to his second Giro d'Italia victory. He would go on to complete the Giro-Tour double for the second consecutive year, a feat which had never been accomplished before. The 1994 Giro d'Italia saw Russian Evgeni Berzin gain the overall lead after winning the fourth stage, featuring a summit finish on Campitello Matese. Berzin consolidated his lead with victories in the race's final two time trials en route to the overall victory. In doing so he spoiled Indurain's hopes for a three peat. Tony Rominger came to the 1995 Giro d'Italia in great form. Rominger gained the lead after the stage two time trial and never gave it up. His opposition came from the returning champion Berzin and teammate Piotr Ugrumov who attacked each other repeatedly, which greatly hurt their chances. In addition to the general classification, Rominger also won the points and intergiro classifications. The 1996 Giro d'Italia celebrated the centenary of the founding of La Gazzetta dello Sport by holding the first three stages in the Greek capital of Athens. Eventual winner Pavel Tonkov first gained the race lead after the mountainous thirteenth stage that ended in Prato Nevoso. Tonkov lost his slim lead to the Spaniard Abraham Olano for a two-stage period, before regaining it after stage 21, which contained five climbs of high severity. Tonkov rode into Milan the next day winner of the Giro d'Italia. 1997–2007: Italians resume conquest 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