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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian |
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Roche Battled Teammate for the Victory
Irishman Stephen Roche battled his Carrera teammate and defending Giro champion Roberto Visentini for the 1987 Giro d’Italia victory.
Roche and Visentini traded the race lead through the first 14 stages. On stage 15 the race exploded with a tired Visentini in the Maglia Rosa. The 224 km stage to Sappada saw the race leader struggle with the pace on every climb. Roche, the stronger of the two on the stage, was able to hold the lead group and left his fading teammate. The Maglia Rosa returned to Roche.
Roche steadfastly defended the race lead and claimed the 1987 Giro d’Italia victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: Stephen Roche became the first ever Irish winner of the Giro. His stellar racing in 1987 continued with a hard fought victory in the Tour de France and a huge sprint win in the World Championship Road Race. Roche tied the record of Eddy Merckx with a Giro, Tour, and WCRR victory in the same year!!!
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Prologue San Remo, 4 km ITT |
Roberto Visentini (Ita) |
Roberto Visentini (Ita) |
Stage 1a San Remo-San Romolo, 31 km |
Erik Breukink (Ned) |
Eric Breukink (Ned) |
Stage 1b Poggio di San Remo-San Remo, 8 km ITT |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Eric Breukink (Ned) |
Stage 2 Imperia-Borgo Val di Taro, 242 km |
Moreno Argentin (Ita) |
Eric Breukink (Ned) |
Stage 3 Lerici-Lido di Camaiore, 43 km TTT |
CARRERA |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 4 Camaiore-Montalcino, 203 km |
Moreno Argentin (Ita) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 5 Montalcino-Terni, 208 km |
Eddy Planckaert (Bel) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 6 Terni-Terminillo, 134 km |
Jean-Claude Bagot (Fra) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 7 Rieti-Roccasaro, 205 km |
Moreno Argentin (Ita) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 8 San Giorgio del Sannio, 168 km |
Paolo Rosola (Ita) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 9 San Giorgio del Sannio-Bari, 257 km |
Urs Freuler (Sui) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 10 Bari-Termoli, 210 km |
Paolo Rosola (Ita) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 11 Giulianova-Osimo, 245 km |
Robert Forest (Fra) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 12 Osimo-Bellaria Igea M., 197 km |
Guido Bontempi (Ita) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 13 Rimini-San Marino, 46 km ITT |
Roberto Visentini (Ita) |
Roberto Visentini (Ita) |
Stage 14 San Marino-Lido di Jesolo, 260 km |
Paolo Cimini (Ita) |
Roberto Visentini (Ita) |
Stage 15 Lido di Jesolo-Sappada, 224 km |
Johan Van der Velde (Ned) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 16 Sappada-Canazei, 211 km |
Johan Van der Velde (Ned) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 17 Canazei-Riva del Garda, 206 km |
Marco Vitali (Ita) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 18 Riva del Garda-Trescore Balneario, 213 km |
Giuseppe Calcaterra (Ita) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 19 Trescore Balneario-Madesimo, 160 km |
Jean-Francois Bernard (Fra) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 20 Madesimo-Como, 156 km |
Paolo Rosola (Ita) " |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 21 Como-Pila, 252 km |
Robert Millar (GBr) |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
Stage 22 Aosta-St Vincent, 32 km ITT |
Stephen Roche (Ire) |
 Stephen Roche (Ire)
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Mountain Classification |
 Robert Millar (GBr)
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Points Classification |
 Johan Van Der Velde (Ned)
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GdI May 21 to June 13, 1987 |
| 3,915 Km |
1. Stephen ROCHE (Ire) 105h39'40" |
| 2. Robert Millar (GBr) +3'40" |
| 3. Erik Breukink (Ned) +4'17" |
Starters: 180 |
| Finishers: 133 |
Average Speed: 37.045 km/h |
GdI 1988
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