1978 Giro d'Italia Stage Victory 1978 - Johan De Muynck

Johan De Muynck's special honorary title was conferred upon him more than four decades ago. He was the last Belgian to win a major tour. Maybe talented young people from Belgium will manage to change that in the years to come, but De Muynck is the last in line for the time being. The East-Fleming rider won the 1978 Giro, after being close to victory even two years earlier. He then lost some of his team after the team captain Roger De Vlaeminck dropped out, but still finished second in the final ranking. But in 1978 he did indeed triumph, entitling him to don the pink jersey after the third stage, never to take it off again. The Giro turned out to be an all-round success for the Bianchi-Faema team. Apart from De Muynck, his team-mate Rik Van Linden won three stages and, apart from the prologue, the leader's jersey was held onto by the Bianchi-Faema throughout the competition.