1987 and The Giro
In 1987 Millar rode the Giro d'Italia for the only time in his career. The race provided high drama with Millar figuring in the proceedings for more than his good form. The race is best remembered for the controversy between two riders on the same Carrera team. The defending champion was home favourite, Roberto Visentini. Visentini was leading again in '87 after the stage 13 individual time trial. Two days later Stephen Roche attacked in the Dolomites on stage 15 finishing at the top of the Cima Sappada. This was despite Visentini being the race leader and his team mate. Roche was instructed to abandon his attack, instructions he ignored and surged on to take over the race lead. This ignited the fury of the livid and partizan Italian support with Roche becoming a hate figure to the home fans and needing police protection. Roche went on television to plea for sanity.
Stage 16 after Sappada has become known as the 'Marmalada Massacre' with the Marmalada (also known as Passo Fedaia) scheduled to be the last of the days five major climbs. Roche had been threatened, spat at and even hit. Roche had support from only one member of the other Carrera riders, Eddy Schepers. Schepers rode at Roche's side to protect him. Millar, in contrast to the cross team support that evaded him in the '85 Vuelta, rode on Roche's other side. Visentini tried to get away from Roche but his moves were covered. Visentini tried to knock Schepers off his bike, later boasting so. However at the end of the stage Roche remained in the lead. Millar was third at this point with his Panasonic team mate, Erik Breukink in second. Visentini was seventh. Millar was still leading the mountains contest as he had since stage 1b. There was no further change to the top of the leader board until the penultimate stage, stage 21. Millar won the stage in a three man breakaway with Roche and Marino Lejarreta. Millar was now up to second overall. Visentini fell, broke his wrist and lost six more minutes on what was to be his last day in the race. Roche won the time trial final stage to seal his victory with Millar placing second overall three minutes 40 seconds behind in the general classification. Breukink finished in third. Millar took the climber's green jersey.
In the Tour de Romandie, Millar finished fourth, a race won by Roche as was the Tour de France. Millar finished 19th in the Tour de France although at the end of stage 14 from Pau to Luz Ardiden, Millar again enjoyed his zenith in the race when he was fifth overall. Like the year before he had been helped by a strong showing in the first individual time trial. However Millar slipped to fifth then six before on stage 19 he lost over 15 minutes to slide out of contention.
Millar was 5th in Liège–Bastogne–Liège with Moreno Argentin winning for the third year running. Millar was 6th in Tour of the Mediterranean (Gerrit Solleveld won) and 7th in Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme behind Vicent Belda.
Read more about this topic: Robert Millar