The first time the Giro d’Italia ended in Naples marked the occasion of Eddy Merckx’s first Maglia Rosa triumph. At the Arenaccia velodrome, in front of thousands of jubilant Neapolitan fans, “the Cannibal” sealed his first Giro victory – of five to come – and the first ever by a Belgian rider, after dominating the race from start to finish. Hard to believe that, on the eve of that edition, many still questioned whether Merckx, already a prodigy in one-day races, had what it took to shine in Grand Tours.

“A 23-year-old ‘monster’,” wrote Corriere della Sera. “Eddy Merckx is about to take the place of his idol Van Looy in the hearts of Belgian fans. […] Class, pride, courage, inspiration – these are the qualities both men share”.

The history between Napoli and Eddy Merckx

Despite the praise for Merckx, the Italian press pulled no punches in criticizing the homegrown stars, accusing them of failing to challenge the Belgian phenom. “Merckx is a great champion, but the Giro was a failure,” headlined Corriere Sportivo, which went on: “Merckx won – he’s a great champion. But the 51st Giro d’Italia turned out to be a failure: overwhelmed too early by the Belgian’s superiority, made monotonous by the meek resignation of the Italian contenders, and unable to find a new narrative after the Lavaredo stage (Merckx’s legendary ride). That was the race’s turning point, placed awkwardly in the middle of the route. From that day on, the Giro had no more story to tell. The anti-doping procedures became laughable: it’s known that some riders used outrageous tricks to fool the tests. The conduct of our top riders angered the crowds: never a bold move to challenge Merckx’s rule, never a flash of pride, never a committed attack. That’s why this Giro was a failure”.

Behind Merckx on the final podium were his teammate Vittorio Adorni – booed and insulted by fans for “helping the foreigner”—and Felice Gimondi. The final stage in Naples, with a grand finish at the Arenaccia, was won by another Merckx domestique, Guido Reybrouck.

That much-debated Giro took an even darker turn when, just days after the finish, the organization announced the disqualification of nine riders for doping, following positive tests across several stages. Among those implicated were Gianni Motta, Franco Balmamion, and Felice Gimondi. Gimondi, however, was later cleared – and reinstated in the final classification – after proving that the substance he had taken was not amphetamine but fencamfamine, a stimulant not yet banned at the time.