Andrea Tafi (cyclist)
Andrea Tafi (born 7 May 1966 in Fucecchio) 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" (English: "The Gladiator").[1]
 Tafi at the 1996 Paris–Tours | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Andrea Tafi |
| Nickname | Il Gladiatore |
| Born | 7 May 1966 Fucecchio, Italy |
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 73 kg (161 lb; 11 st 7 lb) |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Classics specialist |
| Professional teams | |
| 1989 | Eurocar |
| 1990-1991 | Selle Italia |
| 1992-1993 | Carrera Jeans–Vagabond |
| 1994-2002 | Mapei–CLAS |
| 2003 | Team CSC |
| 2004 | Alessio–Bianchi |
| 2005 | Saunier Duval–Prodir |
| Major wins | |
One-day races and Classics
| |
Tafi specialized in the cobbled Spring Classics such as Paris–Roubaix which he won in 1999, and Tour of Flanders which he won in 2002. He won the Giro di Lombardia in 1996 and the Italian National Championship in 1998.[2]
Career
The most successful part of Tafi's career was spent with the Italian super-squad Mapei–CLAS. In the 1996 edition of Paris–Roubaix the team put four of their riders in a breakaway at the front of the race: Johan Museeuw, 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 Tafi won the "race of the falling leaves" Giro di Lombardia, using his strength to overcome the climbs of the race. 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.[3] 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 Tour of Flanders. 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.
After the demise of the Mapei super-team, Tafi moved to the reformed Team CSC under Bjarne Riis for the 2003 season. His time with team Alessio–Bianchi in 2004 also didn't re-ignite his performance. He finally moved to the new Saunier Duval–Prodir team for his last season in 2005. Tafi ended his career at the 2005 Paris–Roubaix, before retiring from the sport.[4]
Comeback attempt
Having competed in amateur Masters races for several years, Tafi announced in October 2018 that he would seek a comeback in 2019 to race Paris–Roubaix on the twentieth anniversary of his victory. On 8 November 2018, it was reported that he had found a team to ride with and that would attempt to receive a wildcard invitation for the event. Would his comeback have been successful, he would have been 52 years old when riding the race.[5][6] A collarbone fracture eventually put an end to Tafi's comeback plans.[7]
Doping
Tafi's name was on the list of doping tests published by the French Senate on 24 July 2013 that were collected during the 1998 Tour de France and found positive for EPO when retested in 2004.[8]
Major results
- 1989
- 1st Stage 4 Vuelta a Murcia
- 1st Stage 5 Tour de Luxembourg
- 1990
- 1st Stage 2 Kellogg's Tour
- 1991
- 1st Giro del Lazio
- 1994
- 1st Grand Prix de Fourmies
- 1st GP Citta di Rio Saliceto e Correggio
- 1996
- 1st Giro di Lombardia
- 1st Paris–Brussels
- 1st Giro del Lazio
- 1st Trofeo Melinda
- 1st Coppa Placci
- 3rd Paris–Roubaix
- 1997
- 1st Rochester International Classic
- 1st Grand Prix de Fourmies
- 1st Coppa Sabatini
- Tour de Langkawi
- 1st Stages 3 & 9
- 2nd Amstel Gold Race
- 7th Giro di Lombardia
- 1998
- 1st
Road race, National Road Championships - 1st Giro del Lazio
- 1st Coppa Agostoni
- 1st Gran Premio Città di Camaiore
- 1st Stage 1 (ITT) Tour de Langkawi
- 2nd Paris–Roubaix
- 4th Clásica de San Sebastián
- 4th Züri–Metzgete
- 8th Road race, UCI Road World Championships
- 10th Giro di Lombardia
- 1999
- 1st Paris–Roubaix
- 1st Giro del Piemonte
- 2000
- 1st Paris–Tours
- 10th Paris–Roubaix
- 2001
- 1st Stage 1 Vuelta a Burgos
- 2002
- 1st Tour of Flanders
- 2003
- 5th Paris–Roubaix
References
- "Andrea Tafi, il Gladiatore" (in Italian). museociclismo.it. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- "Italian National Road Championships - CN". autobus.cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- "Andrea Tafi wins Paris - Roubaix 1999". cyclingfever.com. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- "Tafi to bid farewell". Eurosport. 4 April 2005. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- "Should Andrea Tafi return to Paris-Roubaix at 52?". Cycling Weekly. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- "Tafi says he's found a team for 2019". cyclingnews.com. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Farrand, Stephen (17 March 2019). "Collarbone fracture ends Tafi's dream of racing Paris-Roubaix". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
- "French Senate releases positive EPO cases from 1998 Tour de France".