Franco Ballerini

Franco Ballerini
Ballerini at the 1993 Tour de France
Personal information
Full nameFranco Ballerini
Born(1964-12-11)11 December 1964
Florence, Italy
Died7 February 2010(2010-02-07) (aged 45)
Pistoia, Italy
Team information
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Professional teams
1986–1987Magniflex–Centroscarpa
1988Del Tongo
1989Malvor–Sidi
1990–1991Del Tongo
1992–1993GB–MG Maglificio
1994–1998Mapei–CLAS
1999–2000Lampre–Daikin
2001Mapei–Quick-Step
Major wins
Grand Tours
Giro d'Italia
1 individual stage (1991)

One-day races and Classics

Paris–Roubaix (1995, 1998)
Omloop Het Volk (1995)

Franco Ballerini (11 December 1964 – 7 February 2010) was an Italian road racing cyclist.

Born in Florence, his greatest exploits as a rider came with his two victories in the cycling classic Paris–Roubaix, riding for the Mapei cycling team. In 1993 he was beaten on the line by Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle in an exciting Paris–Roubaix finale. Also on his palmarès or list of accomplishments there are other one-day races such as Omloop Het Volk and Paris–Brussels.

Ballerini then became manager of the Italian national cycling squad, winning the 2002 World Championships with Mario Cipollini and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens with ex-teammate Paolo Bettini. In 2006, 2007 and 2008 he won the World Championships with Paolo Bettini and Alessandro Ballan.

On 7 February 2010, Ballerini, a rallying fan, was mortally injured during a race in Larciano where he was participating as co-driver/navigator for professional driver Alessandro Ciardi. He died of his injuries at the Pistoia city hospital at the age of 45.[1][2]

He was honored by race organizers in 2010.[3]

Doping

Months after finishing 3rd in the 1994 Paris–Roubaix it came out that Ballerini tested positive for Salbutamol, he was not sanctioned.[4] In 1996 after the Grand Prix de Wallonie Ballerini tested positive again this time for Ephedrine, he received a 20 day suspension.[5]

Major results

Sources:[6][7]

1986
6th Trofeo Laigueglia
1987
1st Tre Valli Varesine
8th Trofeo Laigueglia
1988
1st Overall Cronostaffetta
5th Trofeo Masferrer
9th Giro dell'Umbria
1989
1st GP Città di Camaiore
2nd Giro di Campania
2nd Coppa Placci
10th Giro di Lombardia
1990
1st Giro di Campania
1st Paris–Brussels
1st Grand Prix des Amériques
1st Giro del Piemonte
2nd Trofeo Matteotti
3rd Gent–Wevelgem
3rd Giro del Veneto
3rd Millemetri del Corso di Mestre
5th Amstel Gold Race
7th Züri-Metzgete
1991
1st Stage 14 Giro d'Italia
1st Giro della Romagna
3rd Giro di Lombardia
5th Paris–Roubaix
5th Giro dell'Emilia
7th Overall KBC Driedaagse van De Panne-Koksijde
8th Tour of Flanders
1992
2nd Giro di Campania
9th Tour of Flanders
1993
1st Stage 4 Tour de France (TTT)
2nd Paris–Roubaix
2nd Dwars door België
2nd Brabantse Pijl
3rd Coppa Bernocchi
6th Tour of Flanders
7th Milan–San Remo
10th Amstel Gold Race
1994
2nd Gent–Wevelgem
2nd Paris–Brussels
3rd Paris–Roubaix
4th Tour of Flanders
5th Tre Valli Varesine
1995
1st Paris–Roubaix
1st Omloop Het Volk
6th Brabantse Pijl
8th Overall Hofbrau Cup
1996
1st Grand Prix de Wallonie
3rd Overall Tour of Austria
1st Stage 5
5th Paris–Roubaix
5th Dwars door België
8th Coppa Bernocchi
8th Paris–Brussels
1997
3rd Tour of Flanders
6th Omloop Het Volk
1998
1st Paris–Roubaix
2nd Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
5th GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
5th Paris–Brussels
8th Tour of Flanders
1999
8th HEW Cyclassics
2000
4th Omloop Het Volk
8th Paris–Roubaix

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

Grand Tour 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
A yellow jersey Vuelta a España — — — — — DNF — — — — 97 —
A pink jersey Giro d'Italia 124 — — 109 DNF — — — — — — —
A yellow jersey Tour de France — — — — — 115 61 — — — — DNF
Legend
— Did not compete
DNF Did not finish

References

  1. ^ "Tragedia, muore Franco Ballerini". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 7 February 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Italian coach Franco Ballerini dies in rally crash". cyclingnews.com. 7 February 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  3. ^ "Ballerini to be honored at Paris–Roubaix". VeloNews.com. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Ballerini positive #1 . Dopeology". dopeology. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  5. ^ "News for September 4". cyclingnews. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Franco Ballerini". procyclingstats. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Franco Ballerini". firstcycling. Retrieved 18 January 2021.