Clips & straps 108: Sappada '87

In the 1987 Giro, Stage 15 also finished in Sappada. However, unlike yesterday's mountainous affair through the Dolomites, the riders had a transitional stage of smaller climbs but they were incessant. 

Stage 16 was scheduled to be extremely difficult including the climb of Mount Marmolada (Passo Fedaia), a real brute that gains near 4000 feet with the last 3 km at 16%. 

Irishman Stephen Roche was in the form of his life and fresh off victory in the Tour of Romandy. Still suffering the effects of a crash, he lost time and the pink jersey to his Carrera-Inoxpran teammate Roberto Visentini in the time trial. 

The team's plan was for Roche to support the Italian in his home tour and then Visentini would return the favor in July's Tour de France. Visentini, however, told Roche he planned to spend July on the beach, leaving the Dubliner feeling no particular loyalties. As such, he and his loyal Belgian teammate Eddie Schepers planned an attack where it would be least expected, not stage 16's tough mountains but rather stage 15... thus the seeds of the Sappada affair were sown. 

Following an early climb, Roche followed an attack by Ennio Salvador and Jean-Claude Bagot and drew the ire of team director Davide Boifava. A very strange dynamic ensued where the entire Carrera team chased their own teammate! 

The angrier Roche got, the harder he rode and the gap grew until on the final climb (shown here), Visentini was now isolated. His teammates were blown out and other key team leaders (Phil Anderson, Jean-Francois Bernard, & Robert Millar among them) had bridged to Roche. 

Exhausted, the panicked Visentini lost six minutes (& pink) in the finale and Roche took the maglia Rosa by just a few seconds...which was for the best because he reckons if another rider had taken it, then Boifava would likely have sent he and Schepers home! Roche went on to win, Visentini to quit. Polemica!