In recent years, however, his name was linked with doping accusations.
In 1999, he failed a random blood test and was kicked out of the Giro he was dominating. A syringe containing traces of insulin was found in his hotel room in a police raid during the 2001 Giro and he was suspended for six months.
In one of his best performances since his sparkling 1998 season, Pantani finished 14th in last year's Giro.
Last summer, he spent several weeks in a health clinic specializing in treatment for depression and drug addiction.
Pantani hadn't announced plans for this season, sparking rumors of his retirement.
His death shocked the cycling world. The RTBF TV network in cycling-crazy Belgium devoted more than 10 minutes to the story on its main lunchtime TV bulletin.
"He certainly made some errors. ... He fell in with a bad crowd, it's very sad," said Eddy Merckx, a Belgian who won the Tour de France five times from 1969 to 74.
"When the career is over, we can feel very alone. You're left to your own devices," he said.
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