Italy is one of the countries that has given more glory to the history of world cycling since its beginnings and we could not conceive this sport without events such as the Giro d'Italia or the Milano-Sanremo or without cyclists who began to mark an era as Fausto Coppi or Gino Bartali.
In this article, in collaboration with CiclismoAlDia's Juan Larra, we review what we consider to be the best transalpine riders in history, starting as it could not be otherwise with the two mentioned above, with a list that includes riders from all eras and that go beyond the purely sporting as Marco Pantani. The latest glory, Vincenzo Nibali, winner of the 3 grand tours, is also included.
We are living a beautiful Giro d'Italia at the moment with Antonio Tiberi trying to position himself in the general classification. Since Nibali, no Italian has really been fighting to win Grand Tours and it's not easy in such a globalized cycling to generate champions. It used to be different and in fact this list, we already warned, has absences such as Gianni Bugno. Of course, it's all a matter of opinion: enjoy the list and let us know in the comments what changes you would make.
Read also
1. Fausto Coppi
Fausto Coppi, known as "Il Campionissimo," is considered one of the greatest cyclists of all time. Born in 1919, Coppi won the Giro d'Italia five times (1940, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953) and the Tour de France twice (1949 and 1952). He also set the hour record in 1942. His versatility and skills in both mountain stages and time trials made him a legend.
2. Gino Bartali
Gino Bartali, born in 1914, was one of Coppi's main rivals and another emblematic figure of Italian cycling. He won the Giro d'Italia three times (1936, 1937, 1946) and the Tour de France twice (1938, 1948), both before and after World War II. Bartali is remembered not only for his sporting achievements, but also for his bravery during World War II, when he helped save hundreds of Jewish people by transporting false documents hidden in his bicycle.
3. Felice Gimondi
Felice Gimondi, born in 1942, is one of the few cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours: the Giro d'Italia (1967, 1969, 1976), the Tour de France (1965) and the Vuelta a España (1968). His ability to compete on any type of terrain and his consistency throughout his career make him an outstanding figure in the history of cycling.
4. Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali, known as "The Shark of Messina," has left an indelible mark on modern cycling. Born in 1984, Nibali won the Giro d'Italia twice (2013, 2016), the Tour de France (2014) and the Vuelta a España (2010). His aggressiveness in the mountains and his ability to descend quickly made him a complete cyclist and feared by his rivals, alongside monument wins at Milano-Sanremo and many others.
Vincenzo Nibali during the 2021 Giro d'Italia. @Sirotti
5. Marco Pantani
Marco Pantani, born in 1970 and known as "Il Pirata," was one of cycling's most impressive climbers. In 1998, Pantani achieved a historic feat by winning both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in the same year, the last cyclist to do so to date. His explosive style and fearlessness on the climbs made him a fan favorite.
Marco Pantani is one of the icons of the Giro d'Italia. @Sirotti
6. Francesco Moser
Francesco Moser, born in 1951, is known for his versatility and strength in time trials. He won the 1984 Giro d'Italia and set the hour record in 1984, breaking Eddy Merckx's old record. In addition, Moser won Paris-Roubaix on three consecutive occasions (1978, 1979, 1980), showing his dominance in the one-day classics.
7. Alfredo Binda
Alfredo Binda, born in 1902, is one of the pioneers of Italian cycling. He won the Giro d'Italia five times (1925, 1927, 1928, 1928, 1929, 1933) and was world champion three times (1927, 1930, 1932). Binda was so dominant in his time that the Giro organizers paid him not to compete in 1930, to give other cyclists a chance.
8. Giuseppe Saronni
Giuseppe "Beppe" Saronni, born in 1957, had an outstanding career in the 1980s. He won the Giro d'Italia twice (1979, 1983) and was world champion in 1982. Saronni was known for his powerful sprinting and stage finishing skills, as well as being a tactical and intelligent rider.
9. Costante Girardengo
Costante Girardengo, born in 1893, was one of the first stars of Italian cycling. He won the Giro d'Italia twice (1919, 1923) and was national champion nine times. Girardengo was also successful in the classics, winning Milan-San Remo six times. His consistency and dominance in the races of his time made him a legend of the sport.
10. Gastone Nencini
Gastone Nencini, born in 1930, is known for his courage and skills in the mountains. He won the 1957 Giro d'Italia and the 1960 Tour de France. Nencini was also recognized for his ability to descend quickly, earning him the nickname "Il Leone del Mugello." His aggressive style and ability to attack at crucial moments made him a memorable cyclist.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- 18 broken bones. 78 crashes, among 30 rider per year is a lot. so for a rider over 15 seasons, they will break their bones 7-8 times and crash 38 times.abstractengineer04-11-2026
- i dont think he is ready ot win against the top 2 or the 2nd rung of evenepoel, del toro , Almeida. In the third week in the TDF he was very very defensive, no attacks. i think he was exhausted. right now he needs time not the brutal Giro or the intense TDF.abstractengineer04-11-2026
- Rota is an excellent rider to get in a break with because he always does his turnchapmanesque04-11-2026
- That 3000 extra that the Tour de France is built up in the flat stages
Rafionain-Glas04-11-2026 - maybe this is something else they can protest in the streets of France.mij04-11-2026
- his Roubaix win was amazing. not to take anything away from him - arguably one of MVDP's wins was at the expense of a WVA flat - but so many things need to line up to get one of these. He had a perfect race with fewer bike issues on an attritional course. And crazy strong as usual. Glad he got this done.mij04-11-2026
- Orts was a super smart signing with the new rules regarding cross and UCI pointsmij04-11-2026
- yeah... you're right...PogiSloFans04-11-2026
- Podcast sounds great. Two so called experts stating the f*cking obvious.wrsty04-11-2026
- A mindset that reminds me of Tim Declerq. I loved watching that guy just pound away the kilometers, hours at the front, holding an entire breakaway in check on his own. Bjerg seems like a similar guy. Curling, the team sport.RidesHills04-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment