1991 Giro d'Italia

74th edition: May 26- June 16

Results, stages with running GC, photos and history

1990 Giro | 1992 Giro | Giro d'Italia Database | 1991 Giro Quick Facts | 1991 Giro d'Italia Final GC | Stage results with running GC | The Story of the 1991 Giro d'Italia

Map of the 1991 Giro d'Italia

---

1991 Giro Quick Facts:

3,715 km raced at an average speed of 37.30 km/hr

180 starters and 133 classified finishers

After Gianni Bugno's doninating win in 1990, he was again the favorite for 1991.

But Franco Chioccioli, who was still smarting from losing the lead on the frozen Gavia Pass in 1988, was riding as he never had before.

He was far stronger than any other rider in the race.

He cemented his lead with a masterful attack on the Pordoi Pass, the climb Fausto Coppi had used several times to distance his competition.

Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2019: A Year of New Faces is available as an audiobook here.

---

1991 Giro d'Italia Complete Final General Classification:

1. Franco Chioccioli (Del Tongo-MG) 99hr 35min 43sec
2. Claudio Chiappucci (Carrera) @ 3min 48sec
3. Massimiliano Lelli (Ariostea) @ 6min 56sec
4. Gianni Bugno (Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax) @ 7min 49sec
5. Marino Lejarreta (ONCE) @ 10min 23sec
6. Eric Boyer (Z-Peugeot) @ 11min 9sec
7. Leonardo Sierra (Selle Italia-Vetta) @ 11min 56sec
8. Marco Giovannetti (Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax) @ 13min 9sec
9. Zenon Jaskula (Del Tongo-MG) @ 18min 22sec
10. Eduardo Chozas (ONCE) @ 23min 42sec
11. Vladimir Poulnikov (Carrera) @ 24min 36sec
12. Nelson Rodriguez (Pony Malta-Avianca) @ 34min 37sec
13. Federico Echave (Clas-Cajastur) s.t.
14. Jean-François Bernard (Banesto) @ 29min 32sec
15. Pedro Delgado (Banesto) @ 30min 3sec
16. Gianluca Bortolami (Colnago-Lampre) @ 34min 32sec
17. Gianni Faresin (ZG-Mobili) @ 35min 44sec
18. Franco Vona (Jolly Componibili-Club 88) @ 40min 5sec
19. Juan-Thomas Martinez (Festina) @ 43min 47sec
20. Santos Hernandez (ONCE) @ 43min 49sec
21. Fabian Fuchs (Banesto) @ 56min 37sec
22. Stefano Della-Santa (Amore & Vita-Fanini) @ 1hr 2min 12sec
23. Iñaki Gastón (Clas-Cajastur) @ 1hr 4min 15sec
24. Michele Moro (Italbonifica-Navigare) @ 1hr 7min 34sec
25. Miguel Arroyo (Z-Peugeot) @ 1hr 8min 10sec
26. Stephen Hodge (ONCE) @ 1hr 11min 30sec
27. Alessandro Gianelli (Carrera) @ 1hr 14min 4sec
28. Jean-Claude Bagot (Castorama) @ 1hr 14min 10sec
29. Dominique Arnould (Castorama) @ 1hr 18min 3sec
30. Atle Kvalsvoll (Z-Peugeot) @ 1hr 18min 42sec
31. Roberto Gusmeroli (Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax) @ 1hr 22min 13sec
32. Ronan Pensec (Seur) @ 1hr 24min 31sec
33. Dominique Arnaud (Banesto) @ 1hr 27min 5sec
34. Viktor Klimov (Seur) @ 1hr 31min 37sec
35. Federico Garcia (Seur) @ 1hr 31min 50sec
36. Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (Z-Peugeot) @ 1hr 33min 36sec
37. Marco Vitali (Jolly Componibili-Club 88) @ 1hr 33min 56sec
38. Maurizio Piovani (Colnago-Lampre) @ 1hr 34min 37sec
39. Germano Pierdomenico (Gis Gelati-Ballan) @ 1hr 35min 1sec
40. Ruben Gorospe (Banesto) @ 1hr 35min 35sec
41. Juan Valbuena (Festina) @ 1hr 36min 51sec
42. Roberto Conti (Ariostea) @ 1hr 39min 46sec
43. Bjarne Riis (Castorama) @ 1hr 39min 46sec
44. Demetrio Cuscopa (Pony Malta-Avianca) @ 1hr 45min 37sec
45. Enrico Zaina (Carrera) @ 1hr 47min 37sec
46. Sergio Carcano (Italbonifica-Navigare) @ 1hr 53min 12sec
47. Valerio Tebaldi (Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax) @ 1hr 54min 52sec
48. Marek Szerszynski (Colnago-Lampre) @ 1hr 58min 43sec
49. François Lemarchand (Z-Peugeot) @ 2hr 2min 5sec
50. Alvaro Lonzano (Pony Malta-Avianca) @ 2hr 5min 34sec
51. Richard Parra (Selle Italia-Vetta) @ 2hr 6min 23sec
52. Massimo Podenzana (Italbonifica-Navigare) @ 2hr 7min 25sec
53. Alberto Ramirez (Pony Malta-Avianca) @ 2hr 8min 15sec
54. Luis-Maria Diaz de Otazu (ONCE) @ 2hr 8min 20sec
55. José Urea (Seur) @ 2hr 14min 9sec
56. Julian Gorospe (Banesto) @ 2hr 14min 11sec
57. Acacio Da Silva (Festina) @ 2hr 14min 18sec
58. Pedro Diaz-Zabala (ONCE) @ 2hr 17min 25sec
59. Giorgio Furlan (Ariostea) @ 2hr 18min 8sec
