Mapei was an Italian-based
road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on Road surface, paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and spectators. The ...
team active from 1993 to 2002, named after sponsoring firm
Mapei
Mapei S.p.A. () is an Italian limited company founded in 1937 in Milan that manufactures chemical products for the building industry. History
Innovation and research
The company was founded and originally called ''Materiali Ausiliari per l ...
.
Mapei was one of the strongest teams during the late 1990s, and ranked as the strongest
UCI team in 1994–2000 and 2002.
History
While started in 1993 (taking the Eldor-Viner team midseason), the Mapei team already became an international top team one year later when it merged with the Spanish
Clas-Cajastur for the 1994 season. Clas had been a cycling sponsor since the 1988
Clas-Razesa team, led by José Manuel Fuente Lavandera. Among the Clas-riders who joined the Italian Mapei team were
Fernando Escartín
Fernando Escartín Coti (born 24 January 1968) is a Spanish former road racing cyclist. Between 1995 and 2000 he came in the top 10 of the Tour de France five times and in that same time period finished on the podium in 2nd place at the Vuelta a ...
,
Abraham Olano
Abraham Olano Manzano (born 22 January 1970) is a Spanish retired professional road racing cyclist, who raced as a professional from 1992 to 2002. He won the UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race, World Road Championship in 1995 UCI ...
and, most prominently, Swiss top rider
Tony Rominger
Tony Rominger (born 27 March 1961) is a Swiss former professional road racing cyclist who won the Vuelta a España in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and the Giro d'Italia in 1995.
Career
He began cycling late, allegedly spurred by competition with his br ...
. Other newly signed riders included
Franco Ballerini
Franco Ballerini (11 December 1964 – 7 February 2010) was an Italian road racing cyclist.
Born in Florence, his greatest exploits as a rider came with his two victories in the cycling classic Paris–Roubaix, riding for the Mapei cycling tea ...
,
Gianluca Bortolami
Gianluca Bortolami (born 28 August 1968) is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist. Bortolami's greatest feats was capturing the monumental classic Tour of Flanders in 2001 and winning the 1994 UCI Road World Cup season championship. ...
,
Andrea Tafi and
Mauro Gianetti
Mauro Gianetti (born 16 March 1964 in Lugano) is a Swiss former professional road cyclist and later directeur sportif. Gianetti was employed as team manager for the cycling team throughout its existence between 2004 and 2011. In 2016, Gianetti c ...
, forming a Spanish-Italian top team with two strong Swiss riders as well.
Already in 1995, Clas stopped sponsoring, being replaced by GB. GB had previously sponsored the Italian
MG–Maglificio team, which has had success in the early nineties in part due to a Flemish influence. Along with the new sponsor came team manager
Patrick Lefevere
Patrick Lefevere (born 6 January 1955) is a Belgian former professional cyclist, who currently serves as the general manager of UCI WorldTeam . The outspoken Lefevre was the driving force behind one of the most successful cycling teams in the wo ...
and top rider
Johan Museeuw
Johan Museeuw (born 13 October 1965) is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer, road racing cyclist who was a professional from 1988 until 2004. Nicknamed ''The Lion of Flanders'', he was particularly successful in the cobbled classic ...
, marking the beginning of the Belgian influence of the successful Mapei team in the following years, although the team would always have some strong Spanish riders. Another new rider in 1995 was
Frank Vandenbroucke, who joined from the
Lotto
Lotto may refer to:
* Lotto, original, 15th century name of the Italian lottery
* Lotto America, one of many U.S. lottery games called Lotto
* Lotto (Milan Metro), a railway station in Milan, Italy
* Lotto carpet, a carpet having a lacy arabesq ...
team.

