The Cima Coppi (in literal English, Top of the Tiles) is the title given to the highest peak in the yearly running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tour races. [1] The mountain that is given this title each year awards more mountains classification points to the first rider than any of the other categorized mountains in the race. [2]
The categorization was first introduced for the 1965 Giro d'Italia in honor of the late Fausto Coppi who won five editions of the Giro d'Italia and three mountain classification titles during his career. [3] It was first announced on 22 April 1965 by then race director Vincenzo Torriani that the highest peak would award two times as many mountains classification points. [4] Torriani thought of possibly awarding time bonuses to the first to summit the mountain; however, after many dissenting opinions, he opted to award more mountains classification points. [4]
The Cima Coppi changes from year to year, depending on the altitude profile of the Giro d'Italia, but the Cima Coppi par excellence is the Stelvio Pass, which at 2758m is the highest point ever reached by the Giro. The Stelvio has been used in the 1972, 1975, 1980, 1994, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2020 editions. It was also scheduled in 1965, 1988, 2013, and 2024, but in each case the course was modified due to weather conditions, with various effects on the Cima Coppi designation.
| * | Point was also used as the location of the stage finish |
|---|---|
| ~ | Climb was used for the first time in Giro d'Italia history |
| ^ | Point was a new highest elevation reached in all Giro editions up to then |
The following riders have won the Cima Coppi on 2 or more occasions.
| Cyclist | Total | Years |
|---|---|---|
 José Manuel Fuente (ESP) | 3 | 1972, 1973, 1974 |
 José Jaime González (COL) | 3 | 1997, 1999, 2000 |
 Franco Vona (ITA) | 2 | 1991, 1994 |
| Stefano Garzelli (ITA) | 2 | 2009, 2011 |
| Mikel Landa (ESP) | 2 | 2015, 2017 |
 Julio Alberto Pérez Cuapio (MEX) | 2 | 2002, 2008 |
Riders from eleven different countries have won the Cima Coppi.
| Country | No. of wins | No. of winning cyclists |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 22 | 20 |
| Spain | 11 | 8 |
| Colombia | 8 | 6 |
 France | 5 | 5 |
 Belgium | 3 | 3 |
 Switzerland | 2 | 2 |
| Mexico | 2 | 1 |
 Venezuela | 1 | 1 |
 Australia | 1 | 1 |
 Croatia | 1 | 1 |
 United Kingdom | 1 | 1 |
The 1988 Giro d'Italia was the 71st running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tour races. The race started in Urbino, on 23 May, with a 9 km (5.6 mi) individual time trial and concluded in Vittorio Veneto, on 12 June, with a 43 km (26.7 mi) individual time trial. A total of 180 riders from 20 teams entered the 21-stage race, which was won by American Andrew Hampsten of the 7-Eleven–Hoonved team. The second and third places were taken by Dutchman Erik Breukink and Swiss Urs Zimmermann, respectively. It was the third time – and second successive year – in the history of the Giro that the podium was occupied solely by non-Italian riders.
The 1953 Giro d'Italia was the 36th edition of the Giro d'Italia. The Giro started off in Milan on 12 May with a 263 km (163.4 mi) flat stage and concluded back in Milan with a 220 km (136.7 mi) relatively flat mass-start stage on 2 June. Sixteen teams entered the race, which was won by Italian Fausto Coppi of the Bianchi team. Second and third respectively were Swiss rider Hugo Koblet and Italian Pasquale Fornara.
The 1984 Giro d'Italia was the 67th running of the Giro. It started in Lucca, on 17 May, with a 5 km (3.1 mi) prologue and concluded in Verona, on 10 June, with a 42 km (26.1 mi) individual time trial. A total of 171 riders from nineteen teams entered the 22-stage race, that was won by Italian Francesco Moser of the Gis Gelati–Tuc Lu team. The second and third places were taken by Frenchman Laurent Fignon and Italian Moreno Argentin, respectively.