60. Miguel Sanabria (Pony Malta-Avianca) @ 2hr 18min 8sec
61. Ramon Gonzalez (Festina) @ 2hr 18min 12sec
62. Marco Lietti (Ariostea) @ 2hr 19min 22sec
63. Francisco Espinosa (Clas-Cajastur) @ 2hr 19min 49sec
64. Alberto Leanizbarrutia (Clas-Cajastur) @ 2hr 21min 19sec
65. Rafael Tolosa (Pony Malta-Avianca) @ 2hr 22min 57sec
66. Luc Suykerbuyk (Festina) @ 2hr 23min 20sec
67. Fernando Escartin (Clas-Cajastur) @ 2hr 24min 43sec
68. Miguel Martinez (ONCE) @ 2hr 25min 36sec
69. Giuseppe Petito (Gis Gelati-Ballan) @ 2hr 28min 4sec
70. Bruno Leali (Gis Gelati-Ballan) @ 2hr 28min 19sec
71. Jörg Müller (TVM-Sanyo) @ 2hr 29min 54sec
72. Eleuterio Anguita (Seur) @ 2hr 32min 7sec
73. Fabio Bordonali (Gis Gelati-Ballan) @ 2hr 35min 53sec
74. Xavier Aldanondo (ONCE) @ 2hr 37min 11sec
75. Jean-Philippe Rouxel (Castorama) @ 2hr 40min 7sec
76. Philippe Casado (Z-Peugeot) @ 2hr 42min 56sec
77. Mario Kummer (Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax) @ 2hr 45min 20sec
78. Walter Magnago (Gis Gelati-Ballan) @ 2hr 50min 37sec
79. Davide Bramati (Colnago-Lampre) @ 2hr 53min 52sec
80. Fabio Roscioli (Del Tongo-Lampre) @ 2hr 54min 9sec
81. Eddie Salas (Amore & Vita-Fanini) @ 2hr 54min 18sec
82. Stefano Cortinovis (Colnago-Lampre) @ 2hr 54min 41sec
83. Andrei Zoubov (Festina-Lotus) @ 2hr 54min 56sec
84. Peter Meinert (TVM-Sanyo) @ 2hr 57min 46sec
85. Giancarlo Perini (Carrera) @ 2hr 59min 19sec
86. Luca Gelfi (Del Tongo-MG) @ 2hr 59min 20sec
87. Daniel Wyder (Selle Italia-Vetta) @ 3hr 0min 42sec
88. Bruno Cenghialta (Ariostea) @ 3hr 0min 53sec
89. Aitor Garmendia (Banesto) @ 3hr 4min 40sec
90. Jacky Durnad (Castorama) @ 3hr 5min 17sec
91. Florido Barale (Amore & Vita-Fanini) @ 3hr 8min 5sec
92. Silvano Lorenzon (ZG-Mobili) @ 3hr 10min 14sec
93. Flavio Vanzella (ZG-Mobili) @ 3hr 10min 36sec
94. Mario Mantovan (ZG-Mobili) @ 3hr 11min 30sec
95. Fabrizio Settembrini (Italbonifica-Navigare) @ 3hr 13min 22sec
96. Paolo Botarelli (Jolly Componibili-Club 88) ) @ 3hr 14min 27sec
97. Francesco Cesarini (Del Tongo-MG) @ 3hr 21min 14sec
98. Brian Petersen (Amore & Vita-Fanini) @ 3hr 21min 41sec
99. Kenneth Weltz (ONCE) @ 3hr 26min 59sec
100. José Cano-Camacho (Seur) @ 3hr 27min 20sec
101. Silvio Martinello (Gis Gelati-Ballan) @ 3hr 17min 42sec
102. Dario Nicoletti (Colnago-Lampre) @ 3hr 19min 11sec
103. Enrico Galleschi (Gis Gelati-Ballan) @ 3hr 29min 24sec
104. Stefano Zanini (Italbinifica-Navigare) @ 3hr 30min 6sec
105. Mario Scirea (Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax) @ 3hr 50min 53sec
106. Juan Martinez-Oliver (Banesto) @ 3hr 31min 13sec
107. Martin Schalkers (TVM-Sanyo) @ 3hr 34min 2sec
108. Roberto Pelliconi (Amore & Vita-Fanini) @ 3hr 34min 35sec
109. Casimiro Moreda (Clas-Cajastur) @ 3hr 38min 45sec
110. Giovanni Fidanza (Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax) @ 3hr 4min 23sec
111. Mark Siemons (TVM-Sanyo) @ 3hr 41min 55sec
112. Davide Perona (ZG-Mobili) @ 3hr 41min 58sec
113. Rob Harmeling (TVM-Sanyo) @ 3hr 42min 21sec
114. Edoardo Rocchi (Jolly Componibili-Club 88) @ 3hr 42min 29sec
115. Luigi Botteon (Colnago-Lampre) @ 3hr 41min 58sec
116. Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (Carrera) @ 3hr 45min 8sec
117. Giuseppe Calcaterra (Gatorade-Chaeau d'Ax) @ 3hr 45min 19sec
118. Javier Duch (Clas-Cajastur) @ 3hr 46min 11sec
119. Dario Bottaro (Gis Gelati-Ballan) @ 3hr 48min 2sec
120. Fabio Fontanelli (Italbonifica-Navigare) @ 3hr 50min 2sec
121. Giovanni Strazzer (Jolly Componibili-Club 88) @3hr 54min 13sec
122. Mauro Consonni (ZG-Mobili) @ 3hr 54min 32sec
123. Daniel Castro (Amore & Vita-Fanini) @ 3hr 55min 3sec
124. Mario Cipollini (Del Tongo-MG) @ 3hr 55min 38sec
125. Claudio Brandini (Jolly Componibili-Club 88) @ 3hr 58min 4sec
126. Jan Svorada (Colnago-Lampre) @ 4hr 9min 32sec
127. Maurizio Molinari (Amore & Vita-Fanini) @ 4hr 14min 21sec
128. Nico Emonds (Clas-Cajastur) @ 4hr 18min 48sec
129. Eros Poli (Del Tongo-MG) @ 4hr 20min 5sec
130. Jos Van der Pas (TVM-Sanyo) @ 4hr 23min 36sec
131. Stefano Zanatta (Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax) @ 4hr 33min 24sec
132. Stefano Allocchio (Italbonifica-Navigare) @ 4hr 39min 38sec
133. Endrio Leoni (Jolly Componibili-Club 88) @ 4hr 32min 2sec

