Giro d'Italia: The Greatest Rivalries in the Race's History

The Giro d'Italia is one of the most prestigious cycling races in the world and has been contested since 1909. The race has seen some of the greatest rivalries in cycling history and has produced some of the sport's most iconic moments. Here are some of the greatest rivalries in the race's history. Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali: The two Italian riders dominated the early years of the race, with Coppi winning five editions and Bartali two. Their rivalry came to a head in the 1948 edition, when Bartali launched a solo attack to win the stage to Ponte Vecchio, with Coppi finishing second. The two riders exchanged words at the finish line, with Bartali telling Coppi "the maglia rosa is mine". Eddy Merckx and Felice Gimondi: The two riders dominated the 1970s, with Merckx winning the race seven times and Gimondi twice. Their rivalry came to a head in the 1974 edition, when Gimondi attacked on the climb of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and looked set to win the stage, only for Merckx to catch him in the final kilometre and win the stage. Marco Pantani and Ivan Basso: The two Italian riders were the dominant force in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with Pantani winning the race in 1998 and Basso in 2005. Their rivalry came to a head in the 2000 edition, when Basso attacked on the climb of the Stelvio and looked set to win the stage, only for Pantani to catch him and win the stage. Andy Schleck and Vincenzo Nibali: The two riders dominated the 2010s, with Schleck winning the race in 2010 and Nibali in 2013 and 2016. Their rivalry came to a head in the 2014 edition, when Nibali attacked on the climb of the Stelvio and looked set to win the stage, only for Schleck to catch him and win the stage.Giro d'Italia is one of the most prestigious cycling races in the world, and its history is full of great rivalries. Here are some of the most iconic rivalries in the race's history. Fausto Coppi vs. Gino Bartali The rivalry between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali is perhaps the most iconic in Giro d'Italia history. The two Italian riders dominated the race in the 1940s and 50s, with Coppi winning five editions and Bartali two. Their rivalry was more than just a sporting one, however. The two men represented different sides of Italian society, with Coppi coming from a poor background and Bartali from a more affluent one. This made their rivalry all the more intense, and it was only heightened by the fact that they were both such great riders. In 1949, the two men rode together in the Giro d'Italia, with Bartali winning the overall title and Coppi taking the stage victory on the final day. However, their rivalry came to a head in the 1952 edition, when Coppi won the race and Bartali was forced to settle for second. The two men continued to trade wins in the following years, but their rivalry came to an end when Bartali retired in 1958. Coppi would go on to win the Giro d'Italia one final time in 1960, before his untimely death in 1964. Marco Pantani vs. Ivan Basso The rivalry between Marco Pantani and Ivan Basso was one of the most intense in recent Giro d'Italia history. The two men were the dominant riders of their generation, with Pantani winning the race in 1998 and Basso in 2005. Their rivalry came to a head in the 2000 edition of the race, when Pantani won the overall title and Basso had to settle for second. However, the following year, Basso exacted his revenge, winning the Giro d'Italia while Pantani was forced to abandon the race. The two men continued to trade wins in the following years, but their rivalry came to an end when Pantani died in 2004. Basso would go on to win the Giro d'Italia one final time in 2006, before retiring in 2014. Vincenzo Nibali vs. Nairo Quintana The rivalry between Vincenzo Nibali and Nairo Quintana is one of the most recent in Giro d'Italia history. The two men are the dominant riders of their generation, with Nibali winning the race in 2013 and Quintana in 2014. Their rivalry came to a head in the 2015 edition of the race, when Nibali won the overall title and Quintana had to settle for second. However, the following year, Quintana exacted his revenge, winning the Giro d'Italia while Nibali was forced to abandon the race. The two men have continued to trade wins in the following years, with Nibali winning the race in 2016 and Quintana in 2017. Their rivalry is sure to continue in the years to come, and it is one of the most exciting in the history of the Giro d'Italia.The Giro d'Italia is one of the most prestigious cycling races in the world and has a rich history of rivalries. Some of the greatest rivalries in the race's history include Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali, Marco Pantani and Ivan Basso, and more recently, Vincenzo Nibali and Nairo Quintana. These rivalries have made the Giro d'Italia one of the most exciting and unpredictable races in cycling. Each year, the race seems to produce new heroes and villains, and the rivalries between them make for compelling racing. The Giro d'Italia is a race that is truly unique and special. It is a race that has the power to bring out the best and worst in its riders. It is a race that is defined by its rivalries.