1978 Giro d'Italia#Points classification
{{Infobox cycling race report
| name = 1978 Giro d'Italia
| image =
| image_caption =
| date = 7-28 May 1978
| stages = 20 + Prologue, including one split stage
| distance = 3610.5
| unit = km
| time = 101h 31' 22"
| speed = 35.750
| first = Johan De Muynck
| first_nat = BEL
| first_natvar =
| first_team = Bianchi
| first_color = pink
| second = Gianbattista Baronchelli
| second_nat = ITA
| second_natvar =
| second_team = Scic
| third = Francesco Moser
| third_nat = ITA
| third_natvar =
| third_team = Sanson
| points = Francesco Moser
| points_nat = ITA
| points_natvar =
| points_team = Sanson
| points_color = violet
| mountains = Ueli Sutter
| mountains_nat = SUI
| mountains_natvar =
| mountains_team = Zonca
| mountains_color = green
| youth = Roberto Visentini
| youth_nat = ITA
| youth_natvar =
| youth_team = Vibor
| combination = Giuseppe Saronni
| combination_nat = ITA
| combination_natvar =
| combination_team = Scic
| sprints =
| sprints_nat =
| sprints_natvar =
| sprints_team =
| team = Bianchi - Faema
| team_nat =
| team_natvar =
| previous = 1977
| next = 1979
}}
The 1978 Giro d'Italia was the 61st running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Saint-Vincent, on 7 May, with a {{convert|2|km|1|abbr=on}} prologue and concluded in Milan, on 28 May, with a {{convert|220|km|1|abbr=on}} mass-start stage. A total of 130 riders from thirteen teams entered the 20-stage race, that was won by Belgian Johan de Muynck of the Bianchi team. The second and third places were taken by Italians Gianbattista Baronchelli and Francesco Moser, respectively.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1978/05/29/MD19780529-031.pdf |title=De Muynck, al libro de oro del "Giro" |language=es |date=29 May 1978 |page=31 |publisher=El Mundo Deportivo |access-date=27 May 2012 |trans-title=De Muynck, the Golden Book "Tour" |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227193552/http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1978/05/29/pagina-31/1024498/pdf.html |archive-date=27 February 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1978/05/07/MD19780507-028.pdf|title=El "Giro" Comenzia Hoy|language=es|date=7 May 1978|page=28|publisher=El Mundo Deportivo|access-date=27 May 2012|trans-title=The "Tour" Commences Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308175739/http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1978/05/07/MD19780507-028.pdf|archive-date=8 March 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,17/articleid,0034_01_1978_0103_0018_19931917/|title=Giro, oggi e domani|language=it|date=7 May 1978|page=17|newspaper=La Stampa|publisher=Editrice La Stampa|access-date=27 May 2012|format=PDF|trans-title=Giro, today and tomorrow}}{{cite news|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,16/articleid,1467_02_1978_0102_0016_20624766/|title=<
Amongst the other classifications that the race awarded, Sanson's Moser won the points classification, Ueli Sutter of Zonca won the mountains classification, and Vibor's Roberto Visentini completed the Giro as the best neo-professional in the general classification, finishing fifteenth overall. Bianchi finishing as the winners of the team points classification.
Teams
{{main list|List of teams and cyclists in the 1978 Giro d'Italia}}
A total of 13 teams were invited to participate in the 1978 Giro d'Italia.{{cite web |title=Le Tour d'Italie part lundi de Saint-Vincent: Vers un duel Gimondi-Moser|trans-title= The Giro d'Italia starts Monday from Saint-Vincent: Towards a Gimondi-Moser duel|url=http://doc.rero.ch/record/67156/files/1978-05-06.pdf |publisher=L'Express |language=French |date=6 May 1978|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200525164514/http://doc.rero.ch/record/67156/files/1978-05-06.pdf|archive-date=25 May 2020|access-date=13 October 2021}} In total, 95 riders were from Italy, while the remaining 37 riders came from: Belgium (13), Spain (9), West Germany (4), Switzerland (3), the Netherlands (2), Great Britain (1), New Zealand (1), Norway (1), and Sweden (1).{{cite web|title=Giro d'Italia – 1978 Competitors per Country|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1978/startlist/competitors-per-country|website=ProCyclingStats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523020958/https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1978/startlist/competitors-per-country|archive-date=23 May 2025|access-date=13 October 2016}} Each team sent a squad of ten riders, which meant that the race started with a peloton of 130 cyclists.