Points Classification:

1. Claudio Chiappucci (Carrera): 283 points
2. Franco Chioccioli (Del Tongo): 239
3. Mario Cipollini (Del Tongo): 191
4. Gianni Bugno (Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax): 189
5. Marino Lejarreta (ONCE): 143

Climbers' Competition:

1. Iñaki Gastón (Clas-Cajastur): 75 points
2. Claudio Chiappucci (Carrera): 69
3. Franco Chioccioli (Del Tongo): 57
4. Acácio Da Silva (Festina): 46
5. Massimiliano Lelli (Ariostea): 38

Young rider:

1. Massimiliano Lelli (Ariostea) 99hr 42min 39sec
2. Leonardo Sierra (Selle Italia-Vetta) @ 5min 0sec
3. Gianluca Bortolami (Colnago-Lampre) @ 27min 36sec
4. Santos Hernadez (ONCE) @ 36min 53sec
5. Stefano Della Santa (Amore & Vita-Fanini) @ 55min 16sec

Team Classificaton:

1. Carrera: 299hr 49min 51sec
2. ONCE @ 4min 40sec
3. Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax @ 21min 40sec

---

1991 Giro stage results with running GC:

Sunday, May 26: Stage 1, Olbia - Olbia, 193 km

Major ascent: San Pantaleo

1. Philippe Casado: 4hr 37min 54sec
2. Didier Theuex s.t.
3. Franco Chioccioli s.t.
4. Franco Ballerini s.t.
5. Gianluca Bortolami s.t.
6. Davide Cassani s.t.
7. Daniel Wyder s.t.
8. Raimondo Vairetti s.t.
9. Claudio Chiappucci s.t.
10. Silvio Martinello s.t.

GC after Stage 1:

1. Philippe Casado: 4hr 37min 42sec
2. Didier Theuex @ 4sec
3. Alberto Leanizbarrutia @ 6sec
4. Franco Chioccioli @ 8sec
5. Claudio Chiappucci s.t.
6. Davide Cassani @ 10sec
7. Franco Ballerini @ 12sec
8. Gianluca Bortolami s.t.
9. Daniel Wyder s.t.
10. Raimondo Vairetti s.t.

Monday, May 27: Stage 2A, Olbia - Sassari, 127 km

Major ascent: Sala di Giocca

1. Gianni Bugno: 3hr 21min 32sec
2. Franco Chioccioli s.t.
3. Vladimir Poulnikov s.t.
4. Eric Boyer s.t.
5. Giuseppe Petito s.t.
6. Davide Cassani s.t.
7. Acacio Da Silva s.t.
8. Atle Kvalsvoll s.t.
9. Claudio Chiappucci s.t.
10. Gianluca Bortolami s.t.

GC after Stage 2A:

1. Franco Chioccioli 7hr 9min 14sec
2. Gianni Bugno s.t.
3. Alberto Leanizbarrutia @ 6sec
4. Claudio Chiappucci @ 8sec
5. Vladimir Poulnikov s.t.
6. Iñaki Gastón s.t.
7. Davide Cassani @ 10sec
8. Gianluca Bortolani @ 12sec
9. Acacio Da Silva s.t.
10. Federico Garcia s.t.

Monday, May 27: Stage 2B, Sassari 7.7 km individual time trial (cronometro)

1. Gianluca Pierobon: 10min 9sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 5sec
3. Franco Chioccioli s.t.
4. Jean-François Bernard s.t.
5. Claudio Chiappucci @ 8sec
6. Gianni Bugno @ 10sec
7. Zenon Jaskula @ 12sec
8. Greg LeMond @ 13sec
9. Massimo Ghirotto @ 14sec
10. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 15sec

GC after Stage 2B:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 8hr 9min 29sec
2. Gianni Bugno @ 5sec
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 11sec
4. Marino Lejarreta, Jean-François Bernard @ 12sec
6. Zenon Jaskula @ 19sec
7. Greg LeMond @ 20sec
8. Massimo Ghirotto @ 21sec
9. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 22sec
10. Gianluca Bortolami @ 23sec

Tuesday, May 28: Stage 3, Sassari - Cagliari, 231 km

1. Mario Cipollini: 6hr 11min 52sec
2. Djamolidine Abdoujaparov s.t.
3. Giuseppe Citterio s.t.
4. Adriano Baffi s.t.
5. Endrio Leoni s.t.
6. Johan Capiot s.t.
7. Casimiro Moreda s.t.
8. Christophe Capelle s.t.
9. Roberto Pagnin s.t.
10. Mark Siemons s.t.

