Tommy Prim
Encyclopedia
Tommy Prim was a professional cyclist who rode for the Italian Bianchi team between the years of 1980 and 1986. In 1983 he became the first Scandinavian rider to win a classic race
when he was victorious in Paris–Brussels, his other career highlights include winning Tirreno–Adriatico and the Tour de Romandie
as well as twice finishing runner up in the Giro d'Italia
in 1981 and 1982.
in 1976, in what was his first trip abroad with the Swedish national team. In 1978 and 1979 Prim turned in top class performances in the highly rated Italian stage race Settimana Bergamasca, which has been won by some of the Worlds top riders before they turned professional. Prim’s feats in the Bergamasca race caught the eye of the top professional teams and at the end of 1979 Prim turned professional with the Italian Bianchi-Piaggio squad, a decision which was made easier by the presence of fellow Scandinavians Knut Knudsen
and Alf Segersäll in that team. His team manager would be master tactician Giancarlo Ferretti.
Prim’s made an immediate impact as a professional in his debut season of 1980, he finished seventh in the early season Tour of Sardinia and was part of the Bianchi team that won the team time trial stage at Paris–Nice, this good form ensured him a ride in the Giro d’Italia where he took a stage into Teramo
as well as finishing fourth overall and taking the young riders jersey. He was also disqualified after winning the stage into Sorrento
when he rode Italian sprinter Giovanni Mantovani into the barriers. Later that season he won the Italian one day race the Coppa Agostoni.
Prim went to the 1981 Giro d’Italia in top form after winning the Tour de Romandie just prior to the Italian race, he ended up taking the runners up spot behind Giovanni Battaglin
, many observers felt that Prim could have won the 1981 Giro if his Bianchi squad had backed him solely instead of having three team leaders (Italians Silvano Contini and Giambattista Baronchelli were the others). In 1982 Prim finished runner up once again in the Giro, beaten by the tactically astute Bernard Hinault
. In 1983 he entered the Giro as sole team leader for Bianchi and everything started well when he took the leaders pink jersey after the first stage team time trial, however, his form in the mountains was uncharacteristically poor and he eventually finished a disappointing 15th overall. In September 1983 he won the Paris–Brussels, which at that time was still regarded as a “Classic” race, he went clear with an early break which stayed away for 280 kilometres, he dropped his breakaway companions on the Alsemberg climb just before the finish and remained clear until the finish to become the first Scandinavian rider to win a classic race.
1984 promised great things when Prim won the Tirreno–Adriatico stage race in Italy but his season was ruined when he crashed a few days before the Giro. 1985 saw the team renamed as Sammontana-Bianchi, with a new manager Wladimiro Bortolozzi, Moreno Argentin
was brought in to be joint team leader with Tommy. Prim finished that year's Giro in fourth place behind three of the cycling world superstars, Bernard Hinault, Francesco Moser
and Greg Lemond
. 1986 saw Prim ride a disappointing Giro d’Italia when he finished 21st overall, this prompted his team to say they would not ride the Tour of Sweden which they had always done since it’s reintroduction in 1982. Tommy’s reaction to this was to announce his retirement from cycling midway through the 1986 season at the young age of 31, he was feeling tired and felt he could no longer give it 100%.
After his retirement from cycle racing, Tommy opened a bike shop back in his native Sweden, he then moved to other employment working for a mail order firm, a saw mill and then a salmon smokery. In 2000, Tommy was offered the chance to become team manager at the small UCI registered Team Crescent, a Swedish pro squad which was to promote Swedish under 23 riders. He has had some success in bringing through talented riders as the team evolved from Team Crescent to Bianchi Scandinavia to Bianchi Nordic. The team folded at the end of the 2004 season.
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
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...
when he was victorious in Paris–Brussels, his other career highlights include winning Tirreno–Adriatico and the Tour de Romandie
Tour de Romandie
The Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs in the Romandie region, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling....
as well as twice finishing runner up in the Giro d'Italia
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
in 1981 and 1982.
Biography
Prim rode for the local CK Wano cycling club in Varberg as a youngster and became Swedish Junior champion in 1972, as an amateur he was Swedish champion in 1976 and 1979 as well the Scandinavian amateur champion in 1975 and 1976. He took the under 22 classification of the Tour of BritainTour of Britain
The Tour of Britain is a cycle race, conducted over several stages, in which participants race from place to place across parts of Great Britain....
in 1976, in what was his first trip abroad with the Swedish national team. In 1978 and 1979 Prim turned in top class performances in the highly rated Italian stage race Settimana Bergamasca, which has been won by some of the Worlds top riders before they turned professional. Prim’s feats in the Bergamasca race caught the eye of the top professional teams and at the end of 1979 Prim turned professional with the Italian Bianchi-Piaggio squad, a decision which was made easier by the presence of fellow Scandinavians Knut Knudsen
Knut Knudsen
Knut Knudsen is a retired Norwegian cyclist.He won the 4,000 m individual pursuit at the 1972 Summer Olympics and at the World Championship in 1973. He won 11 Norwegian championships and cycled professionally in Italy from 1973 to 1981...
and Alf Segersäll in that team. His team manager would be master tactician Giancarlo Ferretti.
