The Turin daily Tuttosport speculated in its Tuesday edition whether next year's Giro d'Italia will honor the late Italian cycling hero Marco Pantani. It was already announced last week that the UCI would grant the organizing agency RCS three rest days for the 2014 edition of the Tour of Italy, which is due to the start in Ireland and the associated transfer to Italy.
According to Tuttosport, the race will be extremely difficult, especially in the third week, and will pay homage to Pantani, who died tragically in 2004. Among other things, there should be two stages that end in Oropa and Montecampione respectively.
In 1998, Pantani had a duel with the Russian Pavel Tonkov on the way to the mountain finish in Montacampione, which paved the way for his overall victory.
In 1999, Pantani won in Oropa after his chain fell off his bike at the bottom of the climb and he overtook almost half the field by the finish. His victory in Oropa is still considered one of Pantani's greatest achievements. Only a few days later he was taken out of the race because of a high hematocrit value.
According to Tuttosport, the following stages will be presented next Monday in Milan.
Stage 1 / May 9: Belfast-Belfast (TTT)
Leg 2 / May 10: Belfast-Belfast
Stage 3 / May 11: Armagh-Dublin
Rest day / May 12: Transfer to Italy
Stage 4 / May 13: Bari-Taranto
Stage 5 / May 14: Taranto-Viggiano
Stage 6 / May 15: Sassano-Montecassino
Stage 7 / May 16: Frosinone-Foligno
Stage 8 / May 17: Foligno-Montecopiolo
Stage 9 / May 18: Lugo-Sestola
Closing day / May 19th: Modena
Stage 10 / May 20: Modena-Salsomaggiore
Stage 11 / May 21: Correggio-Savona
Stage 12 / May 22: Barbaresco-Barolo, (TT – 46 kilometers)
Stage 13 / May 23: Fossano-Rivarolo
Stage 14 / May 24: Agliè-Oropa
Stage 15 / May 25: Valdengo-Montecampione
Closing day / May 26th: Ponte di Legno
Stage 16 / May 27: Ponte di Legno-Val Martello
Stage 17 / May 28: Sarnonico-Vittorio Veneto
Stage 18 / May 29: Belluno-Malga Panarotta
Stage 19 / May 30: Bassano-Monte Grappa (TT)
Stage 20 / May 31: Maniago-Monte Zoncolan (167 kilometers)
Stage 21 / June 1st: Gemona-Trieste