GC after Stage 3:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 8hr 9min 28sec
2. Gianni Bugno @ 5sec
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 11sec
4. Marino Lejarreta, Jean-François Bernard @ 12sec
6. Zenon Jaskula @ 19sec
7. Greg LeMond @ 20sec
8. Massimo Ghirotto @ 21sec
9. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 22sec
10. Gianluca Bortolami @ 23sec

Wednesday, May 29: Rest Day (giorno di riposo)

Thursday, May 30: Stage 4, Sorrento - Sorento (circuito penisola sorrentina), 170 km

1. Eric Boyer: 4hr 23min 50sec
2. Acacio Da Silva @ 23sec
3. Claudio Chiappucci s.t.
4. Gianluca Bortolami s.t.
5. Roberto Gusmeroli s.t.
6. Marco Giovannetti s.t.
7. Giuseppe Petito s.t.
8. Zenon Jaskula s.t.
9. Iñaki Gaston s.t.
10. Atle Kvalsvoll s.t.

GC after Stage 4:

1. Erik Boyer: 18hr 45min 25sec
2. Franco Chioccioli @ 3sec
3. Gianni Bugno @ 13sec
4. Claudio Chiappucci@ 15sec
5. Marino Lejarreta, Jean-François Bernard @ 20sec
7. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 26sec
8. Zenon Jaskula @ 27sec
9. Greg LeMond @ 28sec
10. Massimo Ghirotto @ 29sec

Friday, May 31: Stage 5, Sorrento - Scanno, 246 km

Major ascents: Calvario, Colle Della Croce, Monte Godi

1. Marino Lejarreta: 6hr 47min 8sec
2. Franco Chioccioli s.t.
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 50sec
4. Eric Boyer s.t.
5. Massimiliano Lelli s.t.
6. Federico Echave s.t.
7. Gianni Bugno s.t.
8. Eduardo Chozas s.t.
9. Roberto Gusmeroli s.t.
10. Atle Kvalsvoll s.t.

GC after Stage 5:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 25hr 32min 33sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 8sec
3. Eric Boyer @ 50sec
4. Claudio Chiappuci @ 1min 1sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 1min 3sec
6. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 1min 16sec
7. Zenon Jaskula @ 1min 17sec
8. Greg LeMond @ 1min 18sec
9. Massimiliano Lelli @ 1min 23sec
10. Federico Echave @ 1min 25sec

Saturday, June 1: Stage 6, Scanno - Rieti, 205 km

Major ascents: Scolte, Terminillo, Castelfranco

1. Vladimir Poulnikov: 5hr 19min 47sec
2. Iñaki Gaston s.t.
3. Marco Giovannetti s.t.
4. Gianni Bugno @ 5sec
5. Atle Kvalsvoll s.t.
6. Gianluca Bortolami s.t.
7. Franco Chioccioli s.t.
8. Massimiliano Lelli s.t.
9. Marino Lejarreta s.t.
10. Claudio Chiappucci s.t.

GC after stage 6:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 30hr 52min 25sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 8sec
3. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 59sec
4. Claudio Chiappucci @ 1min 1sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 1min 3sec
6. Marco Giovannetti @ 1min 23sec
7. Massimiliano Lelli, Iñaki Gaston, Leonardo Serra @ 1min 24sec
10. Flavio Giupponi @ 1min 27sec

Sunday, June 2: Stage 7, Rieti - Città di Castello, 179 km

Major ascents: Arone, Moro

1. Mario Cipollini: 4hr 4min 43sec
2. Djamolidine Abdoujaparov s.t.
3. Casimiro Moreda s.t.
4. Fabiano Fontanelli s.t.
5. Stefano Allocchio s.t.
6. Stefano Colagè s.t.
7. Silvio Martinello s.t.
8. Roberto Pagnin s.t.
9. Kenneth Weltz s.t.
10. Endrio Leoni s.t.

GC after Stage 7:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 34hr 57min 8sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 8sec
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 57sec
4. Vladimir Poulnikov s.t.
5. Gianni Bugno @ 1min 3sec
6. Marco Giovannetti @ 1min 23sec
7. Massimiliano Lelli, Iñaki Gaston, Leonardo Sierra @ 1min 24sec
10. Flavio Giupponi @ 1min 27sec

Monday, June 3: Stage 8, Città di Castello - Prato, 169 km

Major ascent: Poggio della Croce

1. Davide Cassani: 4hr 51min 44sec
2. Mario Montovan s.t.
3. Fabiano Fontanelli @ 2sec
4. Marco Lietti s.t.
5. Massimo Ghirotto s.t.
6. Luigi Botteon s.t.
7. Enrico Galleschi s.t.
8. Giuseppe Calcaterra s.t.
9. Luc Suykerbuyk s.t.
10. Mario Cipollini s.t.

