1984 Giro d'Italia#Young rider classification

{{main|List of teams and cyclists in the 1984 Giro d'Italia}}

A total of nineteen teams were invited to participate in the 1984 Giro d'Italia.{{cite news|author=Gian Paolo Ormezzano|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,23/articleid,1015_01_1984_0115_0023_22676327/|title=Moser, 23 giorni di agguati|language=it|date=16 May 1984|page=23|newspaper=La Stampa|publisher=Editrice La Stampa|access-date=27 May 2012|trans-title=Moser, 23 days ambushes}}{{cite news |author=Gino Sala |url=https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1984/05/17/page_020.pdf |title=Tanti piccoli re verso lo Stelvio |language=it |date=17 May 1984 |page=20 |newspaper=l'Unità |access-date=27 May 2012 |trans-title=But small kings up the Stelvio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023202644/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1984/05/17/page_020.pdf|archive-date=23 October 2019 |url-status=live }} The presentation of the teams – where each team's roster and manager are introduced in front the media and local dignitaries – took place at the Piazza San Marco in Lucca on 16 May. The starting riders came from a total of 18 different countries;{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1984/05/17/deportes/453592813_850215.html|author=Ángel Ruocco|title=El Giro de Italia se inicia hoy sin un favorito definido|language=es|date=17 May 1984|newspaper= El País|access-date=27 May 2012|trans-title=The Giro d'Italia starts today without a definite favorite|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151203071630/https://elpais.com/diario/1984/05/17/deportes/453592813_850215.html|archive-date=3 December 2015|url-status=live}} Italy (100), Switzerland (15), and Spain (11) all had more than 10 riders.{{cite web|title=Giro d'Italia – 1984 Competitors per Country|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1984/startlist/competitors-per-country|website=ProCyclingStats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522150201/https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1984/startlist/competitors-per-country|archive-date=22 May 2025|access-date=13 October 2016}} Each team sent a squad of nine riders, which meant that the race started with a peloton of 171 cyclists.{{cite news|author=Gian Paolo Ormezzano|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,27/articleid,1015_01_1984_0116_0027_22622783/|title=E' la volta buona per Moser?|language=it|date=17 May 1984|page=27|newspaper=La Stampa|access-date=27 May 2012|trans-title=And 'the right time to Moser?}}{{cite web|url=http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1984.html |title=1984 Giro d'Italia |work= Bike Race Info |publisher=Dog Ear Publishing |author=Bill and Carol McGann|access-date=2012-08-06}} Gianni Motta–Linea M.D. Italia' team manager Robin Morton was the first female to manage a team in the history of the Giro.{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/giro09/?id=/features/2009/giro09_robin_morton |title=Sister in cycling: Morton at the 1984 Giro |author=Susan Westemeyer |date=29 May 2009 |work=Cycling News |access-date=13 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428235133/http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/giro09/?id=%2Ffeatures%2F2009%2Fgiro09_robin_morton |archive-date=28 April 2016 |url-status=live }}

Of those starting, 45 were riding the Giro d'Italia for the first time.{{cite web|title=Giro d'Italia – 1984 Debutants|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1984/startlist/debutants|website=ProCyclingStats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522150223/https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1984/startlist/debutants|archive-date=22 May 2025|access-date=13 October 2016}} The average age of riders was 26.68 years,{{cite web|title=Giro d'Italia – 1984 Peloton averages|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1984/startlist/peloton-averages|website=ProCyclingStats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522150917/https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1984/startlist/peloton-averages|archive-date=22 May 2025|access-date=13 October 2016}} ranging from 21–year–old Bruno Wojtinek ({{UCI team code|REN|1984}}) to 38–year–old Wladimiro Panizza (Atala–Campagnolo).{{cite web|title=Giro d'Italia – 1984 Youngest and Oldest competitors|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1984/startlist/youngest-oldest|website=ProCyclingStats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522150759/https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1984/startlist/youngest-oldest|archive-date=22 May 2025|access-date=13 October 2016}} The team with the youngest average rider age was {{UCI team code|REN|1984}} (22), while the oldest was {{UCI team code|CAR|1984}} (29).{{cite web|title=Giro d'Italia – 19 Youngest Team|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1984/teams/youngest-team|website=ProCyclingStats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522151123/https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/1984/teams/youngest-team|archive-date=22 May 2025|access-date=13 October 2016}} From the riders that began this edition, 143 made it to the finish in Merano.