Of those starting, 45 were riding the Giro d'Italia for the first time.{{cite web|title=Giro d'Italia – 1978 Debutants|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1978/startlist/debutants|website=ProCyclingStats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523020945/https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1978/startlist/debutants|archive-date=23 May 2025|access-date=13 October 2016}} The average age of riders was 26.78 years,{{cite web|title=Giro d'Italia – 1978 Peloton averages|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1978/startlist/peloton-averages|website=ProCyclingStats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523021249/https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1978/startlist/peloton-averages|archive-date=23 May 2025|access-date=13 October 2016}} ranging from 20–year–old Corrado Donadio (Vibor) to 37–year–old Franco Bitossi (Gis Gelati).{{cite web|title=Giro d'Italia – 1978 Youngest and Oldest competitors|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1978/startlist/youngest-oldest|website=ProCyclingStats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523022505/https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1978/startlist/youngest-oldest|archive-date=23 May 2025|access-date=13 October 2016}} The team with the youngest average rider age was Intercontinentale Assicurazioni (22), while the oldest was Bianchi (29).{{cite web|title=Giro d'Italia – 1978 Youngest Team|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1978/teams/youngest-team|website=ProCyclingStats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523022531/https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1978/teams/youngest-team|archive-date=23 May 2025|access-date=13 October 2016}} From those that started, a total of 90 riders made it to the finish in Milan.{{cite web|url=http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1978.html |title=1978 Giro d'Italia |work= Bike Race Info |publisher=Dog Ear Publishing |author=Bill and Carol McGann|access-date=6 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227212333/http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1978.html|archive-date=27 February 2014|url-status=live}}
The teams entering the race were:
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Route and stages
The route for the race was revealed on 8 March 1978.{{cite news |url=https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1978/03/09/page_014.pdf|title=Ecco il <
| class="wikitable" |
| style="background:#efefef;"
!Stage !Date !Course !Distance !colspan="2"|Type !Winner |
| style="text-align:center"|P
| style="text-align:center;"|7 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|2|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"|Image:Time Trial.svg | {{flagathlete|Dietrich Thurau|GER}} |
|---|
| style="text-align:center"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|8 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|175|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Plainstage.svg |Plain stage | {{flagathlete|Rik Van Linden|BEL}} |
| style="text-align:center"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|9 May |Novi Ligure to La Spezia | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|195|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Giuseppe Saronni|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|3
| style="text-align:center;"|10 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|183|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Johan De Muynck|BEL}} |
| style="text-align:center"|4
| style="text-align:center;"|11 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|25|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"|Image:Time Trial.svg | {{flagathlete|Dietrich Thurau|GER}} |
| style="text-align:center"|5
|12 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|200|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Rik Van Linden|BEL}} |
| style="text-align:center"|6
| style="text-align:center;"|13 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|218|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Plainstage.svg |Plain stage | {{flagathlete|Rik Van Linden|BEL}} |
| style="text-align:center"|7
| style="text-align:center;"|14 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|242|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Giuseppe Saronni|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|8
| style="text-align:center;"|15 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|175|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Giuseppe Saronni|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|9
| style="text-align:center;"|16 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|248|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Plainstage.svg |Plain stage | {{flagathlete|Enrico Paolini|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|10
| style="text-align:center;"|17 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|220|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Giuseppe Martinelli|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|11a
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|18 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|74|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Plainstage.svg |Plain stage | {{flagathlete|Bruno Zanoni|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|11b