GC after Stage 8:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 39hr 13min 0sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 8sec
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 57sec
4. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 59sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 1min 3sec
6. Marco Giovannetti, Massimiliano Lelli @ 1min 23sec
8. Iñaki Gaston @ 1min 24sec
9. Flavio Giupponi @ 1min 27sec
10. Atle Kvalsvoll @ 1min 28sec

Tuesday, June 4: Stage 9, Prato - Felino, 229 km

Major ascents: Lagastrello, Tizzano val Parma

1. Massimo Ghirotto: 6hr 9min 13sec
2. Michele Moro s.t.
3. Jean-François Bernard s.t.
4. Franco Vona s.t.
5. Federico Echave s.t.
6. Massimo Podenzana @ 1min 28sec
7. Claudio Chiappucci s.t.
8. Vladimir Poulnikov s.t.
9. Laurent Fignon s.t.
10. Santos Hernandez s.t.

GC after Stage 9:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 45hr 23min 41sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 8sec
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 57sec
4. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 59sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 1min 3sec
6. Marco Giovannetti
7. Massimiliano Lelli, Iñaki Gaston @ 1min 24sec
9. Flavio Giupponi @ 1min 27sec
10. Atle Kvalsvoll @ 1min 28sec

Wednesday, June 5: Stage 10, Collecchio - Langhirano 43 km individual time trial (cronometro)

1. Gianni Bugno: 55hr 13min
2. Jean-François Bernard @ 8sec
3. Luca Gelfi @ 45sec
4. Stephen Hodge @ 53sec
5. Zenon Jaskula @ 55sec
6. Massimiliano Lelli @ 56sec
7. Claudio Chiappucci @ 1min 1sec
8. Franco Chioccioli @ 1min 2sec
9. Leonardo Sierra @ 1min 13sec
10. Marino Lejarreta @ 1min 20sec
11. Jan Svorada @ 1min 30sec
12. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 1min 33sec
13. Greg LeMond @ 1min 36sec
14. Federico Echave @ 1min 54sec
15. Rob Harmeling @ 2min 0sec

GC after Stage 10:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 46hr 19min 56sec
2. Gianni Bugno @ 1sec
3. Marino Lejarreta @ 26sec
4. Claudio Chiappucci @ 56sec
5. Massimiliano Lelli @ 1min 18sec
6. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 1min 30sec
7. Leonardo Sierra @ 1min 58sec
8. Zeonon Jaskula @ 2min 11sec
9. Federico Echave @ 2min 28sec
10. Gianluca Bortolami, Marco Giovannetti @ 2min 52sec

Thursday, June 6: Stage 11, Sala Baganza - Savona, 223 km

Major ascents: Bocco, Passo della Ruta

1. Maximillian Sciandri: 5hr 35min 10sec
2. Greg LeMond s.t.
3. Jacky Durand s.t.
4. Mario Cipollini s.t.
5. Gianluca Bortolami s.t.
6. Fabiano Fontanelli s.t.
7. Michele Coppolillo s.t.
8. Silvio Martinello s.t.
9. Giovanni Fidanza s.t.
10. Vadim Chabalkin s.t.

GC after Stage 11:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 51hr 55min 11sec
2. Gianni Bugno @ 1sec
3. Marino Lejarreta @ 26sec
4. Claudio Chiappucci @ 54sec
5. Massimiliano Lelli @ 1min 18sec
6. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 1min 30sec
7. Leonardo Sierra @ 1min 58sec
8. Zenon Jaskula @ 2min 11sec
9. Federico Echave @ 2min 28sec
10. Gianluca Bortolami @ 2min 48sec

Friday, June 7: Stage 12, Savona - Monviso, 182 km

Major ascent: Monviso

1. Massimiliano Lelli: 5hr 4min 10sec
2. Jean-François Bernard @ 3sec
3. Franco Chioccioli s.t.
4. Marino Lejarreta s.t.
5. Claudio Chiappucci @ 28sec
6. Eric Boyer s.t.
7. Eduardo Chozas @ 1min 28sec
8. Roberto Conti s.t.
9. Federico Echave s.t.
10. Leonardo Sierra @ 1min 33sec

GC after Stage 12:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 56hr 59min 20sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 30sec
3. Massimiliano Lelli @ 1min 7sec
4. Claudio Chiappucci @ 1min 33sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 1min 57sec
6. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 3min 26sec
7. Leonardo Sierra @ 3min 32sec
8. Federico Echave @ 3min 57sec
9. Zenon Jaskula @ 4min 2sec
10. Eric Boyer @ 4min 5sec

Saturday, June 8: Stage 13, Savigliano - Sestriere, 192 km

Major ascents: Capella della Coletta, Braida, Sestriere x 2

1. Eduardo Chozas: 5hr 58min 36sec
2. Claudio Chiappucci @ 1sec
3. Marino Lejarreta @ 3sec
4. Franco Chioccioli s.t.
5. Eric Boyer @ 6sec
6. Massimiliano Lelli @ 25sec
7. Roberto Conti @ 29sec
8. Leonardo Sierra @ 31sec
9. Santos Hernandez @ 35sec
10. Zenon Jaskula @ 37sec

GC after Stage 13:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 62hr 57min 59sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 26sec
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 1min 23sec
4. Massimiliano Lelli @ 1min 29sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 2min 37sec
6. Leonardo Sierra @ 4min 0sec
7. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 4min 4sec
8. Eric Boyer @ 4min 8sec
9. Federico Echave @ 4min 33sec
10. Zenon Jaskul @ 4min 36sec

Sunday, June 9: Stage 14, Torino - Morbegno, 239 km

Major ascent: Battaglia

1. Franco Ballerini: 5hr 35min 42sec
2. Philippe Casado s.t.
3. Juan Martinez Oliver @ 2sec
4. Brian Petersen @ 14sec
5. Fabiano Fontanelli @ 1min 55sec
6. Marco Lietti s.t.
7. Gianluca Pierobon s.t.
8. Johan Capiot s.t.
9. Mario Cipollini s.t.
10. Silvio Martinello s.t.

