The 1978 Giro d'Italia was the 61st running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Saint-Vincent, on 7 May, with a 2 km (1.2 mi) prologue and concluded in Milan, on 28 May, with a 220 km (136.7 mi) mass-start stage. A total of 130 riders from thirteen teams entered the 20-stage race, that was won by Belgian Johan de Muynck of the Bianchi team. The second and third places were taken by Italians Gianbattista Baronchelli and Francesco Moser, respectively.[1][2][3][4][5][6] As of the beginning of the 2021 cycling season this was the last time a Belgian rider won a Grand Tour.

1978 Giro d'Italia
Race details
Dates7-28 May 1978
Stages20 + Prologue, including one split stage
Distance3,610.5 km (2,243 mi)
Winning time101h 31' 22"
Results
Winner  Johan De Muynck (BEL) (Bianchi)
  Second  Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) (Scic)
  Third  Francesco Moser (ITA) (Sanson)

Points  Francesco Moser (ITA) (Sanson)
Mountains  Ueli Sutter (SUI) (Zonca)
  Youth  Roberto Visentini (ITA) (Vibor)
  Combination  Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) (Scic)
  Team Bianchi - Faema
← 1977
1979 →

Amongst the other classifications that the race awarded, Sanson's Moser won the points classification, Ueli Sutter of Zonca won the mountains classification, and Vibor's Roberto Visentini completed the Giro as the best neo-professional in the general classification, finishing fifteenth overall. Bianchi finishing as the winners of the team points classification.

Teams

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A total of 13 teams were invited to participate in the 1978 Giro d'Italia. Each team sent a squad of ten riders, so the Giro began with a peloton of 130 cyclists. Out of the 130 riders that started this edition of the Giro d'Italia, a total of 90 riders made it to the finish in Milan.[7][8]

The teams entering the race were:

  • Magniflex-Torpado
  • Mecap-Selle Italia
  • Sanson
  • Scic
  • Selle Royal-Inoxpran
  • Teka
  • Vibor
  • Zonca

Route and stages

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The route for the race was revealed on 8 March 1978.[9][10] The start of the race was moved up one week and three stage were cancelled so the race did not interfere with the World Cup that started on 1 June in Argentina.[11] The fourteenth stage took the race into the Venice for a time trial.[12] As the city was not conducive to the event, four ramps were created to allow for riders to ride up and down on canal crossings, as well as one floating bridge over the Grand Canal.[12]

Stage results[7]
Stage Date Course Distance Type Winner
P 7 May Saint-Vincent 2 km (1 mi)   Individual time trial   Dietrich Thurau (GER)
1 8 May Saint-Vincent to Novi Ligure 175 km (109 mi)   Plain stage   Rik Van Linden (BEL)
2 9 May Novi Ligure to La Spezia 195 km (121 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Giuseppe Saronni (ITA)
3 10 May La Spezia to Càscina 183 km (114 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Johan De Muynck (BEL)
4 11 May Larciano to Pistoia 25 km (16 mi)   Individual time trial   Dietrich Thurau (GER)
5 12 May Prato to Cattolica 200 km (124 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Rik Van Linden (BEL)
6 13 May Cattolica to Silvi Marina 218 km (135 mi)   Plain stage   Rik Van Linden (BEL)
7 14 May Silvi Marina to Benevento 242 km (150 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Giuseppe Saronni (ITA)
8 15 May Benevento to Ravello 175 km (109 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Giuseppe Saronni (ITA)
9 16 May Amalfi to Latina 248 km (154 mi)   Plain stage   Enrico Paolini (ITA)
10 17 May Latina to Lago di Piediluco 220 km (137 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Giuseppe Martinelli (ITA)
11a 18 May Terni to Assisi 74 km (46 mi)   Plain stage   Bruno Zanoni (ITA)
11b Assisi to Siena 145 km (90 mi)   Plain stage   Francesco Moser (ITA)
12 19 May Poggibonsi to Monte Trebbio 204 km (127 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Giancarlo Bellini (ITA)
13 20 May Modigliana to Padua 183 km (114 mi)   Plain stage   Francesco Moser (ITA)
14 21 May Venezia to Venezia 12 km (7 mi)   Individual time trial   Francesco Moser (ITA)
22 May Rest day
15 23 May Treviso to Canazei 234 km (145 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA)
16 24 May Mazzin to Cavalese 48 km (30 mi)   Individual time trial   Francesco Moser (ITA)
17 25 May Cavalese to Monte Bondone 205 km (127 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Wladimiro Panizza (ITA)
18 26 May Mezzolombardo to Sarezzo 245 km (152 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Giuseppe Perletto (ITA)
19 27 May Brescia to Inverigo 175 km (109 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Vittorio Algeri (ITA)
20 28 May Inverigo to Milan 220 km (137 mi)   Plain stage   Pierino Gavazzi (ITA)
Total 3,610 km (2,243 mi)