The 1981 Giro d'Italia was the 64th running of the Giro. It started in Brescia, on 13 May, with a 6.6 km (4.1 mi) prologue and concluded in Verona, on 7 June, with a 42 km (26.1 mi) individual time trial. A total of 130 riders from thirteen teams entered the 22-stage race, that was won by Italian Giovanni Battaglin of the Inoxpran team. The second and third places were taken by Swede Tommy Prim and Italian Giuseppe Saronni, respectively.
The 1980 Giro d'Italia was the 63rd running of the Giro. It started in Genoa, on 15 May, with a 7 km (4.3 mi) prologue and concluded in Milan, on 8 June, with a 114 km (70.8 mi) mass-start stage. A total of 130 riders from thirteen teams entered the 22-stage race, that was won by Frenchman Bernard Hinault of the Renault–Gitane–Campagnolo team. The second and third places were taken by Italians Wladimiro Panizza and Giovanni Battaglin, respectively.
The 1972 Giro d'Italia was the 55th running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Venice on 21 May, with a 5.2 km (3.2 mi) prologue and concluded with a 197 km (122 mi) mass-start stage, on 11 June. A total of 100 riders from ten teams entered the 20-stage race, that was won by Belgian Eddy Merckx of the Molteni team. The second and third places were taken by Spaniards José Manuel Fuente and Francisco Galdós, respectively.
The 1970 Giro d'Italia was the 53rd edition of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The 3,292-kilometre (2,046 mi) race consisted of 20 stages, starting in San Pellegrino Terme on 18 May and finishing Bolzano on 7 June. There was one time trial stage and a single rest day. Eddy Merckx of the Faemino team won the overall general classification, his second victory. Italians Felice Gimondi (Salvarani) placed second, 3 min and 14 s slower than Merckx, and Martin Van Den Bossche (Molteni) was third, nearly five minutes behind Merckx.
The 1977 Giro d'Italia was the 60th running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Bacoli, on 20 May, with a 7 km (4.3 mi) prologue and concluded in Milan, on 13 June, with a 122 km (75.8 mi) mass-start stage. A total of 130 riders from thirteen teams entered the 22-stage race, that was won by Belgian Michel Pollentier of the Flandria team. The second and third places were taken by Italians Francesco Moser and Gianbattista Baronchelli, respectively. Freddy Maertens won 7 of the first 11 stages before abandoning due to a crash on Stage 8B.
The 1979 Giro d'Italia was the 62nd running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Florence, on 17 May, with an 8 km (5.0 mi) prologue and concluded in Milan, on 6 June, with a 44 km (27.3 mi) individual time trial. A total of 130 riders from thirteen teams entered the 19-stage race, that was won by Italian Giuseppe Saronni of the Scic-Bottecchia team. The second and third places were taken by Italian Francesco Moser and Swede Bernt Johansson, respectively.
The 1975 Giro d'Italia was the 58th running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Milan, on 17 May, with a set of split stages and concluded with a summit finish to the Passo dello Stelvio, on 7 June, with another split stage, consisting of an individual time trial and a mass-start stage. A total of 90 riders from nine teams entered the 22-stage race, that was won by Italian Fausto Bertoglio of the Jollj Ceramica team. The second and third places were taken by Spaniard Francisco Galdós and Italian Felice Gimondi, respectively.
The 1971 Giro d'Italia was the 55th edition of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The 3,567-kilometre (2,216 mi) race consisted of 20 stages and an opening prologue, starting in Lecce on 20 May and finishing at the Vigorelli velodrome in Milan on 10 June. There were three time trial stages and a single rest day. Gösta Pettersson of the Ferretti team won the overall general classification, becoming the first Swedish rider to win a Grand Tour. Herman Van Springel (Molteni) placed second, 2 min and 32 s in arrears, and Ugo Colombo (Filotex) was third, just three seconds slower than Van Springel.