| style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|145|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Plainstage.svg |Plain stage | {{flagathlete|Francesco Moser|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|12
| style="text-align:center;"|19 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|204|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Giancarlo Bellini|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|20 May |Modigliana to Padua | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|183|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Plainstage.svg |Plain stage | {{flagathlete|Francesco Moser|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|14
| style="text-align:center;"|21 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|12|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"|Image:Time Trial.svg | {{flagathlete|Francesco Moser|ITA}} |
| |align="center"|22 May
|colspan="6" align=center| Rest day |
| style="text-align:center"|15
| style="text-align:center;"|23 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|234|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Gianbattista Baronchelli|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|16
| style="text-align:center;"|24 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|48|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"|Image:Time Trial.svg | {{flagathlete|Francesco Moser|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|17
| style="text-align:center;"|25 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|205|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Wladimiro Panizza|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|18
| style="text-align:center;"|26 May |Mezzolombardo to Sarezzo | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|245|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Giuseppe Perletto|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|19
| style="text-align:center;"|27 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|175|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Mountainstage.svg |Stage with mountain(s) | {{flagathlete|Vittorio Algeri|ITA}} |
| style="text-align:center"|20
| style="text-align:center;"|28 May | style="text-align:center;"|{{convert|220|km|0|abbr=on}} | style="text-align:center;"| Image:Plainstage.svg |Plain stage | {{flagathlete|Pierino Gavazzi|ITA}} |
| |colspan="2" align=center| Total
|colspan="5" align="center"| {{convert|3610|km|0|abbr=on}} |
Classification leadership
There were four main individual classifications contested in the 1978 Giro d'Italia, as well as a team competition. Four of them awarded jerseys to their leaders. The general classification was the most important and was calculated by adding each rider's finishing times on each stage.{{cite web|author=Laura Weislo |url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/giro08/?id=/features/2008/giro_classifications08 |title=Giro d'Italia classifications demystified |date=13 May 2008 |work=Cycling News |publisher=Future Publishing Limited |access-date=13 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508234448/http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/giro08/?id=/features/2008/giro_classifications08 |archive-date=8 May 2013 |url-status=live }} The rider with the lowest cumulative time was the winner of the general classification and was considered the overall winner of the Giro. The rider leading the classification wore a pink jersey to signify the classification's leadership.
The second classification was the points classification. Riders received points for finishing in the top positions in a stage finish, with first place getting the most points, and lower placings getting successively fewer points. The rider leading this classification wore a purple (or cyclamen) jersey. The mountains classification was the third classification and its leader was denoted by the green jersey. In this ranking, points were won by reaching the summit of a climb ahead of other cyclists. Each climb was ranked as either first, second or third category, with more points available for higher category climbs. Most stages of the race included one or more categorized climbs, in which points were awarded to the riders that reached the summit first. The Cima Coppi, the race's highest point of elevation, awarded more points than the other first category climbs. The Cima Coppi for this Giro was the Passo Valles, which was first summitted by Italian rider Gianbattista Baronchelli. The fourth classification, the young rider classification, was decided the same way as the general classification, but exclusive to neo-professional cyclists (in their first three years of professional racing). The leader of the classification wore a white jersey.{{cite web |url=http://www.giroditalia.it/eng/editions/1968-1977/ |title=1977 |date=2017 |work=Giro d'Italia |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport |access-date=13 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701114308/http://www.giroditalia.it/eng/editions/1968-1977/ |archive-date=1 July 2017 |url-status=live }}
The final classification, the team classification, awarded no jersey to its leaders. This was calculated by adding together points earned by each rider on the team during each stage through the intermediate sprints, the categorized climbs, stage finishes, etc. The team with the most points led the classification.
