The View From the Rail: August 2009

Words from dailypeloton.com

" 'Per Vincere Insieme” (Winning Together) was the motto of Italian super squadra Mapei and it was never more appropriate than ten years ago on Sunday, April 14, 1996. In the centenary anniversary of the great “Hell of the North” spring classic, Mapei found itself in the unique position of having three of it’s top riders away and in contention for the victory. The story of the race finish was the subject of some controversy at the time and marred the memory of one of the most powerful displays of team strength ever seen on the roads of this cycling monument.

After the dreaded Arenberg section, a group of twenty riders containing Mapei’s Johan Museeuw, Franco Ballerini, Gianluca Bortolami, Andrea Tafi, Ludwig Willems and Wilfried Peeters and also 1994 winner Andrei Tchmil, Fabio Baldato, Slava Ekimov and Lars Michaelsen. In Walliers, with ten sections of pave remaining, defending champion Ballerini punctured. The Mapei machine rolled on, leaving Ballo to his own devices. The unlucky Italian cobbles specialist would puncture 3 times in around 10km, sealing his fate for the day.

The chasing group was behind the Mapei trio by around one minute at Orchies, with over 75km still to race. When Museeuw suddenly stopped for a wheel change, Mapei DS Patrick Lefevere quickly sped up to the still continuing Italian pair and ordered them to wait for Museeuw. It seemed reasonable at the time as there was still plenty of racing left and the efforts of strongman Museeuw would be a definite advantage. But it was the first hint of another strategic battle being played within the race.

Behind the leaders, Ballerini, a truly talented cobbles man of immense strength, had not thrown in the towel just yet; blasting over the Templemars stones at a rate that was quickly shedding all others. As he passed the front remnants of the splintering chase group, only Stefano Zanini could keep his wheel. At the 235km mark, Ballerini got his marching orders. Stop chasing. Zannini was too fast of a finisher to risk bringing him up to the front three. The Mapei man dutifully moved in behind Zanini. “He told me he was sorry but that he couldn’t help me chase”, Zanini said later. It was a truly professional arrangement that both men understood well and nothing more was said.

Ahead, Museeuw sat mostly in third position, happy to let the Italian pair lead the way. When he punctured just eight kilometers from the velodrome, Lefevere went ahead to “remind” his charges once again of the team plan and they slow pedaled as Museeuw caught up after his wheel change, although the Italians could be seen talking to one another the whole time they waited.' "