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Legend |
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Corporate |
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1998
The year
of the triumph. Marco Pantani leaves everybody
behind both at Giro d’Italia
and Tour de France: a double win conquered
just by few, to prove himself and the others
he’s not only the man of one-day-win
and meaningless mountain escapes. The best
Pirate, the portrait of sheer joy: the man
everybody wants and continues to remember.
The year of Stefano Garzelli, Pirate’s
trusty friend and faithful team-mate, who at
Tour of Switzerland inaugurated successfully
his career.
The year of Marco Velo and his win at the Italian
Time Trial Championships as well as of the
numerous wins of the Martini Racing team in
the MTB cross country and downhill.
1999
As life and destiny play with the Pirate’s
dreams, shattering his hopes while running
up towards the utter glory, Marco Velo keeps
at his side with dedication, while confirming
his skills of chrono-man. For Bianchi Mercatone
Uno, a strong and close-knit team, this is
the confirmation of a talent.
Dario Aquaroli and Nadia De Negri, together
with the new French star, Gregory Vollet, establish
the fame of the MTB Martini Racing Team in
the offroad.
2000
While Garzelli gets the win in the “Jubilee
Tour” flanked by Pantani, and Velo hits
for the umpteenth time the title of Italian
champion against the clock, the century ends
with the golden shines of the mountain bikes.
To resume the results of the Bianchi-Motorex
team, it takes to recall the great deeds of
the past champions: José Hermida “el
Torito” pulls together the World Championship,
the World Cup and the European Championship,
Vollet gains the French Championship, Acquaroli
seals off the contenders and triumphs at the
cross country National championship.
2001
New win for Marco Velo in the tricolour time
trial race, but it is the Mtb team which stands
out as the leading formation worldwide.
World Cup or European Championships, this makes
no difference for José Antonio Hermida
and Julien Absalon. On his debut, the Spaniard
is second among “Elites” as well
as in the World Cup, and he also gets the win
at the European Championship. The Frenchman
wins the World Cup within Under 23, then he
gains the France Cup and triumphs at the European
Championship. Both triumph also in their respective
national championships.
In Italy, junior riders are no less: Nicoletta
Bresciani captures another tricolour title
whereas Quadroni and Lanteri stand out at the
National Championship.
2002
The Bianchi-Coast union bestows strong emotions:
the team captained by Swiss Alex Zulle collects
21 wins. The Helvetian champion is the greatest
protagonist of the team pocketing 7 wins inclusive
the “Tour of Switzerland”.
Another brilliant season breaks out in the
off-road for the Motorex-Bianchi team, chaired
by Felice Gimondi and directed by the new manager
Massimo Ghirotto.
The “boys” strike 21 wins: the
World Championship and the Under 23 Cross Country
European Championship with Absalon and the
Elite European Championship with Hermida. And
that’s not all… Absalon, the rising
star of the off-road, besides the honour placement
in the Under 23 World Cup, scores a wonderful
triplet of wins in the prestigious Allianz
Cup.
2003
After 19 years Bianchi is back as first sponsor
of a professional outfit: Jan Ullrich leads
the Bianchi team and at the Centenary Tour
de France he stirs the crowd of fans by challenging
Lance Armstrong, defeating him in the time
trial race and getting the honour placement
in the overall ranking.
In the off-road sector, the threesome Absalon-Hermida-Dietsch
strengthens the leading role of the Bianchi
Motorex team in Europe and worldwide, while
Marco Villa stands out on track capturing the
win in the Italian Championship and the new
Aliverti women team captures 10 successes in
total.
2004
The year of celebrations.
The event of 120 years of pure “passione
celeste” coincides with a brilliant season
loaded with emotions.
With Julien Absalon, Bianchi hits an unforgettable
double win: the MTB Cross Country Olympic Competition
in Athens and the World title at the World
Championship in Les Gets, France. Absalon’s
magic moment is followed by another important
win captured by his country fellowman and team-mate,
Thomas Dietsch, who in July, after getting
the Silver medal at the Marathon World Championship
in Austria, captures also the gold medal at
the Marathon European Championship in Poland.
Even
in the road race, Bianchi confirms its leadership
by capturing, with the Swede Magnus
Backstedt, colour-bearer of the Alessio-Bianchi
team, the most enthralling and prestigious
race among the Northern Classical competitions:
the legendary Paris-Roubaix, followed by the
on-road tricolour success of Cristian Moreni
at the Italian Championship. Moreni is then
summoned to take part with the national team
in the Olympic Games in Athens (where he will
give his precious contribution to the Olympic
win of Paolo Bettini) and in the World Championship
in Verona.
Bianchi is protagonist also on-track
with the champion from Bergamo Vera Carrara,
who
at the World Championship in Melbourne (Australia)
ranks second in the World Point Race Competition.
Bianchi
collection of medals got rich by two more golden
medals, those won by Cristian Cominelli
of Bianchi-Agos Junior team at the Pupils Cycle-Cross
Italian Championship and at the MTB Cross Country
Italian Championship, as well as by two bronze
medals conquered in the Male and Female Junior
Cross Country MTB tricolour competitions, respectively
by Daniele Radici from Brescia and Nicoletta
Bresciani from Bergamo. |
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