Fifteen years after Marco Pantani attacked on the Galibier (pictured) to set up his 1998 Tour de France victory, the Giro d'Italia pays tribute with a summit finish on the Galibier.(Image credit: AFP)
Selle Italia delivered custom embroidered Flite saddles to Marco Pantani.(Image credit: Daniel Benson)
Marco Pantani rides to victory at the 1998 Tour de France.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Marco Pantani in 1998.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Marco Pantani in yellow at the 1998 Tour de France.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Two bikes used by the late Marco Pantani have been sold for 13,000 and 8,000 Euro at an auction in Italy.
According to reports in the Italian press, a hundred people attended the auction, with a series of bids by collectors pushing the price of the Bianchi and Wilier Triestina bikes well above the reserve price of 5,000 Euro.
Pantani rode the yellow and celeste Bianchi bike when he won stage 15 to Les Deux Alpes. He attacked Jan Ullrich on the slopes of the Galibier and finished alone, taking the race lead. He went on to win in Paris ahead of Ullrich and Bobby Julich.
Il Pirata used the Wilier Triestina bike when he won the stage to L'Alpe d'Huez during the 1997 Tour de France.
Pantani gave the bikes to a friend who owned a restaurant near his home in Cesenatico. They went on the market when the restaurant was declared bankrupt. Both bikes were bought by Italian collectors.
Pantani died of a cocaine overdose in 2004.
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