Today the Giro d'Italia stops in Lecce. Who will be the new Mario Cipollini? Or the Alessandro Petacchi of the moment? Lecce is synonymous with great challenges between sprinters with impressive records: Petacchi and Cipollini are indeed the cyclists who most valorized the Puglian city in the modern era.

In the 1998 Giro d'Italia, stage number 8 was Matera - Lecce, 191 kilometers, and Mario Cipollini of Saeco won in front of Silvio Martinello, 3rd Endrio Leoni. For Mario, the Lecce stage was the third of the 4 won overall in the 1998 edition. The formidable Mario celebrated his victory in a special way at Lecce: he climbed onto the awards stage wearing Ronaldo's jersey, the Phenomenon. Mario showed the Inter jersey with number 10 worldwide. The Nerazzurri club had delivered the jersey to Re Leone thanks to the intervention of an Inter Club Lecce official. Cipollini caused a sensation with Ronaldo's jersey, who at the time was the strongest attacker in the world. There was enormous respect between Cipollini and the Brazilian superstar. The Lucca sprinter was, however, fined by the jury for appearing at the official Lecce awards ceremony in non-conforming team clothing. One of the many fines Cipollini received in his career for fashion-related reasons.

"Italy begins from Salento" was the slogan on print advertising (posters and billboards, as well as newspapers and magazines) that the city of Lecce used in preparation for the 2003 Giro d'Italia. Indeed, the stage with start and finish in Lecce was the first of that Giro; an authentic 201-kilometer Salento showcase. Mario Cipollini, belonging to Domina Vacanze, started with the World Champion jersey. Re Leone was the super-favorite to become the first pink jersey of that Giro, but in the finishing straight he was beaten by a great Alessandro Petacchi, who on this occasion scored his first Giro d'Italia stage win. First Petacchi, captain of Fassa Bortolo, second Cipollini, third Angelo Furlan. That photo finish with Cipollini exceptionally beaten by a fantastic Petacchi, not yet nicknamed Ale-Jet, became a poster for many.

The 2003 Giro, however, reserved great satisfaction for Mario. With stage wins in Arezzo and Montecatini, he became the absolute record holder for victories in the history of the pink race. In Montecatini, he signed his 42nd victory, forcing the great Alfredo Binda into second place with his 41. Binda's record had stood for 70 years. It's worth noting that Alfredo also triumphed in Lecce: he succeeded in the 1929 Giro d'Italia.