pantani returned to the giro in 1999 while in peak physical form. pantani gained the lead after the race's fourteenth stage and as the race hit the high mountains, he extended his lead with three stage wins. on the morning of the twentieth stage, pantani was dismissed from the giro after having hematocrit levels above 50%. 1997 victor ivan gotti, who was second place at the time, subsequently took the lead and wound up winning the giro for the second time in his career. francesco casagrande took the lead in the 2000 giro d'italia after a long solo attack during the race's ninth stage. fatigue set in with casagrande as the race wore on and on the penultimate stage he lost the lead, and ultimately the giro, to stefano garzelli.