Roberto Visentini enters the Giro d'Italia Hall Of Fame

With a ceremony held at Eataly Smeraldo in Milan, Roberto Visentini’s induction into the Giro d’Italia Hall of Fame was officially announced. The rider from Gardone Riviera won the Corsa Rosa in 1986.

Born in 1957, Visentini claimed the Maglia Rosa at the end of the 16th stage of that edition, the Erba–Foppolo, and successfully defended it all the way to the grand finale in Merano. Today, forty years after that achievement, he was awarded the Trofeo Senza Fine, which since 2000 has been reserved for Giro d’Italia winners.

The ceremony was followed by a light lunch held for the companies of the Bike Economy, promoted by ICE, the Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalization of Italian companies.

With his induction into the Hall of Fame, Visentini becomes one of the riders honoured with the prestigious Trofeo Senza Fine, following 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, Giuseppe Saronni (2023), and Gianni Bugno (2024).

Quotes

Roberto Visentini: “Entering the Giro d’Italia Hall of Fame is a great emotion, the result of a career full of sacrifices that led me to achieve outstanding milestones, including the crowning achievement of my career: the 1986 Giro d’Italia. That year I arrived at the Corsa Rosa in perfect condition and managed to finish ahead of champions such as Moser, Saronni and LeMond. The Trofeo Senza Fine is a magnificent keepsake, and being able to cherish a copy of it is a tremendous honor for me”.

Stefano Allocchio, RCS Sport Race Director: “The induction of Roberto Visentini into the Giro d’Italia Hall of Fame is a well-deserved tribute to a champion who wrote important chapters in the history of the Corsa Rosa. His victory in 1986, achieved against extraordinary rivals such as Giuseppe Saronni and Francesco Moser—both Hall of Famers themselves—represents the crowning achievement of a career of the very highest level, which now receives a further and well-earned recognition. Forty years on from that feat, it is right to celebrate it and to celebrate a great rider, with whom I had the good fortune to share several years of my career”.

Matteo Mursia, Chief Revenue Officer at RCS Sports & Events: “The Giro d’Italia Hall of Fame is a project that enhances our sporting and cultural heritage, while at the same time creating a concrete opportunity for engagement with partners who share the values of the Corsa Rosa. Events like this show just how unique the Giro is as a platform, capable of bringing together sport, storytelling and leading partners such as Eataly and Agenzia ICE, strengthening strategic relationships and generating value for our entire ecosystem”.

Andrea Cipolloni, Group CEO Eataly: “Cycling and Eataly share an authentic bond with the territories they pass through: both passionately bring the very best of Italy to the world. In 2025 we supported the Giro d’Italia as a partner in the hospitality areas, showcasing the gastronomic excellence of our country at every stage. It was a sincere and direct way to share Italy’s food and wine heritage with international audiences and with everyone who experiences the Corsa Rosa with enthusiasm. Today we are honoured to once again host the Hall of Fame ceremony at Eataly and to celebrate a champion such as Roberto Visentini, who wrote unforgettable pages in the history of cycling and rightfully takes his place in the hearts of fan”.

The Career of Roberto Visentini

Born in 1957, Roberto Visentini was considered one of the great prospects of Italian cycling from the very start of his career, as demonstrated by his victory in the junior World Championship in 1975 in Le Chalet-à-Gobet. Turning professional, at his debut in the Corsa Rosa in 1978, he won the Maglia Bianca as best young rider.

Visentini wore the Maglia Rosa for seven days in 1980, for one day in 1981, and for nine days in 1985, when he was forced to retire at the nineteenth stage due to a virus.

The year 1986 marked his crowning achievement. The decisive moment came on the Erba–Foppolo stage, won by Pedro Muñoz, where Visentini finished third, taking the Maglia Rosa from Saronni. From that point on, no one managed to take the symbol of leadership away from him: on the final podium he was joined by Saronni and Moser, who finished second and third respectively.

Visentini also wore the Maglia Rosa in the 1987 edition, before losing the race lead in the famous Lido di Jesolo–Sappada stage, which went down in history as the “betrayal of Sappada”, when he was attacked directly by his teammate Stephen Roche, the future winner of the Giro.

He ended his career in 1990 with 18 victories, including two stages at the Vuelta a España and the overall classification of the 1983 Tirreno Adriatico.

Find out more on the Hall of Fame page.