'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQf/2gAIAQEAAAAAjCP/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAECEAAAAB//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAEDEAAAAH//xAAfEAACAgEEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMRBAAFBhMSIlH/2gAIAQEAAT8A2DdJ4eOiGMKCjeIe2sgtf2tR5+b1r1ZBSOvVauhr/8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAxH/2gAIAQIBAT8AsUK5yf/EABkRAAEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgQSIv/aAAgBAwEBPwCPtiWP/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#2 Marco \"The Pirate\" Pantani
Date of Birth: 13/01/1970
Died: 14/02/2004
Cause of Death: Acute cocaine poisoning
The Italian cyclist was considered one of the greatest climbers of his era. His aggressive riding style combined with the bandana and earring he wore made fans give him the nickname “The Pirate”. Pantani was the last cyclist to win the prestigious Tour de France and Giro d’Italia in the same year (1998).
Although he never tested positive for drugs in his career, Pantani was plagued by doping allegations that began in 1999. He was disqualified from that year’s Giro d’Italia for testing positive for Erythropoietin or EPO, which stimulates red-blood cell production.
After spending days barricaded in a hotel room in Rimini, Italy isolated from family and friends, Pantani was found dead in the early evening of February 2004. An autopsy revealed he had a cerebral edema and heart failure, and a coroner's inquest revealed acute cocaine poisoning.
In an interview with a magazine, his ex-girlfriend Christina Jonsson stated that Pantani had confessed to her that he had become addicted to cocaine after his expulsion from the 1999 Giro d’Italia. His funeral was attended by 20,000 mourners, including football legend Diego Maradona and 5-time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain.
