The Frame

As I found quite easily, Pantani rode a series of custom-built Bianchi Mega Pro EV2 XL frames during his time with the Mercatone Uno team of 1998. Here is an example of a 1998/99 year production replica:

 

The production replicas were supplied with Bianchi carbon forks (1" unthreaded) in contrast to the actual team bikes which had TIME full carbon forks.

These frames are clearly different to the later 2000 year onwards production replicas in terms of paint scheme and decals:

Tube material was all Dedacciai and contrary to many reports, Pantani's bike was NOT formed from the Deda SC61.10A but instead exclusive heat-treated double-butted 7000 Aluminium. This was the last metal frame to win the Tour De France remember.

Anyway, after much internet trawling it is clear that the 1998/99 paint and decal scheme are the hardest to find and most of those are SC61.10A. It may take me some time to find exactly what I want.

There is much confusion, some inadvertant and some deliberate, surrounding the Pantani 1998 bikes.  A prime example is the Cycling News article I have linked below. The bike they are trying to pass off as a Pantani bike is clearly wrong in so many ways (carbon shifters, black anodised seatpost clamp, white TIME equipe pedals). Most importantly, and always a dead giveaway - NO LEFT SIDE DOWNTUBE SHIFTER. For reasons only clear to himself, Pantani rode the '98 Tour with the Campagnolo Ergo shifter on the left disassembled and with a substituted left side downtube friction shifter. Check it out and see what you think:  Cycling News "Pantani bike" 

This nonsense came to a head in 2010 when two so-called Pantani bikes were sold at an Italian auction. The bike that supposedly was used by Pantani to win on Les Deux Alpes sold for 13,000euros (over $20,000 at the time). It didnt take long for the Pantani family to issue a vehment and well supported denial that the bike had anything to do with Pantani! Funnily enough the auctioned bike wasn't even Deda 7000 Alu, it was SC61.10A - and proudly displayed the decal on the seat tube.

For more details, check out the links to the initial story followed by the excellent and illustrated pantani family denial.

Pantani Bikes Auctioned 

Pantani family denies authenticity of auctioned bikes 

So, bearing in mind all the potential pitfalls that await, at least I now have a definite target in terms of frame, tube material and year of manufacture. I guess my first stop will have to be eBay - I will let you know as soon as I make any progress.