There were other minor classifications within the race, including the Campionato delle Regioni classification. The leader wore a blue jersey with colored vertical stripes ("maglia azzurra con banda tricolore verticale").{{cite web |url=http://www.giroditalia.it/eng/editions/1968-1977/ |title=1975 |date=2017 |work=Giro d'Italia |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport |access-date=13 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701114308/http://www.giroditalia.it/eng/editions/1968-1977/ |archive-date=1 July 2017 |url-status=live }} The Fiat Ritmo classification, which was created in honor Juan Manuel Santisteban who died in stage 1A of 1976 edition.{{cite web |url=http://www.giroditalia.it/eng/editions/1968-1977/ |title=1976 |date=2017 |work=Giro d'Italia |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport |access-date=13 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701114308/http://www.giroditalia.it/eng/editions/1968-1977/ |archive-date=1 July 2017 |url-status=live }} In all stages longer than {{convert|131|km|0|abbr=on}}, there was a banner at that point in the stage to designate a special sprint. The winner of the sprint in each stage received a Fiat Ritmo.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size:smaller;"
|+Classification leadership by stage |
| style="background:#efefef;"
! style="width:1%;"| Stage ! style="width:15%;"| Winner ! style="background:#efefef; width:14%;"|General classification ! style="background:#efefef; width:14%;"|Points classification ! style="background:#efefef; width:14%;"|Mountains classification ! style="background:#efefef; width:14%;"|Young rider classification ! style="background:#efefef; width:14%;"|Team classification |
| P
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| not awarded |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| not awarded |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| not awarded |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| not awarded |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| not awarded |
|---|
| 1
|style="background:pink;" rowspan="2"| Rik Van Linden |style="background:violet;" rowspan="3"| Rik Van Linden |style="background:lightgreen;" rowspan="17"| ? |style="background:white;" rowspan="20"| ? |style="background:lightyellow;" rowspan="20"| ? |
| 2 |
| 3
|style="background:pink;" rowspan="19"| Johan De Muynck |
| 4
|style="background:violet;"| Giuseppe Saronni |
| 5
|style="background:violet;"| Francesco Moser |
| 6
|style="background:violet;"| Rik Van Linden |
| 7
|style="background:violet;"| Roger De Vlaeminck |
| 8
|style="background:violet;"| Giuseppe Saronni |
| 9
|style="background:violet;"| Roger De Vlaeminck |
| 10
|style="background:violet;" rowspan="2"| Giuseppe Saronni |
| 11a |
| 11b
|style="background:violet;"| Roger De Vlaeminck |
| 12
|style="background:violet;" rowspan="9"| Francesco Moser |
| 13 |
| 14 |
| 15 |
| 16 |
| 17
|style="background:lightgreen;" rowspan="4"| Ueli Sutter |
| 18 |
| 19 |
| 20
|style="background:white;" rowspan="1"| Roberto Visentini |style="background:lightyellow;" rowspan="1"| Bianchi |
| colspan=2| Final
! style="background:#F660AB;"| Johan De Muynck ! style="background:#c0f;"| Francesco Moser ! style="background:#32CD32;"| Ueli Sutter ! style="background:offwhite;"| Roberto Visentini ! style="background:yellow;"| Bianchi |
Final standings
| class="wikitable" |
| colspan=4| Legend |
|---|
| Image:Jersey pink.svg
| Denotes the winner of the General classification | Denotes the winner of the Mountains classification |
