May 30, 2004 – Today’s final stage of the Giro d’Italia was raced from Clusone to Milano, a distance of 149K, with tremendous crowds on hand to welcome home their new national hero, 23-year-old Damiano Cunego (Saeco). After some in-team hostility that was evident between defending champion Gilberto Simoni and Cunego, the Saeco camp seemed to be relaxed and happy on the podium in first and third.
The stage win went to non-other than Allessandro Petacchi of Fasso Bortolo. Once again lead-out man Velo took their ace sprinter to the line to deliver him to a record ninth stage win, and the coveted purple jersey as points winner.
Final general classification
1 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Saeco, 88.40.43
2 Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) De Nardi, 2.02
3 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco, 2.05
4 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Fassa Bortolo, 4.36
5 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, 5.05
6 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie, 5.31
7 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Lampre, 6.12
8 Bradley McGee (Aus) FDJeux.com, 6.15
9 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems, 6.34
10 Juan Manuel Garate Cepa (Spa) Lampre, 7.47
11 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi, 9.45
12 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Margres, 10.26
13 Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie, 10.43
14 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Lotto-Domo, 10.50
15 Luis Filipe Laverde Jimenez (Col) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave, 13.43
16 Ruben Lobato Elvira (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir, 21.11
17 Andrea Noe’ (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi , 22.33
18 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir, 22.52
19 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie, 25.53
20 Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave, 26.05
21 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Saeco, 27.44
22 Francisco Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre, 30.50
23 Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, 31.41
24 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio-Bianchi, 32.06
25 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi, 35.24
26 Gerhard Trampusch (Aut) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, 39.16
27 Alexandre Moos (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems, 46.16
28 Ruggero Borghi (Ita) De Nardi, 47.02
29 Andrea Tonti (Ita) Saeco, 47.11
30 Oscar Mason (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie, 50.02
31 Mauricio Al Ardila Cano (Col) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorff, 51.05
32 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com, 57.58
33 Julio A. Perez Cuapio (Mex) Ceramiche Panaria-Margres, 58.21
34 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, 58.53
35 Raffaele Illiano (Ita) Colombia-Selle Italia, 1.05.13
36 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner, 1.06.50
37 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Saeco, 1.07.10
38 Bo Hamburger (Den) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, 1.07.49
39 Fortunato Baliani (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Margres, 1.09.35
40 Marlon Alirio Perez Arango (Col) Colombia-Selle Italia, 1.11.58
41 Niki Aebersold (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems, 1.12.52
42 Kyrylo Pospyeyev (Ukr) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, 1.13.05
43 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Saeco, 1.15.54
44 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) De Nardi, 1.20.55
45 Daniel Schnider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems, 1.22.38
46 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Margres, 1.26.22
47 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Saunier Duval-Prodir, 1.27.53
48 Charly Wegelius (GBr) De Nardi, 1.32.14
49 Geert Verheyen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf, 1.34.21
50 Volodymyr Bileka (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, 1.35.31