This Friday, Gianni Bugno became the twelfth runner to enter the Pantheon of Tour of Italy and to receive the prestigious Endless Trophy ! The winner of the Tour of Italy 1990, who achieved the feat of wearing the Pink jersey from the start to the end of the Corsa Rosa, was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday during a ceremony held at the new headquarters ofEataly Emeraldin Milan city center. Born in 1964, Bugno marked an era in Italian cycling with his versatility, excelling both on the Grand Tours and on the one-day classics. His worldwide popularity has made him a true ambassador of Made in Italy.
Video – Gianni Bugno joined Stephen Roche at the Giro Pantheon
Gianni Bugno rejoins Roche, Merckx, Hinault…
The years 1990 to 1992 stand out among his 14 professional seasons, with special mention for his impressive victory at the 1990 Giro, where he wore the Maglia Rosa from the first to the last day, as well as for his two World Champion titles. Gianni Bugno is now the twelfth runner to enter the Pantheon of Tour of Italy and to receive the prestigious Endless TrophyAfter Eddy Merckx (2012), Felice Gimondi (2013), Stephen Roche (2014), Francesco Moser (2015), Ercole Baldini (2016), Bernard Hinault (2017), Miguel Indurain (2018), Vittorio Adorni (2019), Gianni Motta (2022), Franco Balmamion et Giuseppe Saronni (2023).
Constant Girardengo, Alfredo Binda, Eddy MerckxThen Gianni Bugno. He is the only rider in the last 50 years to have worn the pink jersey from the first to the last stage of the Tour of Italya feat that even Tadej Pogacar failed to deliver in his dominant 2024 season. This record testifies to the greatness of a complete champion, capable of measuring himself against the best climbers of the Grand Tours as well as the specialists in one-day races. During his fourteen professional seasons, fight also won Milan-Sanremothe Tour of Flanders and two world championships consecutive on very different circuits. With Claudio Chiappucciwith whom he maintained a healthy rivalry, he was one of the main challengers of Miguel Indurain on the Tour de France in the early 90s. fight retired from professional cycling in 1998, after winning a stage of the Return to Spainthus completing his victories on the three Grand Tours. He then began a career as a helicopter pilot, flying the broadcast helicopter of the RAI for several editions of Tour of Italy.
Tadej Pogacar was not far from achieving the same feat as Bugno at the 2024 Giro
Gianni Bugno : “Being inducted into the Giro d’Italia Pantheon is a great satisfaction because I join a group of riders who have left their mark on the history of cycling. From the Giro that I won, I remember the victory in the first stage, the Bari time trial, the Passo Pordoi stage, at the end of which I began to understand that I could achieve this feat, and the time trial up the Sacro Monte di Varese, my third stage victory in this Giro before the final parade in Milan. Unlike Pogacar, who planned to win the pink jersey on the first day and keep it until the end, for me, wearing the leader’s jersey for the entire race was not part of the initial plan. Thanks to the support of my teammates, we were able to achieve this goal, which no one else has matched in the last 34 years, and I am proud of it. Today is a special day for me, and I am really moved to see my name definitively go down in the history of the race that I loved the most.”.
Mauro Vegni, Director of the Giro d’Italia : “It is an honor to see Gianni Bugno enter the Giro d’Italia Pantheon, a well-deserved recognition for a champion who has left an indelible mark on the world of cycling. With his elegant style and unrivaled determination, Bugno not only conquered the toughest roads in Italy, but also won the hearts of every cycling fan. His victories, including the 1990 Giro d’Italia triumph, and his extraordinary career continue to inspire new generations of cyclists. This induction into the Pantheon celebrates not only his talent but also his contribution to the history and tradition of Italian cycling“.
