PANTANI, PER SEMPRE
Celeste and yellow. Two colours with the power to inspire. Together, they recall a moment in myth.
Together, they speak the names Bianchi and Pantani.
In the year of our 140th anniversary, we choose to honour one of the most legendary cyclists ever to race on a Bianchi bicycle. And there is no finer nor more fitting bicycle to bear the iconic livery of Marco Pantani’s own Bianchi Mega Pro XL – used in his 1998 Giro-Tour double-winning season – than the Specialissima RC.
CELEBRATING THE LEGEND
No discussion of Bianchi’s heritage could be complete
without the name Pantani.
And no mention of Marco passes without the instant association of celeste and yellow, flashing by as he soared up the mountain.
LIMITED EDITION
The edition comprises 215 bikes, the number of kilometres of stage 17 of the 1998 Giro. This was the moment that Marco seized the lead of the race, taking the pink jersey and the overall win four days later. The mountaintop finish was at the iconic Selva di Val Gardena (won by Italian, Beppe ‘Turbo’ Guerini).
Initially an edition of just 101 – the number Pantani wore when he won the 1998 Giro – Bianchi has been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm from cycling fans to be a part of this moment.
By making additional Specialissima RC Pantani bicycles available, we invite more tifosi around the world to join the celebration.
Each frame is numbered at the top of the down tube,
near the head tube.
Included with each of the 215 Specialissima RC Pantani bicycles:
Bandana: A faithful recreation of Pantani’s emblematic bandana, worn at the beginning of stages and, according to legend, thrown down onto the asphalt when the climbing battle began to intensify.
Replica jersey: Made by Santini, this beautiful jersey pays homage to the one worn by Marco Pantani and his teammates during the 1998 season.
Suggested retail price: 15.000 €
AUTHENTICITY UPDATED
The Specialissima RC is the most advanced allrounder bike we have ever produced. It embodies the innovation that has always driven us forward.
Like the 1998 bike ridden by Pantani, the 2025 edition is dressed in a Campagnolo groupset and wheels – albeit the very latest Super Record wireless 13-speed.
At the head tube, the original Bianchi eagle emblem, painstakingly reproduced by Bianchi’s team of designers, and faithfully modelled on the archival designs of the era of Pantani’s dominance.