The teams entering the race were:

Team managers when asked about the favorite entering the race felt there was no clear favorite to win. La Gazzetta dello Sport felt four riders – Francesco Moser (Gis Gelati–Tuc Lu), Laurent Fignon ({{UCI team code|REN|1984}}), Giuseppe Saronni ({{UCI team code|DEL|1984}}), and Roberto Visentini ({{UCI team code|CAR|1984}}) – had the best chances to win, but "there is no man who knows how to dominate." When asked about his biggest challenge, Moser stated: "First, Visentini, because last year he was second, he has a very homogeneous squad and is the Italian runner in better shape..." Ángel Ruocco of El País felt that the race would be between 1983 Tour de France champion Fignon and Saronni, the winner of the Giro the previous year. He added that Silvano Contini, Mario Beccia, and Fignon as other challengers. Marino Lejarreta ({{UCI team code|Alfa Lum|1984}}) who rode the 1984 Vuelta a España to prepare, as well as Alberto Fernández ({{UCI team code|ZOR|1984}}) who displayed great results when the race reached the Apennines last year.{{cite news|url=http://doc.rero.ch/record/196432/files/1984-05-17.pdf|title=Moser, Fignon, Visentini et les autres|trans-title=Moser, Fignon, Visentini and the others |language=fr|work=Nouvelliste et Feuille d'Avis du Valais|date=17 May 1984|page=23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027165229/http://doc.rero.ch/record/196432/files/1984-05-17.pdf|archive-date=27 October 2019|url-status=live|via=RERO}}

The route for the 1984 edition of the Giro d'Italia was revealed to the public by head organizer Vincenzo Torriani on 18 February 1984.{{cite news |url=https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1984/02/19/page_020.pdf |title=Un Giro-cocktail: mezzo moderno e mezzo antico |language=it |date=19 February 1984 |author=Gino Sala|page=20|newspaper=l'Unità |publisher=PCI |access-date=27 May 2012 |trans-title=A Giro-cocktail: modern means and half ancient |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023203303/https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1984/02/19/page_020.pdf |archive-date=23 October 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,25/articleid,1012_01_1984_0040_0025_13818397/|title=Il Giro '84 partira da Lucca|language=it|date=17 February 1984|page=25|newspaper=La Stampa|publisher=Editrice La Stampa|access-date=27 May 2012|trans-title=The Tour '84 will start from Lucca}}{{cite news|author=Gian Paolo Ormezzano|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,25/articleid,1012_01_1984_0042_0026_22806236/|title=Fatto per Moser, con salite truccate|language=it|date=19 February 1984|page=25|newspaper=La Stampa|publisher=Editrice La Stampa|access-date=27 May 2012|trans-title=Done for Moser, with climbs rigged}}{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1984/02/19/MD19840219-021.pdf|title="Giro 84": Mas Para Moser Que Para Saronni|language=es|date=19 February 1984|page=21|newspaper=El Mundo Deportivo|access-date=27 May 2012|trans-title=The "Giro-85" Want to Fignon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119183433/http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1984/02/19/MD19840219-021.pdf|archive-date=19 January 2015|url-status=live}} Covering a total of {{convert|3808|km|abbr=on}}, it included four time trials (three individual and one for teams), and eleven stages with categorized climbs that awarded mountains classification points. Five of these eleven stages had summit finishes: stage 3, to Madonna di San Luca; stage 5, to Blockhaus; stage 16, to Bardonecchia; stage 19, to Selva di Val Gardena; and stage 20, to Arabba. The organizers chose to include two rest days. When compared to the previous year's race, the race was {{convert|114|km|0|abbr=on}} shorter and contained the same number of time trials and rest days. In addition, this race contained the same number of stages.

File:Passo Pordoi 2007.jpg was the Cima Coppi for the 1984 running of the Giro d'Italia.]]

Four different jerseys were worn during the 1984 Giro d'Italia. The leader of the general classification – calculated by adding the stage finish times of each rider, and allowing time bonuses for the first three finishers on mass-start stages – wore a pink jersey. This classification is the most important of the race, and its winner is considered as the winner of the Giro.{{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 }} Time bonuses of 20, 10, and 5 seconds were awarded to each stage's first three finishers.

For the points classification, which awarded a purple (or cyclamen) jersey to its leader, cyclists were given points for finishing a stage in the top 15; additional points could also be won in intermediate sprints. The green jersey was awarded to the mountains classification leader. 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. 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 originally the Stelvio Pass, but it was changed to the Pordoi Pass. The first rider to cross the Pordoi Pass was French rider Laurent Fignon. The white jersey was worn by the leader of young rider classification, a ranking decided the same way as the general classification, but considering only neo-professional cyclists (in their first three years of professional racing).

Although no jersey was awarded, there was also one classification for the teams, in which the stage finish times of the best three cyclists per team were added; the leading team was the one with the lowest total time. There was another team classification that awarded points to each team based on their riding's finishing position in every stage. The team with the highest total of points was the leader of the classification.

The rows in the following table correspond to the jerseys awarded after that stage was run.

