If he had won the World Championships and the Tour of Lombardy, Michele Bartoli would have been able to say to us: "Ladies and Gentlemen, in 1998 I was a better rider than Marco Pantani even though he won the Giro and the Tour." Instead, he has had to be content with winning the World Cup ranking, Luik-Bastenaken-Luik, GP Suisse, and other races - but being behind Pantani in overall achievement. He certainly was unlucky in Valkenburg to get third place behind winner Oskar Camenzind and Belgian Peter Van Petegem. Then a week later in the Tour of Lombardy, he was unable to match the strength of the new world champion.
Ivan Basso - the next Italian star
As an Under-23 rider, Ivan Basso is now well known in Italy and the rest of the cycling world. Two years ago, at the Worlds in Lugano he gained a podium place behind Figueras, Sgambelluri and Sironi. This year he went to the top of the division at Valkenburg and took first place in front of Nocentini and Di Luca. He has been riding for only 7 years but he has come through the ranks with distinction. In 1993, he won the Coppa d'Ora, an award for young riders. In 1995, he was second behind Valentino China in the the Junior Worlds. In 1998 he had won 11 races leading up to his victory in the World Under-23 road race. He has ridden the last three years for the Elite Italian team Zalf Euromobil-Fior and will be making his professional debut in 1999 as a Neo-pro with the team of Davide Boifava. He may only ride the second half of the season as a professional and remain an amateur for the first half. He is certain to become a leading professional rider.
Franco Ballerini - man of hell
There are riders who leave memories when they retire of being a one-race speciallist. Like Franciso Moser, Frank Ballerini will be remembered as the man of runners who remain Paris-Roubaix. When he was young student, he used to run to the TV to watch the famous Moser who tamed the Hell of the North. And in adult life, the Tuscan rider has shown he is a worthy heir to the great Moser - he is the new devil of the pavé. In 1998, Ballerini won the race again - alone and in memorable style. He attacked with 62 kms to go and pedalled alone after dropping his breakaway companions for the last 45 kms. He won in front of his Mapei-Bricobě teammates Andrea Tafi and Belgian Wilfried Peeters. In every edition of the race in the 1990s, he has been the great rider of Paris-Roubaix. In the last 8 editions he has finished in the top 5 six times. He was narrowly beaten by Frenchman Gilbert Ducloss-Lassalle in 1993. He won in 1995 and again in 1998. He remarked to the Italian press: "When I get inside that velodrome at Roubaix I sense the occasion, the people and a feeling inside of me is overcoming. For others the race is the hell, for me it is paradise."
Belgian Bjorn Rondelez, who is one of the emerging riders in the cyclocross world although he is overshadowed by the stars like Sven Nijs and Bart Wellens, easily won the Cat A cyclocross event in the East Flemish town of Zingem. He beat Dutch rider Wim de Vos by 1.13. The race was the East Flemish Championship and in coming 7th and being the highest placed provincial rider, Kurt De Roose was awarded the title. 38 riders started the race.
1. Bjorn Rondelez (Bel) 1.03.34 2. Wim de Vos (Ned) 1.13 3. G. Vandaele (Bel) 1.54 4. Maarten Nijland (Ned) 2.13 5. R. Van De Sompel (Bel) 2.21 6. Gerben de Knegt (Ned) 2.25 7. Kurt De Roose (Bel) 3.33
Luxembourg, Tetange, International Cyclocross, Cat 2
Frenchman Dominique Arnould has won the international cyclocross race in the Luxembourg town of Tetange. He beat the Czech Republic riders Lukes and Elsnic. Belgian Tom De Kort was fourth. This was a welcome return to form for the French rider who is building up for the Worlds in Slovkia in early February.
1. Dominique Arnould (Fra) 58.13 2. O. Lukes (Cze) 0.52 3. P. Elsnic (Cze) 1.01 4. Tom De Kort (Bel) 1.13 5. N. Hendrickx (Bel) 1.33
The immediate calendar ahead is:
December 26 Dagmarsellen (Swi) Cat 2 Differdange (Lux) Cat 2 Parabiago (Ita) Cat 2 Rijkevorsel (Bel) Cat 2 December 27 Diegem (Bel), Super Prestige Trophy Round 8 Cat 1 Hombrechtikon (Swi) Cat 2 Blaye (Fra) Cat 3 Bergamo (Ita) Cat 3