The 1989 Giro d'Italia was the 72nd edition of the race. It started off in Taormina on 21 May with a 123 km (76.4 mi) flat stage that ended in Catania. The race concluded in Florence with a 53 km (32.9 mi) individual time trial on 11 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race, which was won by the Frenchman Laurent Fignon of the Super U team. Second and third respectively were the Italian Flavio Giupponi and the American rider, Andrew Hampsten.
The 1974 Giro d'Italia was the 57th running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Vatican City, on 16 May, with a 164 km (102 mi) stage and concluded in Milan, on 8 June, with 257 km (160 mi) leg. A total of 140 riders from fourteen teams entered the 22-stage race, that was won by Belgian Eddy Merckx of the Molteni team. The second and third places were taken by Italians Gianbattista Baronchelli (Scic) and Felice Gimondi (Bianchi), respectively.
The 1973 Giro d'Italia was the 56th running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Verviers, Belgium, on 18 May, with a 5.2 km (3.2 mi) prologue and concluded with a 197 km (122 mi) mass-start stage, on 9 June. A total of 140 riders from fourteen teams entered the 20-stage race, that was won by Belgian Eddy Merckx of the Molteni team. The second and third places were taken by Italians Felice Gimondi and Giovanni Battaglin, respectively.
The 1976 Giro d'Italia was the 59th running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Catania, on 21 May, with a set of split stages and concluded in Milan, on 12 June, with another split stage, consisting of an individual time trial and a mass-start stage. A total of 120 riders from twelve teams entered the 22-stage race, that was won by Italian Felice Gimondi of the Bianchi-Campagnolo team. The second and third places were taken by Belgian Johan De Muynck and Italian Fausto Bertoglio, respectively.
The 1978 Giro d'Italia was the 61st running of the Giro, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started in Saint-Vincent, on 7 May, with a 2 km (1.2 mi) prologue and concluded in Milan, on 28 May, with a 220 km (136.7 mi) mass-start stage. A total of 130 riders from thirteen teams entered the 20-stage race, that was won by Belgian Johan de Muynck of the Bianchi team. The second and third places were taken by Italians Gianbattista Baronchelli and Francesco Moser, respectively. As of the beginning of the 2021 cycling season this was the last time a Belgian rider won a Grand Tour.
The 1966 Giro d'Italia was the 49th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tour races. The Giro started in Monaco's Monte Carlo, on 18 May, with a 149 km (92.6 mi) stage and concluded in Trieste, on 8 June, with a 172 km (106.9 mi) leg. A total of 100 riders from 13 teams entered the 22-stage race, which was won by Italian Gianni Motta of the Molteni team. The second and third places were taken by Italian Italo Zilioli and Frenchman Jacques Anquetil, respectively.
The 1956 Giro d'Italia was the 39th edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Giro started off in Milan on 19 May with a 210 km (130.5 mi) flat stage and concluded back in Milan with a 113 km (70.2 mi) relatively flat mass-start stage on 10 June. Sixteen teams entered the race, which was won by Luxembourgian Charly Gaul of the Faema team. Second and third respectively were Italian riders Fiorenzo Magni and Agostino Coletto.
The 1949 Giro d'Italia was the 32nd Giro d'Italia, organized and sponsored by the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. The race began on 21 May in Palermo with a stage that stretched 261 km (162 mi) to Catania, finishing in Monza on 12 June after a 267 km (166 mi) stage and a total distance covered of 4,088 km (2,540 mi). The race was won by Fausto Coppi of the Bianchi team, with fellow Italians Gino Bartali and Giordano Cottur coming in second and third respectively.
The 1950 Giro d'Italia was the 33rd edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Giro started in Milan on 24 May with a 225 km (139.8 mi) individual time trial and concluded in Salsomaggiore Terme with a 230 km (142.9 mi) relatively flat mass-start stage on 13 June. Fifteen teams entered the race, which was won by Swiss Hugo Koblet of the Guerra team. Second and third respectively were Italians Gino Bartali and Alfredo Martini.
The climb of Sestrière offers an additional prize for Garzelli as it's the "Cima Coppi" – the highest peak of the Giro d'Italia.
