pavel tonkov returned to the giro in 1997 with ambitions of repeating as winner. tonkov first led the race after winning the stage three time trial and up until the fourteenth stage's conclusion. during the fourteenth stage, italian ivan gotti attacked and soloed his way to take the stage win in breuil-cervinia and the race lead. gotti extended his lead after performing well in the mountainous nineteenth stage and went on to win the giro three days later. swiss rider alex zülle was the first rider to lead the 1998 giro d'italia and he led for the most part of the race. zülle was leading the race as it entered the dolomites. italians giuseppe guerini and marco pantani were at the head of the race during the race's mountainous seventeenth stage; the two riders worked together to get to the stage finish in selva di val gardena. guerini won the stage while pantani took the overall lead. pantani went on to win the giro and subsequently the 1998 tour de france, thus completing the rare feat of winning the giro d'italia and the tour de france in the same calendar year.