Past Winners
Preview:The GP Industry and Commerce sets the World Cup leader Michele Bartoli against the Italian Champion Andrea Tafi. Both will be the first two picked for the Italian team for the World Championships Road Race on October 11 in Valkenburg. Bartoli is certain to be nominated the team leader and Tafi will probably be used in a forward, attacking role. Both have been in winning form last weekend. Bartoli at the Giro di Romagna and Tafi at a kermesse in BelgiumHowever, both riders are aware that they need to avoid to many stresses and intense efforts so close to the Worlds. The real time for effort will be at the Worlds. Bartoli said: "This is indeed a beautiful race. The end is very selective and I do not predict a large group being there at the end. I will try to be in the top group and to get a good results. But all these races are just to help me get to the Worlds in top condition. Who will win? It is difficult to say. Rebellin is one rider who can win... Tafi will try to escape and win alone. But he will have to get a very large lead if he wants to win like that." Asked about his role as possible team leader in Valkenburg, Bartoli said: "I am personally ready to assume the responsibility of the captain. To choose a second captain is not my task. But if a second captain is nominated it will help to clarify our roles. I would also like the officials to choose a rider that I have a close confidence in. But that will not be an easy choice because there are several riders in my team who are riding strongly, such as Scinto, Simeoni, Bettini". What will Bartoli do leading up to the worlds? He said: "All the races on the Italian calendar, then Paris-Brussels and GP Fourmies. Tafi said of this: "I am happy that I will definitely have a place in the Italian team. I will not let the officials and the people down. Will I have a pact with Bartoli? Wait and see." He also said: "Prato marks my return to tough racing after being sick. I will try to make a race of it. Will I attack early? I will attack when I know it puts maximum pressure on Bartoli. The climbs at the end do not hold any fear for me. But still I won't be remaining passive in the peloton all day." Various riders may profit from the competition between Bartoli and Tafi. One is Davide Rebellin who won the Giro di Veneto and is almost certain to get an Italian jersey. Daniele Nardello is another rider who is hunting the blue jersey. And Zaina, Podenzana, Laddomada, Secchiari, Ongarato and Zanetti are all riders who have been in form in the recent races. Race Report:It was war between Michele Bartoli and Andrea Tafi, the two contenders for overall team leadership in the Italian squad to the Worlds in October. At the end of the GP Prato (GP Industry and Commerce) they had both lost. As often happens when there are two riders obsessed with each other, a third party takes advantage. In this case it was the Swiss rider Felice Puttini, who achieved his 4th victory in 9 years as a professional. It was his first in 1998.In sight of the one km banner, Puttini attacked the small group he was with - Donati, Rebellin, Belli and Pellicioli - who had gone away on the short but tough climb of Magliana, which came 30 kms before the end. Puttini said after the race: "I tried a surprise attack because none of the group are very fast. I have won very few races but scored many placings because I have lacked a finishing sprint. I have always raced in Italian team and I will remain a worker for the team of Marino Basso next year." Prior to the 4 riders getting clear, the race had been dominated by the dual between Bartoli and Tafi. Tafi opened the hostilities in an unexpected manner. After only 30 kms, Tafi tried to escape to put Bartoli into difficulties. The peloton was always headed by Bartoli's men - Scinto, Bettini, and Roscioli. They reeled Tafi in soon after he attacked. At the half-way mark the peloton was compact. Then the climbs began. Bartoli then turned to attack despite saying he was just riding this race for preparation. Over the tough Croci di Calenzano, he was joined by Tafi, Duma and Guerra. And then only Tafi was with him as the hammer went down. For 10 kms the two adversaries battled it out at the front of the race. On the next major test, the climb of Monte Carelli, Bartoli attacked Tafi, who could not hold his wheel. Up and down the Appenines the World Cup leader kept pushing the pace. As he was reeled in by the peloton he would attack again. Several riders were in this group - all of whom were comfortable on the climbs - Rebellin, Faresin, Beautiful, Pellicioli, Donati, Laddomada, Puttini, Gasperoni, Nardello, Giacomelli, Vergnani, De Pasquale. Their aim was to check the attacks of Bartoli. At the foot of the last climb, Rebellin, Puttini, Pellicioli, and Donati made their move. It was the winning move. Bartoli did not go with them. It was a seemingly inexplicable decision given that he could have easily participated in the break. The speculation was that he was just happy to show Tafi his measure and once Tafi was gone the challenge was over. Tafi did not mention their rivalry afterwards: "I was really preparing for Paris-Brussels on Saturday." Bartoli was equally evasive: "I wanted to try my condition on the climb... The overall result of the race did not interest me. I am only focusing on the Worlds at Valkenburg". GP Prato, 199 kms:1. Felice Puttini (Swi) Ros Mary 4.51.27 (41.091) 2. Massimo Donati (Ita) Saeco 0.03 3. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Polti 0.05 4. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Festina 0.05 5. Oscar Pellicioli (Ita) Mercatone Uno 0.09 6. Sandro Giacomelli (Ita) Amore e Vita 1.10 7. Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi 1.10 8. Marco Vergnani (Ita) Kross-Selle Italia 1.10 9. Maurizio De Pasquale (Ita) Amore e Vita 1.10 10. Gianni Faresin (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi 1.10 .. 15. Michele Bartoli (Ita) Asics-CGA 1.13 36. Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi 6.12 Started: 136 Finished: 53 Past Winners1946 Nedo Logli (Ita) 1947 Sergio Maggini (Ita) 1948 Giulio Bresci (Ita) 1949 Luciano Maggini (Ita) 1950 Ferdinand Kübler (Swi) 1951 Arrigo Padovan (Ita) 1952 Luciano Maggini (Ita) 1953 Rino Benedetti (Ita) 1954 Danilo Barozzi (Ita) 1955 Aldo Moser (Ita) 1956 Danilo Barozzi (Ita) 1957 Silvano Ciampi (Ita) 1958 Ercole Baldini (Ita) 1959 Giuseppe Fallerini (Ita) 1960 Alfredo Sabbadin (Ita) 1961 Gilbert Desmet (Bel) 1962 Bruno Mealli (Ita) 1963 Vendramino Bariviera (Ita) 1964 Michele Dancelli (Ita) 1965 Michele Dancelli (Ita) 1966 Italo Zilioli (Ita) 1967 Michele Dancelli (Ita) 1968 Adriano Durante (Ita) 1969 Alberto Della-Torre (Ita) 1970 Marcello Bergamo (Ita) 1971 Franco Bitossi (Ita) 1972 Costantino Conti (Ita) 1973 Fabrizio Fabbri (Ita) 1974 Fabrizio Fabbri (Ita) 1975 Costantino Conti (Ita) 1976 Walter Riccomi (Ita) 1977 Claudio Bortolotto (Ita) 1978 Bernt Johansson (Swe) 1979 Bernt Johansson (Swe) 1980 Silvano Contini (Ita) 1981 Moreno Argentin (Ita) 1982 Moreno Argentin (Ita) 1983 Luciano Rabbottini (Ita) 1984 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita) 1985 Ezio Moroni (Ita) 1986 Harald Maier (Aut) 1987 Daniele Caroli (Ita) 1988 Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) 1989 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita) 1990 Stefan Joho (Swi) 1991 Enrico Galleschi (Ita) 1992 Leonardo Sierra (Ven) 1994 Marco Saligari (Ita) 1995 Fabrizio Bontempi (Ita) 1996 Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) 1997 Mariano Piccoli (Ita)Past Winners by Mario Stiehl, Berlin |