Rodolfo Massi

Rodolfo Massi (Italian pronunciation: [roˈdolfo ˈmassi]; born 17 September 1965, in Corinaldo) is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer. He won a stage in 1996 Giro d'Italia and 1998 Tour de France, but was expelled from the 1998 Tour de France after illegal doping was found in his hotel room. In the 1990 Tour de France, Massi was the Lanterne rouge.

Rodolfo Massi
Personal information
Full nameRodolfo Massi
NicknameIl Farmacista (the pharmacist)[1]
Born (1965-09-17) 17 September 1965
Corinaldo, Italy
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Professional teams
1987Magniflex
1988Alba Cucine-Benotto
1989Atala–Campagnolo
1990–1991Ariostea
1992Jolly Componibili-Club 88
1993–1994Amore & Vita–Galatron
1995–1996Refin
1997–1998Casino
1999Liquigas
2000Cantina Tollo
2001Mobilvetta Design-Formaggi Trentini
2002Amore & Vita–Beretta
2003Colombia–Selle Italia
Major wins
Giro d'Italia, 1 stage
Tour de France, 1 stage
Tour Méditerranéen (1998)

Biography

As an amateur, Massi won many races, and when he became a professional cyclist in 1987, much was expected from him.[1] In 1988, he broke a leg, and after the operation, one of his legs was a few centimeters shorter than the other. Massi often complained that he was not able to cycle in a regular way, and became a domestique for many different teams.[1]

In 1998, he had his best year. He won the Tour Méditerranéen and the Giro di Calabria.[1] In the Tour de France, he won a mountain stage, and after the 16th stage was in seventh place in the general classification, and leading the mountains classification, when corticoids were found in his hotel room.[2] He was questioned by the police, and was not able to start the next stage. Massi was the first rider in history to be arrested for breaking doping laws.[3] Later, all legal charges against him were dropped,[4] but the Italian Olympic Committee banned him for six months.[5]

Major results

Source:[6]

1994
Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
1996
Giro d'Italia:
Winner stage 10
1997
Tour du Haut Var
Stage 4, Vuelta Ciclista a la Communidad Valenciana
1998
Tour Méditerranéen
Stage 2, Giro di Calabria
Giro di Calabria
Stage 2, Critérium International
Tour de France:
Winner stage 10

See also

References
  1. "Italiaan Massi de apotheker van het peloton" (in Dutch). NRC. 31 July 1998.
  2. Davis, Justin (3 July 2008). "Ten Years Later, Festina Doping Affair Still Not Forgotten". bicycle.net. Bicycle. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  3. Lieshout, Marcel van (3 August 1998). "Een Tour die voortleeft als de ronde van de dopingschandalen" (in Dutch). Volkskrant. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  4. "'Festina Affair': A timeline". BBC Sport. 24 October 2000. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  5. "Cycling News and Analysis". Cyclingnews. 4 November 1998. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  6. Rodolfo Massi at Cycling Archives
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