GC after Stage 14:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 68hr 35min 36sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 26sec
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 1min 23sec
4. Massimiliano Lelli @ 2min 19sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 2min 37sec
6. Leonardo Sierra @ 4min 0sec
7. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 4min 4sec
8. Eric Boyer @ 4min 8sec
9. Federico Echave @ 4min 33sec
10. Zenon Jaskula @ 4min 36sec

Monday, June 10: Stage 15, Morbegno - Aprica, 132 km

Major ascents: Mortirolo, Santa Cristina

1. Franco Chioccioli: 4hr 1min 53sec
2. Jean-François Bernard @ 32sec
3. Eric Boyer s.t.
4. Zenon Jaskula @ 46sec
5. Claudio Chiappucci s.t.
6. Marino Lejarreta @ 48sec
7. Gianni Bugno s.t.
8. Massimiliano Lelli @ 50sec
9. Leonardo Sierra @ 58sec
10. Nelson Rodriguez s.t.

GC after Stage 15:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 72hr 37min 17sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 1min 26sec
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 2min 21sec
4. Massimiliano Lelli @ 2min 31sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 3min 37sec
6. Eric Boyer @ 4min 48sec
7. Leonardo Sierra @ 5min 10sec
8. Zenon Jaskula @ 5min 34sec
9. Federico Echave @ 6min 5sec
10. Marco Govannetti @ 8min 20sec

Tuesday, June 11: Stage 16, Tirano - Selva di Val Gardena, 220 km

Major ascents: Tonale, Gardena

1. Massimiliano Lelli: 6hr 5min 49sec
2. Gianni Bugno s.t.
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 2sec
4. Franco Chioccioli @ 5sec
5. Marino Lejarreta s.t.
6. Marco Giovannetti @ 22sec
7. Leonardo Sierra s.t.
8. Jean-François Bernard @ 24sec
9. Zenon Jaskula @ 45sec
10. Eduardo Chozas @ 50sec

GC after Stage 16:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 78hr 43min 11sec
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 1mn 26sec
3. Claudi Chiappucci @ 2min 12sec
4. Massimiliano Lelli @ 2min 14sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 3min 24sec
6. Leonardo Sierra @ 5min 27sec
7. Eric Boyer @ 5min 39sec
8. Zenon Jaskula @ 6min 14sec
9. Federico Echave @ 6min 59sec
10. Marco Giovannetti @ 8min 37sec

Wednesday, June 12: Stage 17, Selva di Val Gardena, Passo Pordoi, 195 km

Major ascents: Pinei, Nigra, Pordoi, Fedaia, Pordoi

1. Franco Chioccioli: 5hr 9min 40sec
2. Claudio Chiappucci @ 38sec
3. Eric Boyer @ 41sec
4. Massimiliano Lelli @ 1min 12sec
5. Roberto Conti @ 1min 26sec
6. Marco Giovannetti @ 2min 14sec
7. Leonardo Sierra @ 2min 18sec
8. Jean-François Bernard @ 3min 18sec
9. Gianni Bugno @ 3min 33sec
10. Nelson Rodriguez @ 3min 55sec

GC after Stage 17:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 83hr 52min 39sec
2. Claudi Chiappucci @ 2min 54sec
3. Massimiliano Lelli @ 3min 38sec
4. Eric Boyer @ 6min 28sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 7min 9sec
6. Leonardo Sierra @ 7min 57sec
7. Marino Lejarreta @ 8min 14sec
8. Marco Giovannetti @ 11min 1sec
9. Zenon Jaskula @ 14min 6sec
10. Federico Echave @ 15min 12sec

Thursday, June 13: Stage 18, Pozza di Fassa - Castelfranco Veneto, 165 km

Major ascent: Passo Rolle

1. Silvio Martinello: 4hr 36min 34sec
2. Stefano Allocchio s.t.
3. Jan Svorada s.t.
4. Mario Cipollini s.t.
5. Giovanni Fidanza s.t.
6. Endrio Leoni s.t.
7. Jacky Durand s.t.
8. Djamolidine Abdoujaparov s.t.
9. Roberto Pelliconi s.t.
10. Gianluca Bortolami s.t.

GC after stage 18:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 88hr 29min 13sec
2. Claudio Chiappucci @ 2min 54sec
3. Massimiliano Lelli 2 3min 38sec
4. Eric Boyer @ 6min 28sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 7min 9sec
6. Leonardo Sierra @ 7min 57sec
7. Marino Lejarreta @ 8min 14sec
8. Marco Giovannetti @ 11min 1sec
9. Zenon Jaskula @ 14min 6sec
10. Federico Echave @ 15min 12sec

Friday, June 14: Stage 19, Castelfranco Veneto - Brescia, 185 km

Major ascent: Castello di Serie

1. Gianni Bugno: 5hr 32min 25sec
2. Claudio Chiappucci s.t.
3. Massimo Ghirotto s.t.
4. Gianluca Bortolami s.t.
5. Fabio Bordanali s.t.
6. Acacio Da Silva s.t.
7. Marek Szerszynski s.t.
8. Vladimir Poulnikov s.t.
9. Marino Lejarreta s.t.
10. Stephen Hodge s.t.

