Gianni Bugno’s very first stage win at the Giro d’Italia went almost unnoticed. It was the penultimate stage of the 1989 Corsa Rosa, bringing the peloton from La Spezia to Prato. At the time, the 25-year-old Monza native was already a respected rider, with three consecutive wins in the Giro dell’Appennino, a stage win at the Tour de France, a second place at the Giro di Lombardia, and various other successes. However, 1989 hadn’t kicked off particularly well for him, and even at the Giro, he didn’t really shine until that breakaway win, which was unfortunately overshadowed by the heated GC battle between Laurent Fignon, who defended the Maglia Rosa, and Flavio Giupponi.
Thus, one year later, at the Giro d’Italia 1990, it would have been almost unthinkable to imagine Bugno, who had started that year on a high note with his triumph at Milano-Sanremo, battling for the Maglia Rosa all the way to the finish. Yet Gianni would go on to seize the Maglia Rosa on the very first day, in the opening time trial in Bari, and carry it all the way to the final catwalk in Milan, an accomplishment only achieved before by legends like Costante Girardengo, Alfredo Binda, and Eddy Merckx. No one has repeated this feat since (not even Tadej Pogačar).
While wearing the leadership symbol, Bugno would go on to win the Vallombrosa stage as well as the time trial in Sacro Monte di Varese, increasing his lead over his rivals stage after stage. The Dolomites also crowned him king, as he managed to defend his lead on the Dobbiaco–Passo Pordoi stage, fending off attacks while clearing the Passo Valparola, Gardena, Sella, the first climb up Pordoi, the Marmolada, and then, once again, Pordoi. Eventually, Bugno showcased his dominance by attacking on the final climb, dictating the pace the whole way, and then, in a gesture of humility, allowed his rival Charly Mottet to take stage win, pretending to have a mechanical issue. That’s Gianni, humble and generous. It’s no coincidence that the day after his triumph in Milan, the Corriere della Sera described him as “a champion of modesty and calmness.” It was a magical night, just two days before the kickoff of the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy.
1990 was Bugno’s breakout year. The Italian would go on to win two stages at the Tour de France (including the iconic Alpe d’Huez), launching his career into full swing. His palmarès speaks for itself: victory at the Tour of Flanders, two World Championships, four Tour stages, two podium finishes at the Tour, and a total of nine Giro stage wins, the last of which came in Aosta in 1996.
That 1990 Giro remains iconic to this day. “So many emotions crammed into four months: winning Milano-Sanremo, the birth of Alessio, my first son, and victory at the Giro d’Italia,” Bugno wrote at the time. “It feels like my life has taken off at full gallop, even though, inside, nothing has changed. At least, that’s how it seems. There’s only one thing that has struck me in these last few days: the connection with the people. I can’t quite explain it, there are so many reasons. The fact is, if I wore the Maglia Rosa all the way from Bari to Milan, the credit goes largely to the fans who always cheered me on and encouraged me along the roads. I know some people criticized my way of riding the Giro, calling my approach reckless. But I know that by always riding at the front, by looking to exploit every favorable situation to attack my rivals, I did it thinking that even if I were to crack one day, people would still remember me. I didn’t crack, though, I made it to the end. This Maglia Rosa, which was once a childhood dream, has turned into a stunning reality. It’s mine, and it will stay mine“.
Gianni Bugno has now entered the Giro d’Italia Hall of Fame, and in addition to his Maglia Rosa, he will also have the Trofeo Senza Fine to remind him that his accomplishments will remain eternal in the history of this sport.