Prim’s made an immediate impact as a professional in his debut season of 1980, he finished seventh in the early season Tour of Sardinia and was part of the Bianchi team that won the team time trial stage at Paris–Nice, this good form ensured him a ride in the Giro d’Italia where he took a stage into Teramo
Teramo
Teramo is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines and the Adriatic coast...
as well as finishing fourth overall and taking the young riders jersey. He was also disqualified after winning the stage into Sorrento
Sorrento
Sorrento is the name of many cities and towns:*Sorrento, Italy*Sorrento, Florida, United States*Sorrento, Louisiana, United States*Sorrento, Maine, United States*Sorrento, Victoria, a township on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia...
when he rode Italian sprinter Giovanni Mantovani into the barriers. Later that season he won the Italian one day race the Coppa Agostoni.
Prim went to the 1981 Giro d’Italia in top form after winning the Tour de Romandie just prior to the Italian race, he ended up taking the runners up spot behind Giovanni Battaglin
Giovanni Battaglin
Giovanni Battaglin is an Italian professional road racing cyclist. The highlight of his career was his overall win in the 1981 Giro d'Italia. He also won the 1981 Vuelta a España.-Early years:...
, many observers felt that Prim could have won the 1981 Giro if his Bianchi squad had backed him solely instead of having three team leaders (Italians Silvano Contini and Giambattista Baronchelli were the others). In 1982 Prim finished runner up once again in the Giro, beaten by the tactically astute Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
. In 1983 he entered the Giro as sole team leader for Bianchi and everything started well when he took the leaders pink jersey after the first stage team time trial, however, his form in the mountains was uncharacteristically poor and he eventually finished a disappointing 15th overall. In September 1983 he won the Paris–Brussels, which at that time was still regarded as a “Classic” race, he went clear with an early break which stayed away for 280 kilometres, he dropped his breakaway companions on the Alsemberg climb just before the finish and remained clear until the finish to become the first Scandinavian rider to win a classic race.
1984 promised great things when Prim won the Tirreno–Adriatico stage race in Italy but his season was ruined when he crashed a few days before the Giro. 1985 saw the team renamed as Sammontana-Bianchi, with a new manager Wladimiro Bortolozzi, Moreno Argentin
Moreno Argentin
Moreno Argentin is an Italian former professional cyclist .Born in San Donà di Piave , he won stages in the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de Suisse. Known as Il Capo , he won Liège–Bastogne–Liège four times, the La Flèche Wallonne three times and the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Giro...
was brought in to be joint team leader with Tommy. Prim finished that year's Giro in fourth place behind three of the cycling world superstars, Bernard Hinault, 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...
and Greg Lemond
Greg LeMond
Gregory James LeMond is a former professional road bicycle racer from the United States and a three-time winner of the Tour de France. He was born in Lakewood, California and raised in Reno, Nevada....
. 1986 saw Prim ride a disappointing Giro d’Italia when he finished 21st overall, this prompted his team to say they would not ride the Tour of Sweden which they had always done since it’s reintroduction in 1982. Tommy’s reaction to this was to announce his retirement from cycling midway through the 1986 season at the young age of 31, he was feeling tired and felt he could no longer give it 100%.
After his retirement from cycle racing, Tommy opened a bike shop back in his native Sweden, he then moved to other employment working for a mail order firm, a saw mill and then a salmon smokery. In 2000, Tommy was offered the chance to become team manager at the small UCI registered Team Crescent, a Swedish pro squad which was to promote Swedish under 23 riders. He has had some success in bringing through talented riders as the team evolved from Team Crescent to Bianchi Scandinavia to Bianchi Nordic. The team folded at the end of the 2004 season.
Professional Palmares
Source:1980
- 4th Overall Giro d'ItaliaGiro d'ItaliaThe Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
and one stage - 1st Coppa Agostoni
- 2nd Overall Deutschland TourDeutschland TourThe Deutschland Tour was the most important multi-stage road bicycle race in Germany. Initially the race was held in May/June. Since 2005 it is part of the UCI ProTour and has been moved to August...
- 2nd Overall Giro di Trentino
- 4th Overall Paris–Nice
1981
- 2nd Overall Giro d’Italia
- 1st Trofeo Pantalica
- 1st Overall Tour de RomandieTour de RomandieThe Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs in the Romandie region, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling....
- 3rd Overall Deutschland Tour
1982
- 2nd Overall Giro d’Italia
- Stage in Setmana Catalana
- 1st Overall Tour of Sweden
- 2nd Overall Tour de Romandie
1983
- 15th Overall Giro d’Italia
- 1st Paris–Brussels
- 1st Overall Tour of Sweden
- 3rd Overall Tour de Romandie
- 3rd Baracchi Trophy
1984
- 1st Overall Tirreno Adriatico
- 2nd Baracchi Trophy
1985
- 4th Overall Giro d’Italia
- 3rd Overall Tour de Romandie
1986
- 21st Overall Giro d’Italia