GC after Stage 19:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 94hr 1min 38sec
2. Claudio Chiappucci @ 2min 46sec
3. Massimiliano Lelli @ 3min 38sec
4. Eric Boyer @ 6min 28sec
5. Gianni Bugno @ 6min 57sec
6. Leonardo Sierra @ 7min 57sec
7. Marino Lejarreta @ 8min 14sec
8. Marco Giovannetti @ 11min 1sec
9. Zenon Jaskula @ 14min6sec
10. Nelson rodriguez @ 17min 45sec

Saturday, June 15: Stage 20, Broni - Casteggio 66 km individual time trial (cronometro)

Major ascent: Carmine

1. Franco Chioccioli: 1hr 33min 17sec
2. Gianni Bugno @ 52sec
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 1mn 2sec
4. Marco Giovannetti @ 2min 8sec
5. Marino Lejarreta @ 2min 9sec
6. Massimiliano Lelli @ 3min 18sec
7. Stephen Hodge @ 3min 27sec
8. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 3min 31sec
9. Pedro Delgado @ 3min 36sec
10. Leonardo Sierra @ 3min 59sec

GC after Stage 20:

1. Franco Chioccioli: 95hr 34min 55sec
2. Claudio Chiappucci @ 3min 48sec
3. Massimiliano Lelli @ 6min 56sec
4. Gianni Bugno @ 7min 49sec
5. Marino Lejarreta @ 10min 23sec
6. Eric Boyer @ 11min 9sec
7. Leonardo Sierra @ 11min 56sec
8. Marco Giovannetti @ 13min 9sec
9. Zenon Jaskula @ 18min 22sec
10. Eduardo Chozas @ 23min 42sec

Sunday, June 16: 21st and Final Stage, Pavia - Milano, 153 km

1. Mario Cipollini: 4hr 0min 48sec
2. Djamolidine Abdoujaparov s.t.
3. Endrio Leoni s.t.
4. Casimiro Moreda s.t.
5. Giovanni Fidanza s.t.
6. Silvio Martinello s.t.
7. Fabiano Fontanelli s.t.
8. Stefano Allocchio s.t.
9. Jan Svorada s.t.
10. Martin Schalkers s.t.

1991 Giro d'Italia Final Complete General Classification

---

The Story of the 1991 Giro d'Italia

This excerpt is from "The Story of the Giro d'Italia", Volume 2. If you enjoy it we hope you will consider purchasing the book in print eBook or audiobook formats. The Amazon link here will make the purchase easy.

With no podium placings so far in 1991, LeMond was again riding the Giro in training for the Tour and didn’t look to be a factor. The man who had given LeMond fits in the 1990 Tour after gaining over ten minutes in a fuga di bidone, finally finishing second, did have a good spring. Claudio Chiappucci won Milan–San Remo and the Tour of the Basque Country. A poor time trialist, Chiappucci was a fearless aggressor who would attack when his opponents least expected it.

Franco Chioccioli had been knocking around for nearly a decade (he was Best Young Rider in the 1983 Giro) and perhaps if he had been given warm clothing at the top of the Gavia Pass, he might have won the 1988 Giro. Nicknamed “Coppino” (“Little Coppi”), as was Italo Zilioli, for his slender, lanky build and resemblance to the campionissimo, Chioccioli still ached to remedy his 1988 defeat. There was nothing in his 1991 win column so far.

The Giro started on Sardinia and after three stages on the island, Franco Chioccioli was the maglia rosa with Bugno and Chiappucci trailing at 5 and 11 seconds respectively. Since Chioccioli was one of those riders who always had at least one bad stage during a Giro, he wasn’t expected to take the Pink Jersey all the way to Milan.

In fact he didn’t take it to the finish line in Sorrento after the Giro transferred to the mainland. Frenchman Eric Boyer on LeMond’s “Z” squad romped away from the field and there seemed to be no enthusiasm to catch him. Chioccioli, with the responsibility of the Pink Jersey, buckled down and did most of the work (according to his own recounting of the stage), keeping Boyer from running away with the race. Boyer got to take the maglia rosa after finishing a half-minute in front of the pack. Chioccioli was sitting in second place at 3 seconds but promised that the next day’s race through Abruzzo, with three rated climbs, would see a different Franco Chioccioli.

As the word was spoken, the deed was done. Chioccioli and Marino Lejarreta broke away on the final climb of the day, Monte Godi, and maintained a 50-second gap over the Chiappucci and Boyer-led chasers all the way to the town of Scanno. Chioccioli had taken back the lead with Lejarreta (winner of the 1982 Vuelta and fifth in the 1990 Tour) second at 8 seconds. Boyer, Chiappucci and Bugno were trailing roughly a minute back.

The next day, with another three rated climbs, was ridden without any particular aggression until the last hill, bad weather and the difficult descents on wet roads having kept the riders plenty busy. Things broke up on the last ascent, but the climb to Castelfranco wasn’t enough to pry apart Bugno, Chioccioli, Lejarreta and Chiappucci. Fignon and Boyer each lost a minute and LeMond struggled in more than two and a half minutes after stage winner Vladimir Poulnikov.

