87th Giro del Piemonte, 1.1

Italy, October 14, 1999

Report

"Tafone" looking threatening

Following on from his great ride at the World Road Championships, Italian Andrea Tafi (Mapei) has won the 87th edition of Giro del Piemonte. He was, as usual, active early in the race but this did not seem to hurt him in the finish, and he had the legs to win the group sprint from his breakaway companions.

The final selection was formed with 50 kms to the finish with Marco Serpellini, Sergio Barbero, Stefano Cattai, Roberto Conti, the Dutchmen Peter Vries and Aart Vierhouten, Belgian Sebastien Demarbaix, Dane Lars Michaelsen and the Swiss Rolf Huser. The gap was around a minute and a half for quite some time to the field without any serious counter attacks. Mercatone Uno rider, Barbero tried the first attack when the group approached the finish, but Serpellini and Tafi reeled him in while the others, except Michaelsen, fell victims to the rising speed. On the finishing straight Barbero tried to surprise Tafi from behind, but it was in vain. "Andrea has eyes in his back," said a frustrated Barbero afterwards. Also, Lampre's Serpellini had a dig, but 150 meters from the line Tafi was in charge. "I have recovered well from my fall in the World Championships last Sunday. I had some laser therapy and ultrasonic treatment and the pains have slowly disappeared and my morale has risen. I feel in form for the Giro di Lombardia, a race I've always liked." Said Tafi who won that race in 1996.

Despite being prominent in many breakaways this year, this was only his second victory this year after the Paris - Roubaix in April, although that is not a bad race to win for a super domestique such as Tafi. Andrea is 33 years old, being a pro since 1989, and said in Torino that he wanted to prolong his contract with Mapei for another year (it currently runs out in 2001), and then take a position in the team management.

There was some bad news for Rabobank though during the race - one of their key riders, Maarten den Bakker, broke his collarbone and will be unable to start in Saturday's Tour of Lombardy. This is a blow to Michael Boogerd, who will be looking to try and dislodge Andrei Tchmil from the top of the World Cup table and will need as much help as he can obtain.

Turin, 198 kms:

1. Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step		4.26.25 (44.592 km/h)
2. Marco Serpellini (Ita) Lampre Daikin
3. Sergio Barbero (Ita) Mercatone-Uno
4. Lars Michaelsen (Den) La Francaise des Jeux
5. Stefano Cattai (Ita) Polti
6. Roberto Conti (Ita) Mercatone-Uno		   0.20
7. Sebastien Demarbaix (Bel) Lotto
8. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Mapei-Quick Step	   0.40
9. Rolf Huser (Swi) Festina
10. Nico Mattan (Bel) Lotto
11. Aert Vierhouten (Ned) Rabobank
12. Peter Vries (Ned) TVM
13. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Credit Agricole           2.05
14. Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
15. Rolf Aldag (Ger) Telekom
16. Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
17. Ortenzi (Ita) Mercatone Uno
18. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank
19. Andreas Klier (Ger) Nürnberger
20. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) Polti

Past Winners

1906 Giovanni Gerbi (Ita)

1907 Giovanni Gerbi (Ita)

1908 Giovanni Gerbi (Ita)

1910 Vincenzo Borgarello (Ita)

1911 Mario Bruchera (Ita)

1912 Costante Costa (Ita)

1913 Romolo Verde (Ita)

1914 Giuseppe Santhia (Ita)

1915 Natale Bosco (Ita)

1916 Francesco Cerutti (Ita)

1917 Domenico Schierano (Ita)

1918 Ugo Bianchi (Ita)

1919 Costante Girar-dengo (Ita)

1920 Costante Girardengo (Ita)

1921 Giovanni Brunero (Ita)

1922 Angelo Cremo (Ita)

1923 Bartolomeo Aymo (Ita)

1924 Costante Girardengo (Ita)

1925 Gaetano Belloni (Ita)

1926 Alfredo Binda (Ita)

1927 Alfredo Binda (Ita)

1928 Marco Giuntelli (Ita)

1929 Antonio Negrini (Ita)

1930 Ambrogio Morelli (Ita)

1931 Mario Cipriani (Ita)

1932 Giuseppe Martano (Ita)

1933 Antonio Folco (Ita)

1934 Learco Guerra (Ita)

1935 Aldo Bini (Ita)

1936 Aldo Bini (Ita)

1937 Gino Bartali (Ita)

1938 Pietro Rimoldi (Ita)

1939 Gino Bartali (Ita)

1940 Cino Cinelli (Ita)

1941 Aldo Bini (Ita)

1942 Fiorenzo Magni (Ita)

1945 Secondo Barisone (Ita)

1946 Sergio Maggini (Ita)

1947 Vito Ortelli (Ita)

1948 Renzo Soldani (Ita)

1949 Adolfo Leoni (Ita)

1950 Alfredo Martini (Ita)

1951 Gino Bartali (Ita)

1952 Giorgio Albani (Ita)

1953 Fiorenzo Magni (Ita)

1954 Nino Defilippis (Ita)

1955 Giuseppe Minardi (Ita)

1956 Fiorenzo Magni (Ita)

1957 Silvano Ciampi (Ita)

1958 Nino Defilippis (Ita)

1959 Silvano Ciampi (Ita)

1960 Alfredo Sabbadin (Ita)

1961 Angelo Conterno (Ita)

1962 Vito Taccone (Ita)

1963 Adriano Durante (Ita)

1964 Willy Bocklant (Bel)

1965 Romeo Venturelli (Ita)

1966 Rudi Altig (Ger)

1967 Guido De Rosso (Ita)

1969 Marino Basso (Ita)

1970 Italo Zilioli(Ita)

1971 Felice Gimondi (Ita)

1972 Eddy Merckx (Bel)

1973 Felice Gimondi (Ita)

1974 Francesco Moser (Ita)

1977 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)

1978 Gianbattista Baronchelli (Ita)

1979 Silvano Contini (Ita)

1980 Gianbattista Baronchelli (Ita)

1981 Marino Amadori (Ita)

1982 Faustino Ruperez (Spa)

1983 Guido Bontempi (Ita)

1984 Christian Jourdan (Fra)

1985 Charly Mottet (Fra)

1986 Gianni Bugno (Ita)

1987 Adri Van der Poel (Ned)

1988 Rolf Gölz (Ger)

1989 Claudio Chiappucci (Ita)

1990 Franco Ballerini (Ita)

1991 Djamolidine Abdujaparov (Usb)

1992 Erik Breukink (Ned)

1993 Beat Zberg (Swi)

1994 Nicola Miceli(Ita)

1995 Claudio Chiappucci (Ita)

1996 Richard Virenque (Fra)

1997 Gianluca Bortolami (Ita)

1998 Marco Serpellini (Ita)