Classification leadership

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The Passo Valles was the Cima Coppi for the 1978 running of the Giro d'Italia.

There were four main individual classifications contested in the 1978 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.[13] The rider with the lowest cumulative time was the winner of the general classification and was considered the overall winner of the Giro.[13] The rider leading the classification wore a pink jersey to signify the classification's leadership.[13]

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.[13] The rider leading this classification wore a purple (or cyclamen) jersey.[13] 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.[13] The Cima Coppi for this Giro was the Passo Valles, which was first summitted by Italian rider Gianbattista Baronchelli. 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).[13] The leader of the classification wore a white jersey.[14]

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.[13]

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").[15] The Fiat Ritmo classification, which was created in honor Juan Manuel Santisteban who died in stage 1A of 1976 edition.[16] In all stages longer than 131 km (81 mi), there was a banner at that point in the stage to designate a special sprint.[16] The winner of the sprint in each stage received a Fiat Ritmo.[16]

Classification leadership by stage
Stage Winner General classification
 
Points classification
 
Mountains classification
 
Young rider classification Team classification
P Dietrich Thurau not awarded not awarded not awarded not awarded not awarded
1 Rik Van Linden Rik Van Linden Rik Van Linden ? ? ?
2 Giuseppe Saronni
3 Johan De Muynck Johan De Muynck
4 Dietrich Thurau Giuseppe Saronni
5 Rik Van Linden Francesco Moser
6 Rik Van Linden Rik Van Linden
7 Giuseppe Saronni Roger De Vlaeminck
8 Giuseppe Saronni Giuseppe Saronni
9 Enrico Paolini Roger De Vlaeminck
10 Giuseppe Martinelli Giuseppe Saronni
11a Bruno Zanoni
11b Francesco Moser Roger De Vlaeminck
12 Giancarlo Bellini Francesco Moser
13 Francesco Moser
14 Francesco Moser
15 Gianbattista Baronchelli
16 Francesco Moser
17 Wladimiro Panizza Ueli Sutter
18 Giuseppe Perletto
19 Vittorio Algeri
20 Pierino Gavazzi Roberto Visentini Bianchi
Final Johan De Muynck Francesco Moser Ueli Sutter Roberto Visentini Bianchi

Final standings

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Legend
      Denotes the winner of the General classification       Denotes the winner of the Mountains classification
      Denotes the winner of the Points classification

General classification

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Final general classification (1–10)[7][17][18]
Rank Name Team Time
1   Johan De Muynck (BEL)   Bianchi 101h 31' 22"
2   Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) Scic + 59"
3   Francesco Moser (ITA)   Sanson + 2' 19"
4   Wladimiro Panizza (ITA) Vibor + 7' 57"
5   Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) Scic + 8' 19"
6   Ronald De Witte (BEL) Sanson + 8' 24"
7   Alfio Vandi (ITA) Magniflex + 9' 04"
8   Claudio Bortolotto (ITA) Sanson + 9' 25"
9   Bernt Johansson (SWE) Fiorella + 12' 36"
10   Ueli Sutter (SUI)   Zonca + 12' 38"

Points classification

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Final points classification (1-5)[7][17][19]
Rider Team Points
1   Francesco Moser (ITA)   Sanson 275
2   Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) Scic 274
3   Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) Scic 260
4   Pierino Gavazzi (ITA) Zonca 130
5   Johan De Muynck (BEL)   Bianchi 118