Before the stage ten 43-kilometer individual time trial in Langhirano, near Parma, the General Classification stood thus:
1. Franco Chioccioli
2. Marino Lejarreta @ 8 seconds
3. Claudio Chiappucci @ 57 seconds
4. Vladimir Poulnikov @ 59 seconds
5. Gianni Bugno @ 1 minute 3 seconds

In those 43 kilometers Bugno grabbed the Giro by the scruff of the neck and gave it a good shake. He won the stage, beating Chiappucci and Chioccioli by about a minute. The new General Classification:
1. Franco Chioccioli
2. Gianni Bugno @ 1 second
3. Marino Lejarreta @ 26 seconds
4. Claudio Chiappucci @ 56 seconds
5. Massimiliano Lelli @ 1 minute 18 seconds

People who knew about these things said that Bugno appeared to have the Giro nailed. From here it was just a matter of turning the cranks and waiting for the race’s arrival in Milan. Bugno was bubbling with optimism, and referring to Chioccioli’s miniscule lead he said, “This second is not a problem.”

LeMond started to show a little sparkle when he and Maximilian Sciandri squeezed out a five-second gap as the race roared into the Riviera town of Savona. One couldn’t help feeling he might be repeating 1989 and 1990, dragging himself around the Giro and finding form just in time to win the Tour.

Chioccioli definitely wasn’t dragging around. The twelfth stage had a hilltop finish on Monte Viso, an Alpine ascent near the French border and the source of the Po, Italy’s longest river. Lelli was the first to make it through the heavy fog to the finish with Jean-François Bernard with Chioccioli and Lejarreta just three seconds in arrears. Bugno was the surprise. No one expected him to lose two minutes in the first day in the Alps. He was supposed to inflict this kind of damage on the others.

The second Alpine day concluded with two ascents to Sestriere and the order of finish was Spanish climber Eduardo Chozas followed in by Chiappucci, Lejarreta and Chioccioli. Bugno lost another 43 seconds.

Heading off to the Dolomites, Chioccioli led Lejarreta by 26 seconds and Chiappucci by 1 minute 23 seconds. Bugno, two and a half minutes down, wasn’t the dominating rider he was the year before.

Three days in the Dolomites started with at trip to Aprica via the Mortirolo and Santa Cristina. Chioccioli gave a master class in bicycle racing when he attacked on the Mortirolo and after reaching the crest alone, continued riding solo for 50 kilometers. He lost ground towards the end, but in Aprica he still was a half-minute ahead of Bernard and Boyer, and 46 and 48 seconds ahead of his two nemeses, Chiappucci and Lejarreta respectively. LeMond finally called it quits and abandoned.

Franco Chioccioli wins in Aprica

The next day with the Tonale and Gardena didn’t change things.

The last Dolomite day was the tappone with the Pinei, Nigra, Pordoi, Fedaia and then a second climb to finish at the top of the Pordoi. Chioccioli escaped on the second ascent of the Pordoi, the pass Coppi had used several times to clinch Giro victories. That fact wasn’t lost on the history-conscious tifosi. Chioccioli may not have liked being called “Coppino” but he cemented the image of the campionissimo in their minds with his masterful attack on Coppi’s climb that took another 38 seconds from Chiappucci.

The relentless Lejarreta crashed and with a time loss of over six minutes, his spirited pursuit of Coppino was over. Chioccioli’s nearest competitor now was Chiappucci, almost three minutes down. It was too much for Fignon, who was not only struggling to reach the condition he had enjoyed a couple of years ago, he was in the midst of a complete breakdown in his relationship with Cyrille Guimard. He was among the day’s seven abandons.

Chioccioli again wins, this time at the top of the Passo Pordoi

The final obstacle to the year’s fuoriclasse (outstanding champion) rider was a 66-kilometer time trial at Casteggio, near Parma. Incredibly, the man of the mountains was also superb against the clock (though the day’s course did have a climb). Chioccioli flattened everyone; his nearest challenger Bugno was almost a minute slower. After nearly a decade of trying (his first Giro ride was 1982 where he came in 25th), Franco Chioccioli had won the Giro d’Italia in commanding fashion. There was no doubt he was by far the strongest man in the race. One of his first requests after the final stage in Milan was for everyone to stop calling him “Coppino”. That didn’t happen.

Final 1991 Giro d’Italia General Classification:
1. Franco Chioccioli (Del Tongo-MG): 99 hours 35 minutes 43 seconds
2. Claudio Chiappucci (Carrera Jeans) @ 3 minutes 48 seconds
3. Massimiliano Lelli (Ariostea) @ 6 minutes 56 seconds
4. Gianni Bugno (Gatorade-Chateau d’Ax) @ 7 minutes 49 seconds
5. Marino Lejarreta (ONCE) @ 10 minutes 23 seconds

Climbers’ Competition
1. Iñaki Gastón (Clas-Cajastur): 75 points
2. Claudio Chiappucci (Carrera Jeans): 69
3. Franco Chioccioli (Del Tongo-MG): 57

Points Competition:
1. Claudio Chiappucci (Carrera Jeans): 283 points
2. Franco Chioccioli (Del Tongo-MG): 239
3. Mario Cipollini (Del Tongo-MG): 191

Chioccioli’s win with a dominance that seemed to come out of nowhere wasn’t without controversy. French racer Erwann Menthéour was among those who accused the 1991 Giro champion as well as future Giro winner Evgeni Berzin of using the new performance improving drug EPO.

In July Bugno and Chiappucci ran into a Spanish buzz-saw that splintered their Tour ambitions. Using the classic Anquetil strategy of defensive riding in the mountains combined with absolute mastery in the time trials, Miguel Induráin won the 1991 Tour with a quiet, seemingly effortless ride that left the fans speechless and his competitors helpless.

By any measure Bugno’s 1991 season was still excellent: a fourth in the Giro (with three stage wins), second in the Tour, victory in the Clásica San Sebastián, and Italian and World Road Championships.

.