The Cima Coppi is the race to the summit of the highest mountain pass in that year’s Giro d’Italia. The awardwas first introduced in 1965, five years after the untimely death of Italy’s “Il Campionissimo” (Champion of Champions) Fausto Coppi.

The Cima Coppi List in the Giro d'Italia

1965: Passo Dello Stelvio, Graziano Battistini (Ita)

On the 20th stage of the 1965 Giro the first Cima Coppi prize was awarded. The stage finish was planned to be at the summit of the Passo Stelvio, but due to an avalanche, the road was impassable. Subsequently the riders were forced to dismount and run their bikes to the finish line. The climb was won by Italian rider Graziano Battistini (Vittadello).

1966: Passo Pordoi, Franco Bitossi (Ita)

Passo Pordoi was included on the 20th stage. It was a 215 km stage that climbed the Pordoi (Cima Coppi), Falzarego, Tre Croci, Cibiana, and Duran passes. The first rider to clear the summit of Pordoi was Franco Bitossi (Filotex team).

1967: Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Felice Gimondi (Ita) (Cima Coppi awarded, stage results annulled)

The Cima Coppi of 1967 Giro d’Italia, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, was included in the 19th stage. The brutal stage ended at the summit of the climb. The nasty weather made the stage even tougher. The rain of the day turned to snow near the summit of the climb. Wladimiro Panizza (Vitadello) was 3 minutes ahead of the peloton as the climb began. On the steepest slope (14% to 18%) with 2 km to go the chasing riders started hanging on the team cars. After catching Wladimiro Panizza Felice Gimondi (Salvarani) slipped by and won the stage and the Cima Coppi. A furious race director Vincenzo Torriani could not let the flagrant violation of the rules stand and annulled the stage.

1968: Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Eddy Merckx (Bel)

Tre Cime di Lavaredo was included in the 12th stage. The breakaway started with a ten-minute advantage at the start of the climb. Experiencing bitter rain and snow, Merckx closed the ten-minute gap (!!!) to the breakaway group to win the stage and the Cima Coppi.

1969: Passo Sella, Claudio Michelotto (Ita)

The Cima Coppi of the 1969 Giro was the Passo Sella. The climb was included in the 21st stage, a short (131 km) but tough course from Rocca Pietore to Cavalese. The 5 major ascents confronting the riders were the Campolongo, Gardena, Paso Sella (Cima Coppi), Costalunga, and Lavazze. 1969 “King of the Mountains” Claudio Michelotto was the first rider to cross the summit of the final three passes, which included the Cima Coppi. He won the stage, 1’55” ahead of the eventual Giro winner Felice Gimondi.

1970: Passo Pordoi, Luciano Armani (Ita)

The 20th and the final stage of the 1970 Giro, 155 km from Dobbiaco to Bolzano, featured the brutal climbs of Campolongo, Pordoi (Cima Coppi), and Sella passes. Luciano Armani was the first to the summit of the Passo Pordoi to win the Cima Coppi.

1971: Grossglockner (Austria), Pierfranco Vianelli (Ita)

The 17th stage, 206 km from Tarviso to Grossglockner (Aut), featured major ascents of the Galberg Sattel, Felbertauern Tunnel, and twice up the Grossglockner. The Cima Coppi of the 1971 Giro was the second ascent of the Austrian giant the Grossglockner. Pierfranco Vianelli was the first to the summit of the Grossglockner (winning on both ascents) to win the stage and the Cima Coppi.

1972: Passo dello Stelvio, Jose Manuel Fuente (Spa)

The Stelvio Pass was again named the Cima Coppi in 1972. This was the first time for the full brutal climb. The monstrous climb was scheduled for the 17th stage, an 88 km route from Livigno to the Stelvio Pass. The ascent was from the northern side. As the races passed to 20 km to go sign, Spanish climber Jose Manuel Fuente launched a solo attack. Pushing a huge gear (54-18!) on the climb, he soloed for a 32 second stage win and won the prestigious Cima Coppi.

1973: Passo di Giau, Jose Manuel Fuente (Spa)

Spanish climber Jose Manuel Fuente won the previous Cima Coppi prize in 1972. This year the 19th stage, 208 km from Andalo to Aurozo di Cadore, included the ascents of the Valles, Santa Lucia, Passo Giau, and Tre Croci. Fuente won the stage 1’06” ahead of young Italian Francesco Moser and won the 1973 Cima Coppi.

1974: Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Jose Manuel Fuente (Spain)

1974 Cima Coppi, the ascent of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, was scheduled for the 20th stage, a 163 km course from Pordenone to Tre Cime. For a third year in a row Jose Manuel “El Tarangu” Fuente distanced the elites of the peloton and won the Cima Coppi prize.

1975: Passo dello Stelvio, Francisco Galdos (Spa)

The 1975 Cima Coppi came on the final stage (21st) that ended on the summit of the Passo Stelvio. At the start stage in Alleghe Francisco Galdos trailed race leader Fausto Bertoglio by only 41 seconds. Before the finish on the Stelvio there was very little action on either the San Pellegrino or the Passo di Costalunga. When the climb final started Galdos launched multiple attacks, but Bertoglio was able to match him every time. Bertoglio attacked near the summit, this time Galdos chased him down. The duo crossed the line together. Galdos won the stage and the Cima Coppi. Bertoglio won the Giro!