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Since the race's conclusion, the race has been marred by accusations of race officials favoring Francesco Moser. On several occasions, Moser was seen drafting behind team cars and being pushed up mountains which is not allowed in the race rules. Moser was not penalized the times he committed the violations, but several other riders in the race were punished by officials when they committed the same infractions. Renault manager Cyrille Guimard especially upset with Moser's lack of punishment because his rider, Fignon, was awarded a twenty-second penalty for receiving food outside of the feed zone.{{sfn|O'Brien|2017|p=130}} Another instance appeared when the race officials cancelled the crossing of the Stelvio Pass during the eighteenth stage. Snow had fallen on the Stelvio and was thought to be able to be cleared by the day of the stage as race director Vincenzo Torriani had photos showing that it could be done. The French magazine Vélo published photos of the pass being clear of snow and open to the public.{{sfn|O'Brien|2017|p=129}} However, the day before the stage, the snow had yet to be cleared. There's speculation that a government official from Trent – Moser's hometown – would not allow the Giro to cross the Stelvio. The race was re-routed to go over the Tonale Pass and Palade Pass.{{sfn|O'Brien|2017|p=130}} The changes in the stage resulted in another collective finish of the general classification contenders, thus keeping the time gaps the same and playing into the hand of Moser.{{cite news|url=http://elpais.com/diario/1984/06/06/deportes/455320805_850215.html|agency=EFE|title=Fignon critica el trazado "indigno" del Giro|newspaper= El País|trans-title=Fignon criticizes the "unworthy" route of the Giro|language=es|date=7 June 1984|access-date=27 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511150731/http://elpais.com/diario/1984/06/06/deportes/455320805_850215.html|archive-date=11 May 2016|url-status=live}} 1986 race winner Roberto Visentini quit the race because he felt the it was being fixed..{{citation needed|date=October 2021|reason=the following source has Visentini finishing 18th during this race. He did quit the race in 1985 and 1987 after being attacked and having the Pink Jersey stolen by his own teammate, but in 84 he finished the race according to this source}}{{cite web|title=1984 Giro d'Italia

|publisher=BikeRaceInfo |date=15 March 2020 |url=https://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1984.html

|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317054723/http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1984.html |archive-date=2014-03-17 }}

{{sfn|O'Brien|2017|p=130}} In the final time trial, TV helicopters have been accused of flying low behind Moser in order to propel him forward, increasing his speed.{{sfn|O'Brien|2017|p=131}} Fignon told the media that the helicopters were flying in front of him in order to slow his pace.{{sfn|O'Brien|2017|p=131}}

Fignon later published an autobiography in 2010 entitled We Were Young and Carefree: The Autobiography of Laurent Fignon where he discussed this edition of the Giro.{{sfn|Fignon|2010|p=120–126}} He wrote that the "breaches in the rules were obvious" and that Moser had received many pushes from spectators while climbing during the twentieth stage.{{sfn|Fignon|2010|p=123–124}} Fignon elaborated on the final time trial, stating that the helicopter pilot "almost mowing the number off of my back with his rotorblades."{{sfn|Fignon|2010|p=125}} He stated the helicopter's turbulence slowed him down and also nearly crashed him a few times during the stage.{{sfn|Fignon|2010|p=125}} Ultimately, Fignon felt that if the entire race was run according to the route and abiding by the rules, he would've won the race.{{sfn|Fignon|2010|p=125}} In 2015, Moser was inducted to the Giro d'Italia Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/francesco-moser-inducted-into-the-giro-ditalia-hall-of-fame/|title=Francesco Moser inducted into the Giro d'Italia Hall of Fame|author=Stephen Farrand |date=20 March 2015 |website=Cycling News|access-date=13 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907164758/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/francesco-moser-inducted-into-the-giro-ditalia-hall-of-fame/|archive-date=7 September 2015|url-status=live}} At the ceremony, he received a replica of the modern-day trophy for his victory in the race. Moser spoke of how he and Fignon talked years after the race and he still blamed his victory on the helicopter, while Moser insisted that the cheering from the crowds is what motivated him to perform so well during the day. He further commented on Fignon: "Poor Fignon! He lost two Grand Tours on the last day and in time trials, too. If either of those races had ended with a climb, it would have been a very different story."

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{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite book| last = Fignon | first = Laurent|chapter=Tragedia dell'Arte | title = We Were Young and Carefree: The Autobiography of Laurent Fignon | publisher = Yellow Jersey Press | location = London | year = 2010 | isbn = 9780224083195 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3VC89FApLzcC }}
• {{cite book| last = O'Brien | first = Colin |chapter=The Sheriff and the Rifle Shot| title = Giro d'Italia: The Story of the World's Most Beautiful Bike Race | publisher = Pursuit Books | location = London | year = 2017 | isbn = 9781782832904|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WKAvDwAAQBAJ }}

{{Refend}}

{{1984 Super Prestige Pernod International}}

{{Giro d'Italia}}

{{Cycling stage recaps|1984 Giro d'Italia|P|11|12|22}}

{{Giro d'Italia general classification winners}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1984 Giro D'italia}}

Category:Giro d'Italia by year

Giro d'Italia, 1984

Giro d'Italia, 1984

Giro d'Italia

Giro d'Italia

Category:1984 Super Prestige Pernod International