| Image:Jersey violet.svg
|colspan="3" align=center| Denotes the winner of the Points classification |
=General classification=
{{columns-start}}
=Points classification=
| class="wikitable"
|+Final points classification (1-5){{Cite web |url=http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=%2Farchivio%2Funi_1979_05%2F19790514_0016.pdf |title=Il Giro di ieri e di oggi |page=16 |date=14 March 1979 |access-date=19 February 2019 |work=l'Unità |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082730/http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=%2Farchivio%2Funi_1979_05%2F19790514_0016.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }} |
| !Rider
!Team !Points |
|---|
| 1
| {{flagathlete|Francesco Moser|ITA}} Image:Jersey violet.svg | Sanson | align=right| 275 |
| 2
| {{flagathlete|Giuseppe Saronni|ITA}} | Scic | align=right| 274 |
| 3
| {{flagathlete|Gianbattista Baronchelli|ITA}} | Scic | align=right| 260 |
| 4
| {{flagathlete|Pierino Gavazzi|ITA}} | Zonca | align=right| 130 |
| 5
| {{flagathlete|Johan De Muynck|BEL}} Image:Jersey pink.svg | Bianchi | align=right| 118 |
{{column}}
=Mountains classification=
| class="wikitable" |
| !Rider
!Team !Points |
|---|
| 1
| {{flagathlete|Ueli Sutter|SUI}} Image:Jersey green.svg | Zonca | align=right| 830 |
| 2
| {{flagathlete|Gianbattista Baronchelli|ITA}} | Scic | align=right| 520 |
| 3
| {{flagathlete|Claudio Bortolotto|ITA}} | Sanson | align=right rowspan="2"| 345 |
| 4
| {{flagathlete|Pedro Torres|ESP}} | Teka |
| 5
| {{flagathlete|Johan De Muynck|BEL}} Image:Jersey pink.svg | Bianchi | align=right| 290 |
{{columns-end}}
{{columns-start}}
=Young rider classification=
| class="wikitable" |
| !Rider
!Team !Time |
|---|
| 1
| {{flagathlete|Roberto Visentini|ITA}} | Vibor | align=right| {{nowrap|101h 50' 17"}} |
| 2
| {{flagathlete|Giancarlo Casiraghi|ITA}} | Intercontinentale Assicurazioni | align=right| + 41' 33" |
| 3
| {{flagathlete|Ennio Vanotti|ITA}} | Zonca | align=right| + 54' 39" |
| 4
| {{flagathlete|Claudio Corti|ITA}} | Zonca | align=right| + 1h 05' 20" |
| 5
| {{flagathlete|Vincenzo De Caro|ITA}} | Mecap | align=right| + 1h 19' 15" |
{{column}}
=Campionato delle Regioni classification=
| class="wikitable" |
| !Rider
!Team !Points |
|---|
| 1
| {{flagathlete|Fiorenzo Favero|ITA}} | Intercontinentale Assicurazioni | align=right| 38 |
| 2
| {{flagathlete|Alessio Antonini|ITA}} | Selle Royal-Inoxpran | align=right| 27 |
| 3
| {{flagathlete|Giuseppe Martinelli|ITA}} | Magniflex | align=right| 19 |
| 4
| {{flagathlete|Giuseppe Saronni|ITA}} | Scic | align=right| 17 |
| 5
| {{flagathlete|Giancarlo Tartoni|ITA}} | Magniflex | align=right| 13 |
{{columns-end}}
{{columns-start}}
=Traguardo Fiat Ritmo classification=
| class="wikitable" |
| !Rider
!Team !Points |
|---|
| 1
| {{flagathlete|Luciano Rossignoli|ITA}} | Fiorella | align=right| 37 |
| 2
| {{flagathlete|Walter Dusi|ITA}} | Intercontinentale Assicurazioni | align=right| 16 |
| 3
| {{flagathlete|Ottavio Crepaldi|ITA}} | Magniflex | align=right| 13 |
{{column}}
=Team points classification=
| class="wikitable" |
| !Team
!Points |
|---|
| 1
| Bianchi | align=right| 15,540 |
| 2
| Sanson | align=right| 9,420 |
| 3
| Scic | align=right| 8,107 |
{{columns-end}}
References
=Citations=
{{reflist|30em}}
{{1978 Super Prestige Pernod}}
{{Giro d'Italia}}
{{Cycling stage recaps|1978 Giro d'Italia|P|10|11a|20}}
{{Giro d'Italia general classification winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1978 Giro D'italia}}