1976: Torri del Vajolet, Andres Gandarias (Spa)

Spanish climber Andres Gandarias was the first to cross the summit of the Torri del Vajolet on the 19th stage. There were six categorized climbs on a very short stage (132 km): Staulanza, Santa Lucia, Falzarego, Gardena, Sella, and Torri del Vajolet. Gandarias attacked and escaped on the ascent of the Sella. He was not a threat to the GC leaders and gained the Cima Coppi as well as the stage win with his solo attack.

1977: Valparola Pass, Faustino Fernandez Ovies (Spa)

The 1977 Giro d’Italia was the 60th edition of the race. The 18th stage, 223 km from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Pinzolo, had six major mountain passes: Valparola (Cima Coppi), Gardena, Sella, Costalunga, Mendola, and Campo Carlo Magno. Faustino Fernandez Ovies was first over the summit of the Valparola (the first climb of the stage) and won the Cima Coppi.

SPECIAL NOTE: At the stage finish in Pinzolo the Spanish climber came in 49’54” behind the stage winner.

1978: Passo Valles, Gianbattista Baronchelli (Ita)

The 19th stage included 4 tough mountain passes: Consiglio, Rolle, Valles (Cima Coppi), and San Pellegrino.  The weather presented a snowy day in the Dolomites. Gianbattista Baronchelli attacked on Valles with Francesco Moser and Johan de Muynck. Baronchelli sprinted over the summit of the Passo Valles. Baronchelli won the Cima Coppi and the stage. He moved into second place in the GC.

1979: Passo Pordoi, Leonardo Natale (Ita)

The 17th stage, 194 km from Pieve di Cadore to Trento, had 2 major climbs, the Falzarego and Passo Pordoi, but it should be noted that the 2 passes came a significant distance from the finish. Italian Leonardo Natale rode first across the summit of the Pordoi and took the Cima Coppi. Francesco Moser won the stage in Trento. Natale finished in 16th place on the stage, 25’01” behind the stage winner.

1980: Passo dello Stelvio, Jean-Rene Bernaudeau (Fra)

The Passo Stelvio was featured on the 20th stage. Before the stage French superstar Bernard Hinault was in second place in GC 1’08” behind Italian Wladimiro Panizza. An unofficial bloc of Italian riders were aligning forces against Hinault. The Frenchman’s Renault-Gitane team worked hard to put 3 of his gregario (team helpers), including Jean-Rene Bernaudeau, into the breakaway. On the ascent of the Stelvio Bernaudeau was able to ride away from the breakaway group and crossed the summit for the Cima Coppi. Hinault attacked on the descent and caught Bernaudeau. The duo rode the final 80 km to Sondrio with Bernaudeau winning the stage. Hinault taking the race lead.

1981: Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Beat Breu (Sui)

The 20th stage (100 km) presented two major mountain climbs: Tre Croci and Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Cima Coppi). Swiss climber Beat Breu won both climbs and took the Cima Coppi. He went on to win the stage.

1982: Col d’Izoard (France), Lucien Van Impe (Bel)

In 1982 the penultimate Giro stage 21 was a monster: It was a 254 km from Cuneo to Pinerolo and featured 5 major climbs: Maddelena, Col de Vars (Fra), Col d’Izoard (Fra & Cima Coppi), Montgenèvre (Fra), and Sestriere. Lucien Van Impe rode across the summit of the BRUTAL Izoard first and took the 1982 Cima Coppi.

SPECIAL NOTE: This was the same route used on the historic 1949 Giro on stage 17, where Fausto Coppi rode away from Gino Bartali. He beat 2nd place Gino Bartali by 11’58”.

1983: Passo Pordoi, Marino Lejarreta (Spa)

The 20th stage of the 1983 Giro d’Italia was a monster. It was 169 km from Selva di Val Gardena to Arabba and featured 5 major mountain climbs: Campolongo (1st), Pordoi (Cima Coppi), Sella, Gardena andagain Campolongo (2nd). Roberto Visentini, second place in the GC, broke away on the Pordoi with Marino Lejarreta. Over the summit of the climb Lejarreta crossed first and won the Cima Coppi. Alessandro Paganessi attacked on the next climb, the Sella and rode away to the stage win. Lejarreta faded, finishing in sixth place, 7’47” behind the stage winner.

1984: Passo Pordoi, Laurent Fignon (Fra)

In 1984 the Giro’s 20th stage featured the parcours of the previous year. There were the same 5 major mountain climbs: Campolongo (1st), Pordoi (Cima Coppi), Sella, Gardena andagain Campolongo (2nd). Frenchman Laurent Fignon escaped solo on the Pordoi and would not be caught. He rolled into Arabba 2’19” ahead of Francesco Moser and took the Maglia Rosa.

1985: Passo del Sempione, Reynel Montoya (Col)

The 19th stage was 247 km from Domodossola to St. Vincent and featured 2 major mountain climbs, the Passo dei Sempione and Gran San Bernardo. Before the stage race director Vincenzo Torriani announced that the last six kilometers (the steepest part) of the Gran San Bernardo would be removed. On the shortened stage Colombian climber Reynel Montoya attacked the Passo dei Sempione and rode across the summit to win the Cima Coppi.