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

1986: Passo Pordoi, Pedro Munoz (Spa)

The penultimate stage of the 1986 Giro was 234 km from Bassano del Grappa to Bolzano. The stage featured four major climbs, Rolle, Pordoi (Cima Coppi), Campolongo, and Gardena. Spanish climber Pedro Munoz rode away from the peloton and rolled over the summit of the Pordoi to win the Cima Coppi.

1987: Passo Pordoi, Jean-Claude Bagot (Fra)

The 16th stage, 214 km from Sappada to Canazei had five major climbs scheduled, Croce Comelico, Gardena, Sella, Pordoi (Cima Coppi) and Marmolada. Frenchman Jean-Claude Bagot rode first over the summit of the Pordoi to win the prestigious Cima Coppi.

1988: Passo dello Stelvio, was not climbed

The 15th stage of the Giro was originally scheduled to start in Bormio. But race director Vincenzo Torriani was forced to re-schedule the stage-start to Spondigna (on the other side of mountain) after heavy snow drifts on the roads on the Passo dello Stelvio made the climb dangerous.

1989: Passo di Gavia, was not climbed

The 16th stage was the original schedule for the Cima Coppi, the ascent of the Passo di Gavia. However, the entire stage had to be canceled due to poor weather, cold temperatures, and snow accumulation on the roads.

1990: Passo Pordoi, 1st pass: Maurizio Vandelli (Ita), 2nd pass: Charly Mottet (Fra)

The 16th stage featured 6 major mountain climbs: Valparola, Gardena, Sella, Pordoi (1st pass), Marmolada and Pordoi (2nd pass). The Italian rider Maurizio Vandelli was the first atop Pordoi on the 1st passage. On the fifth climb, the Marmolada, Charly Mottet attacked and took the race leader Gianni Bugno with him. The duo worked well together and on the 2nd time to the summit of the Pordoi Bugno gifted the stage win to the Frenchman.

1991: Passo Pordoi, 1st pass: Franco Vona (Ita), 2nd pass: Franco Chioccioli (Ita)

The 17th stage of the 1991 Giro was 195 km from Selva di Val Gardena to the summit of the Passo Pordoi. The stage was this year’s Il Tappone (Giro’s queen stage) with five major climbs: Pinei, Nigra, Pordoi (1st pass), Fedaia and Pordoi (2nd pass). On the first passage of the Pordoi, Franco Vona was first to cross the summit. After the fourth climb of the stage, the Fedaia, the finishing climb of the Pordoi race leader Franco Chioccioli attacked to win the stage and take the Cima Coppi.

1992: Passo Pordoi, Claudio Chiappucci (Ita)

The 14th stage of the 1992 Giro d’Italia featured 3 major climbs: Passo Campolongo, Passo Pordoi (Cima Coppi) and Monte Bondone (x2). Claudio Chiappucci won the Cima Coppi at the summit of the Pordoi. Miguel Indurain dominated this year’s Giro. He rode well in control of the GC. The Spaniard was solidly riding in the breakaway at the summit of the Cima Coppi. He rode defensively, continually marked the aggressively attacking duo, Chiappucci (3rd in the GC) and Franco Chioccioli (7th). His efforts gained him the Giro victory.

1993: Passo Pordoi, Miguel Indurain (Spa)

Again this year the 1993 Giro d’Italia presented the Passo Pordoi as the Cima Coppi. The award was featured on the 14th stage, a big 245 km loop starting and ending in Corvara in Badia. The stage included 5 major mountain climbs: Passo di Constalunga, Passo Pordoi (1st passage), Passo di Fedaia, Passo Pordoi (2nd passage) and Passo di Campolongo.

Race leader Bruno Leali rode with a very small breakaway group. Miguel Indurain surged and passed the summit of the Pordoi first. Claudio Chiappucci won the stage. Leali came home 4’53” behind Chiappucci/Indurain group and lost the Maglia Rosa to Indurain.

1994: Passo dello Stelvio, Franco Vona (Ita)

The 15th stage featured 3 brutal climbs: Passo Stelvio (Cima Coppi), Passo del Mortirolo and Valico di Santa Cristina. Bad weather greeted the riders at the start in Merano. It was still snowing atop Stelvio before the start and there was some discussion of canceling the climb. After discussion the organizers decided to take the chance on the roads.

Franco Vona was the first rider over the summit of the Stelvio. At the finish in Aprica Cima Coppi prize winner Franco Vona finished the stage over 6 minutes behind the stage winner Marco Pantani.

1995: Colle dell’Agnello, was not climbed

The Cima Coppi was planned for the 19th stage on the climb of the Colle dell’Angelo. However, the previous day a heavy snow storm made the road impassable. The stage was re-scheduled and ended early at the ‘Intergiro sprint’ (intermediate sprint line) part way up the Agnello in Chianale di Ponte, Chianale.

1996: Passo di Gavia, Hernan Buenahora (Col)

The Cima Coppi was included in the penultimate 21st stage, it was a monstrous 250 km from Cavalese to Aprica. There were 5 major climbs: Passo Mendola, Passo Tonale, Passo di Gavia (Cima Coppi), Passo di Mortirolo, and Aprica. Hernan Buenahora becoming the first Colombian to win the Cima Coppi crossing the summit of the Gavia first.

1997: Passo Pordoi, Jose Jaime Gonzalez (Col)

The Passo Pordoi was included in the 19th stage. The stage featured the Cima Coppi of the 1997 Giro d’Italia. It was really a brutal stage, featuring 6 major mountain climbs: Passo di Constalunga, Passo di Pinei, Passo di Sella, Passo Pordoi (Cima Coppi), Passo di Campolongo, Passo Furcia, and Valico di Riomolino. Jose Jaime Gonzalez was first to top the Pordoi and won the Cima Coppi prize.

SPECIAL NOTE: At 3:30 AM in the morning, Italy’s NAS (the police’s Drug Squad) raided the hotel rooms of the MG-Technogym riders. They found a large cache of doping materials. Among the finds were a bag of syringes, twenty boxes of anabolic steroids, three boxes of HGH (human growth hormone), and EPO (erythropoietin). Team director Giancarlo Ferretti said the drugs were for his personal use, to help him improve his sexual performance. Later he admitted that the drugs were for the riders. The team left town that afternoon.

1998: Passo Sella, Marco Pantani (Italy)

The 17th stage featured 4 major climbs: Passo Duran, Forcella Staulanza, Passo di Fedaia, Marmolada (Passo Fedaia) and Passo di Sella (Cima Coppi). Giuseppe Guerini and Marco Pantani broke away on the Marmolada climb. The duo worked together though the valley leading to the Passo Sella. Pantani was the first over the summit of the Sella to win the Cima Coppi. At the finish in Selva Pantani gifted the stage win to Guerini.

1999: Passo di Gavia, Jose Jaime Gonzalez (Col)

The penultimate stage of the 1999 Giro d’Italia was the 21st stage, 190 km from Madonna di Campiglio to Aprica. It was the “Il Tappone” (the hardest stage of the Giro), with the mountain climbs of the Tonale, Gavia (Cima Coppi), Mortirolo, Valico di Santa Cristina climbs and a hilltop finish at Aprica. Again in 1999 Jose Jaime Gonzalez was winner of the Cima Coppi on the Gavia.