Marco Pantani

Marco Pantani, born on 13 January 1970 in Cesena, Italy, and dying from acute cocaine poisoning on 14 February 2004, is remembered as one of cycling’s finest climbers. His legacy, the praise of fellow riders, and his records support that reputation. He set the fastest known ascents of Mont Ventoux (46 minutes) and Alpe d’Huez (36 minutes 50 seconds), and riders such as Lance Armstrong and Charly Gaul praised his climbing ability. Pantani is the second‑to‑last of only eight cyclists to win both the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia in the same year, a feat he achieved in 1998.

He is also the sixth of seven Italians—after Ottavio Bottecchia, Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Gastone Nencini, and Felice Gimondi, and before Vincenzo Nibali—to win the Tour de France. His riding style was off‑the‑saddle and relentless. Pantani cultivated the nickname “Il Pirata” (“The Pirate”) through his shaven head, bandana, and earrings. Standing 172 centimetres and weighing 58 kilograms, he had the typical build of a mountain specialist.

His approach is often contrasted with that of time‑trial experts like five‑time Tour winner Miguel Induráin. Although Pantani never tested positive during his career, doping allegations followed him. At the 1999 Giro d’Italia, he was expelled because of irregular blood values; the disqualification was officially for health reasons, but it was implied that his high haematocrit came from EPO use. After later accusations, he fell into a severe depression from which he never fully recovered, leading to his death in 2004.

Pantani was born in Cesena, Romagna, to Ferdinando (called Paolo) and Tonina. At age eleven he joined the Fausto Coppi cycling club in Cesenatico. As an amateur he won the 1992 Girobio, the amateur version of the Giro d’Italia, having finished third in 1990 and second in 1991. Professional career 1992–1996: Early years His Girobio success led to a professional contract with Davide Boifava’s team for the rest of 1992.

When signing, with a salary barely above the minimum, he asked Boifava what would happen if he won the Giro or Tour, requesting a contract change. He placed 12th in his first pro race, the Gran Premio Città di Camaiore. In 1993, his first full season, he finished fifth in the mountainous Giro del Trentino and debuted at the Giro d’Italia to support team leader Claudio Chiappucci, but abandoned on stage 18 due to tendinitis. In 1994 he placed fourth at both the Giro del Trentino and the Giro di Toscana before his second Giro, again meant to help Chiappucci.

He won two consecutive mountain stages—his first pro victory came on stage 14 to Merano. On the next stage to Aprica, which included the Stelvio and Mortirolo passes, Pantani attacked at the base of Mortirolo and broke away at the Valico di Santa Cristina to win the stage and move to second overall. He finished the race behind Eugeni Berzin but ahead of Miguel Induráin, winner of the two previous Giros. That year he also debuted in the Tour de France, finishing third and winning the young rider classification.

In 1995 a car hit him during training, preventing him from riding the Giro, but he rode the Tour and won stages at Alpe d’Huez and Guzet‑Neige, finishing 13th and again taking the best young rider prize. He also won a stage at the Tour de Suisse and came third in the 1995 World Championship road race in Duitama, Colombia, behind Spaniards Abraham Olano and Miguel Induráin. Shortly after returning to Italy, he collided head‑on with a car during Milano‑Torino, fracturing his left tibia and fibula in multiple places.

The injuries threatened his career and forced him to miss most of 1996. 1997: Move to Mercatone Uno When Carrera Jeans stopped sponsoring the Italian team at the end of 1996, a new team formed with Pantani as leader. Luciano Pezzi founded it, bringing directors Giuseppe Martinelli, Davide Cassani, and Alessandro Giannelli, plus ten riders from Carrera. Pantani returned to the Giro in 1997 but was injured when a black cat caused a crash in front of him during an early stage.

He finished the stage but was treated in hospital for a muscle injury in the same leg hurt in 1995. He came back at the 1997 Tour de France, winning two Alpine stages: he set a record time for the Alpe d’Huez climb and won two days later at Morzine. Jan Ullrich won the Tour, with Pantani third behind Richard Virenque. In 1997 Pantani covered the final 14.5 km to L’Alpe d’Huez in 37 minutes 35 seconds, still the record for that distance.

Because the actual climb is 13.8 km, his time for that length was 36 minutes 55 seconds. His personal best on the 13.8 km climb came in 1995, when he rode it in 36 minutes 40 seconds, the fastest ascent until Tadej Pogačar broke it in the 2026 Tour de France with 35 minutes 27 seconds. Pantani also holds the third‑ and fourth‑fastest times: 36 minutes 55 seconds in 1997 and 37 minutes 15 seconds in 1994, followed by Lance Armstrong (37 minutes 36 seconds in 2004) and Jan Ullrich (37 minutes 41 seconds in 1997). 1998: Giro and Tour wins In 1998 Pantani was considered a favourite for the Giro d’Italia.