Mountains classification

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Final mountains classification (1-5)[7][17]
Rider Team Points
1   Ueli Sutter (SUI)   Zonca 830
2   Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) Scic 520
3   Claudio Bortolotto (ITA) Sanson 345
4   Pedro Torres (ESP) Teka
5   Johan De Muynck (BEL)   Bianchi 290

Young rider classification

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Final young rider classification (1-5)[7][17]
Rider Team Time
1   Roberto Visentini (ITA) Vibor 101h 50' 17"
2   Giancarlo Casiraghi (ITA) Intercontinentale Assicurazioni + 41' 33"
3   Ennio Vanotti (ITA) Zonca + 54' 39"
4   Claudio Corti (ITA) Zonca + 1h 05' 20"
5   Vincenzo De Caro (ITA) Mecap + 1h 19' 15"

Campionato delle Regioni classification

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Final Campionato delle Regioni classification (1-5)[17]
Rider Team Points
1   Fiorenzo Favero (ITA) Intercontinentale Assicurazioni 38
2   Alessio Antonini (ITA) Selle Royal-Inoxpran 27
3   Giuseppe Martinelli (ITA) Magniflex 19
4   Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) Scic 17
5   Giancarlo Tartoni (ITA) Magniflex 13

Traguardo Fiat Ritmo classification

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Final Traguardo Fiat Ritmo classification (1-3)[17][18]
Rider Team Points
1   Luciano Rossignoli (ITA) Fiorella 37
2   Walter Dusi (ITA) Intercontinentale Assicurazioni 16
3   Ottavio Crepaldi (ITA) Magniflex 13

Team points classification

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Final team points classification (1-3)[7]
Team Points
1 Bianchi 15,540
2 Sanson 9,420
3 Scic 8,107

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ "De Muynck, al libro de oro del "Giro"" [De Muynck, the Golden Book "Tour"] (PDF) (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 29 May 1978. p. 31. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  2. ^ "El "Giro" Comenzia Hoy" [The "Tour" Commences Today] (PDF) (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 7 May 1978. p. 28. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Giro, oggi e domani" [Giro, today and tomorrow] (PDF). La Stampa (in Italian). Editrice La Stampa. 7 May 1978. p. 17. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  4. ^ "<<Traguardo Rito>> al Giro d'Italia" [<<Target Rite>> the Tour of Italy] (PDF). Stampa Sera (in Italian). Editrice La Stampa. 6 May 1978. p. 16. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Il Giro d'Italia corre in coppia" [The Tour of Italy runs in pairs] (PDF). La Stampa (in Italian). Editrice La Stampa. 6 May 1978. p. 15. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Ecco il <Giro> Da St..Vincent a Milano: 20 tappe". l'Unità. 9 March 1978. p. 14. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Bill and Carol McGann. "1978 Giro d'Italia". Bike Race Info. Dog Ear Publishing. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  8. ^ "Spectaculaire chevauchée du Français Campaner" (PDF) (in French). L'Express. 7 May 1978.
  9. ^ Gino Sala (9 March 1978). "Ecco il <<Giro>>" [Here is the <<Giro>>] (PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). PCI. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  10. ^ "Moser: <<Este <<Giro>> No Es Para Mi>>" [Moser: This <<Giro>> is not for me] (PDF) (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 10 March 1978. p. 25. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  11. ^ "1978". Giro d'Italia. La Gazzetta dello Sport. 2017. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  12. ^ a b Gregor Brown (29 April 2015). "The seven oddest Giro d'Italia stages". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h Laura Weislo (13 May 2008). "Giro d'Italia classifications demystified". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  14. ^ "1977". Giro d'Italia. La Gazzetta dello Sport. 2017. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  15. ^ "1975". Giro d'Italia. La Gazzetta dello Sport. 2017. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  16. ^ a b c "1976". Giro d'Italia. La Gazzetta dello Sport. 2017. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  17. ^ a b c d e f "Classifica finale" [Final classification] (PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). PCI. 29 May 1978. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  18. ^ a b "le classfiche finali" [The final classifications] (PDF). La Stampa (in Italian). Editrice La Stampa. 29 May 1978. p. 17. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  19. ^ "Il Giro di ieri e di oggi" (PDF). l'Unità. 14 March 1979. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2019.