Teka | 105 |
| 9 | Aldo Parecchini (ITA) | Brooklyn | 105 |

### Mountains classification

Final mountains classification (1-10) :
| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Faustino Fernández Ovies (ESP) | Kas–Campagnolo | 675 |
| 2 | Ueli Sutter (SUI) | Zonca–Santini | 490 |
| 3 | Michel Pollentier (BEL) | Flandria | 340 |
| 4 | Mario Beccia (ITA) | Sanson | 220 |
| 5 | Renato Laghi (ITA) | Vibor | 195 |
| 6 | Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) | Scic | 175 |
| 7 | Alfio Vandi (ITA) | Magniflex | 120 |
| 8 | Giuseppe Perletto (ITA) | Perletto | 110 |
| 8 | José-Luis Viejo (ESP) | KAS | 110 |
| 10 | Wladimiro Panizza (ITA) | Scic | 100 |

### Young rider classification

Final young rider classification (1-5) :
| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Mario Beccia (ITA) | Sanson | 107h 41' 04" |
| 2 | Vittorio Algeri (ITA) | G.B.C. | + 7' 34" |
| 3 | Amilcare Sgalbazzi (ITA) | Jolly Ceramica | + 11' 27" |
| 4 | Bernt Johansson (SWE) | Fiorella | + 14' 13" |
| 5 | Carmelo Barone (ITA) | Fiorella | + 21' 28" |

### Campionato delle Regioni classification

Final Campionato delle Regioni classification (1-8) :
| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Wilmo Francioni (ITA) | Magniflex | 37 |
| 2 | Gianfranco Foresti (ITA) | Scic | 12 |
| 3 | Giacinto Santambrogio (ITA) | Bianchi | 10 |
| 4 | Aldo Parecchini (ITA) | Brooklyn | 10 |
| 5 | Pietro Algeri (ITA) | G.B.C. | 8 |
| 5 | Claudio Bortolotto (ITA) | Sanson | 8 |
| 5 | Marcello Osler (ITA) | Brooklyn | 8 |
| 8 | Bruno Zanoni (ITA) | G.B.C. | 6 |

### Traguardo Fiat 127 classification

Final Traguardo Fiat 127 classification (1-4) :
| | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Jesús Suárez Cueva (ESP) | Teka | 33 |
| 2 | Domingo Perurena (ESP) | KAS | 26 |
| 3 | Adriano Pella (ITA) | Selle Royal | 18 |
| 4 | Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) | Scic | 3 |
| 4 | Aldo Donadello (ITA) | Sanson | 3 |
| 4 | Miguel María Lasa (ESP) | Teka | 3 |
| 4 | Wladimiro Panizza (ITA) | Scic | 3 |
| 4 | Aldo Parecchini (ITA) | Brooklyn | 3 |
| 4 | Alfio Vandi (ITA) | Magniflex | 3 |

### Team points classification

Final team points classification (1-10) :
| | Team | Points |
| 1 | Flandria | 11,886 |
| 2 | Sanson | 11,078 |
| 3 | Scic | 7,154 |
| 4 | Flandria | 5,633 |
| 5 | Jolly Ceramica | 4558? |
| 6 | Vibor | 3443 |
| 7 | Bianchi | 3362 |
| 8 | Brooklyn | 3209 |
| 9 | Selle Royal | 3184 |
| 10 | KAS | 3070 |