Andrea Tafi (cyclist)
Encyclopedia
Andrea Tafi is an Italian
former road bicycle racer who retired from his professional career in 2005. Tafi's propensity to perform best in the harder races earned him the nickname Il Gladiatore (The Gladiator).
He specialized in the cobbled Spring Classics
such as Paris–Roubaix which he won in 1999, and Ronde van Vlaanderen which he won in 2002. He won the Giro di Lombardia in 1996 and the Italian National Championship
in 1998.
He said that his dream was to emulate his cycling hero fellow Italian Francesco Moser
, which is to win Paris–Roubaix wearing the Tricolore jersey as the Italian National Champion. He accomplished this in his win in 1999.
, Gianluca Bortolami
, previous year's winner Franco Ballerini
, and Tafi. Ballerini had a flat and was out of the lead group, but the other three powered their way to the finish.
In 1996 he won the "race of the falling leaves" Giro di Lombardia, using his strength to overcome the climbs of the race. He won Paris–Tours in a long breakaway effort in 2000, foiling the sprinters' teams. After a few lacklustre years, he again shone in the 2002 edition of the hilly, cobbled classic Ronde van Vlaanderen. Having established himself in a front breakaway with the likes of Johan Museeuw, Peter van Petegem
and teammate Daniele Nardello
, he made attacks after attacks, finally taking advantage of a moment's hesitation between the two home favorites Museeuw and van Petegem to solo to the finish for the win.
for the 2002-2003 seasons. His time with team in 2004 also didn't re-ignite his performance. He finally moved to the new team for his last season in 2005.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
former road bicycle racer who retired from his professional career in 2005. Tafi's propensity to perform best in the harder races earned him the nickname Il Gladiatore (The Gladiator).
He specialized in the cobbled Spring Classics
Classic cycle races
The classic cycle races are one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century. They are normally held at roughly the same...
such as Paris–Roubaix which he won in 1999, and Ronde van Vlaanderen which he won in 2002. He won the Giro di Lombardia in 1996 and the Italian National Championship
Italian National Road Race Championship
The Italian National Road Race Championships are held annually. They are a cycling race which decides the Italian cycling champion in the road racing discipline, across several categories of rider. The event was first held in 1906 and was won by Giovanni Cuniolo. At the beginning there were often...
in 1998.
He said that his dream was to emulate his cycling hero fellow Italian Francesco Moser
Francesco Moser
Francesco Moser , nicknamed "Lo sceriffo" , is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the dominant riders from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, and won the 1984 Giro d'Italia, the 1977 world road racing championship and six victories in three of the five Monuments...
, which is to win Paris–Roubaix wearing the Tricolore jersey as the Italian National Champion. He accomplished this in his win in 1999.
Career
The most successful part of his career was spent with the Italian super-squad . In the 1996 edition of Paris–Roubaix the team put four of their riders in a breakaway at the front of the race: Johan MuseeuwJohan Museeuw
Johan Museeuw is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He was a professional from 1988 to 2004 and was particularly successful in the classic cycle races in the nineties....
, Gianluca Bortolami
Gianluca Bortolami
Gianluca Bortolami is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist. Bortolami's greatest feats was capturing the monumental classic Ronde van Vlaanderen in 2001 and winning the 1994 UCI Road World Cup season championship....
, previous year's winner Franco Ballerini
Franco Ballerini
Franco Ballerini 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...
, and Tafi. Ballerini had a flat and was out of the lead group, but the other three powered their way to the finish.
In 1996 he won the "race of the falling leaves" Giro di Lombardia, using his strength to overcome the climbs of the race. He won Paris–Tours in a long breakaway effort in 2000, foiling the sprinters' teams. After a few lacklustre years, he again shone in the 2002 edition of the hilly, cobbled classic Ronde van Vlaanderen. Having established himself in a front breakaway with the likes of Johan Museeuw, Peter van Petegem
Peter van Petegem
Peter van Petegem is a former professional road racing cyclist. Van Petegem last rode for Quick Step-Innergetic, in 2007. He lived in Horebeke. He was a specialist in spring classics, one of ten riders to win the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris–Roubaix in the same season...
and teammate Daniele Nardello
Daniele Nardello
Daniele Nardello is a retired Italian professional road racing cyclist. His career ran from 1994 to 2009, with highlights including winning the 2001 Italian national road race championship, the 2003 Züri-Metzgete, and three straight top-10 finishes and one stage win at the Tour de France.- Major...
, he made attacks after attacks, finally taking advantage of a moment's hesitation between the two home favorites Museeuw and van Petegem to solo to the finish for the win.
After Mapei
After the demise of the Mapei super-team, he moved to the reformed under Bjarne RiisBjarne Riis
Bjarne Lykkegård Riis , nicknamed The Eagle from Herning , is a Danish former professional road bicycle racer who placed first in the 1996 Tour de France, and is now the team owner and manager of Danish UCI ProTour outfit Team Saxo Bank Sungard...
for the 2002-2003 seasons. His time with team in 2004 also didn't re-ignite his performance. He finally moved to the new team for his last season in 2005.
Significant wins
- Ronde van Vlaanderen, 2002
- Paris–Tours, 2000
- Paris–Roubaix, 1999
-
Italian National Road Race Championship, 1998 - GP de Fourmies, Rochester Classic (discontinued), 1997
- Giro di Lombardia, 1996
- GP de Fourmies 1994