In the remainder of the 1990s, Mapei would celebrate many major successes, usually in the one-day classics. The team had the great Belgian and Italian classic specialists of the 1990s such as
Johan Museeuw
Johan Museeuw (born 13 October 1965) is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer, road racing cyclist who was a professional from 1988 until 2004. Nicknamed ''The Lion of Flanders'', he was particularly successful in the cobbled classic ...
,
Michele Bartoli
Michele Bartoli (born 27 May 1970, in Pisa) is a retired Italian road racing cyclist. Bartoli was a professional cyclist from 1992 until 2004 and was one of the most successful classic cycle races, single-day classics specialists of his generati ...
,
Andrea Tafi,
Franco Ballerini
Franco Ballerini (11 December 1964 – 7 February 2010) was an Italian road racing cyclist.
Born in Florence, his greatest exploits as a rider came with his two victories in the cycling classic Paris–Roubaix, riding for the Mapei cycling tea ...
, and had Patrick Lefevere as directeur sportif and then manager. The team won
Paris–Roubaix
Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race in northern France, starting north of Paris and finishing in Roubaix, at the border with Belgium. It is one of cycling's oldest races, and is one of the 'Cycling monument, Monuments' ...
five times. Three times (1996,
1998
and 1999) the team even won the first three places. In the 1996 edition, the sprint for the line was decided 15 km from the finish. Directeur sportif Patrick Lefevere, who was following the race in the team car, talked with the owner of Mapei, Giorgio Squinzi (in Milan), who said that Museeuw was to win the race. Gianluca Bortolami was second while Andrea Tafi was third.
In 1998
Franco Ballerini
Franco Ballerini (11 December 1964 – 7 February 2010) was an Italian road racing cyclist.
Born in Florence, his greatest exploits as a rider came with his two victories in the cycling classic Paris–Roubaix, riding for the Mapei cycling tea ...
won the race with over four minutes ahead of his two teammates Tafi and
Wilfried Peeters
Wilfried Peeters (born 10 July 1964 in Mol) is a former Belgian professional road bicycle racer. Nowadays, he is sportif director of the Quick Step team. During his cycling-career, he was a major help for Johan Museeuw in classics such as the ...
.
and in 1999 Tafi won with an advantage of two minutes over teammates Peeters and
Tom Steels
Tom Steels (born 2 September 1971) is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer, specialising in sprint finishes and one-day races. He was one of the top sprinters in the peloton.
Steels competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, ...
. In the summer of 2000, Lefevre announced that the Belgian part of the Mapei team would be leaving the team to form a new team called
Domo–Farm Frites
Domo–Farm Frites was a Belgian professional road cycling team that existed in the 2001–02 road cycling seasons. It was founded by Patrick Lefevere and the bulk of the Belgian riders from the Mapei team, including Johan Museeuw. Sponsor F ...
which had Museeuw as team captain. As a result, there was a great rivalry between the two teams.
Mapei was less dominating in the
Grand Tours. The only true
stage race
A race stage, leg, or heat is a unit of a racing, race that has been divided in several parts for the reason such as length of the distance to be covered, as in a multi-day race, multi-day event. Usually, such a race consists of "ordinary" stages ...
specialist was
Tony Rominger
Tony Rominger (born 27 March 1961) is a Swiss former professional road racing cyclist who won the Vuelta a España in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and the Giro d'Italia in 1995.
Career
He began cycling late, allegedly spurred by competition with his br ...
, who won the 1994
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; ) is an annual stage race, multi-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Ital ...
and the 1995
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia (; ), also known simply as the Giro, is an annual stage race, multiple-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also starting in, or passing through, other countries. The first race was organized in 19 ...
for the team. As Rominger focused on the Tour de France in 1996, Abraham Olano was given the leadership role at the Giro d'Italia in 1996. Olano took the maglia rosa but lost it in the mountains and during the Tour, Rominger lost time in the mountains. The team never played a major role in the
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...
.
From 2003 Mapei dropped their sponsorship, and a new team was built on top of the old with the name of
Quick-Step–Davitamon.
Team names
The official names of the team changed with the cosponsors several times. The team has run under the following names: ''Mapei'' (1993) ''Mapei–Clas'' (1994), ''Mapei–GB'' (1995–1997), ''Mapei–Bricobi'' (1998), ''Mapei–Quickstep'' (1999–2002).
Jerseys
The Mapei team jersey was first produced by Parentini and featured numerous colourful cubes from the main sponsor's product packaging. In the team's second year, Sportful (owned by Manifattura Valcismon S.p.A.) provided all technical garments from 1994 until the penultimate year, when
Santini SMS
Santini Cycling is a cycling clothes brand of the Italian clothing production company Santini Maglificio Sportivo. Established in 1965 in Bergamo, Santini developed from Pietro Santini's enthusiasm for cycling. Items are made in Italy.
History
...
took over in the final year.
Major wins
World and national champions
;1994
: Spain National Road Race championships,
Abraham Olano
Abraham Olano Manzano (born 22 January 1970) is a Spanish retired professional road racing cyclist, who raced as a professional from 1992 to 2002. He won the UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race, World Road Championship in 1995 UCI ...
: Spain National Time Trial championships,
Abraham Olano
Abraham Olano Manzano (born 22 January 1970) is a Spanish retired professional road racing cyclist, who raced as a professional from 1992 to 2002. He won the UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race, World Road Championship in 1995 UCI ...
;1995
:

World Road Race championships,
Abraham Olano
Abraham Olano Manzano (born 22 January 1970) is a Spanish retired professional road racing cyclist, who raced as a professional from 1992 to 2002. He won the UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race, World Road Championship in 1995 UCI ...
;1996
: Spain National Road Race championships,
Manuel Fernández
: Belgium National Road Race championships,
Johan Museeuw
Johan Museeuw (born 13 October 1965) is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer, road racing cyclist who was a professional from 1988 until 2004. Nicknamed ''The Lion of Flanders'', he was particularly successful in the cobbled classic ...
:

World Road Race championships,
Johan Museeuw
Johan Museeuw (born 13 October 1965) is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer, road racing cyclist who was a professional from 1988 until 2004. Nicknamed ''The Lion of Flanders'', he was particularly successful in the cobbled classic ...
;1997
: Italy National Road Race championships,
Gianni Faresin
:

Switzerland National Road Race championships,
Oscar Camenzind
Oscar Camenzind (born 12 September 1971) is a former professional road racing cyclist from Switzerland. He became national road champion in 1997. In 1998 he won the World Road Championship and the Giro di Lombardia, in 2000 the Tour de Suisse and ...
: Belgium National Road Race championships,
Tom Steels
Tom Steels (born 2 September 1971) is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer, specialising in sprint finishes and one-day races. He was one of the top sprinters in the peloton.
Steels competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, ...
;1998
: Belgium National road Race championships,
Tom Steels
Tom Steels (born 2 September 1971) is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer, specialising in sprint finishes and one-day races. He was one of the top sprinters in the peloton.
Steels competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, ...
: Italy National road Race championships,
Andrea Tafi
: Czech Republic National Road Race championships,
Ján Svorada
Ján Svorada (born 28 August 1968 in Trenčín) is a retired Slovak and Czech road racing cyclist.
He was born in Czechoslovakia; when that country split up in 1993, he raced for Slovakia until 1996, when he started racing for the Czech Repub ...
:

World Road Race championships,
Oscar Camenzind
Oscar Camenzind (born 12 September 1971) is a former professional road racing cyclist from Switzerland. He became national road champion in 1997. In 1998 he won the World Road Championship and the Giro di Lombardia, in 2000 the Tour de Suisse and ...
;2000
:Italy National Road Race championships,
Michele Bartoli
Michele Bartoli (born 27 May 1970, in Pisa) is a retired Italian road racing cyclist. Bartoli was a professional cyclist from 1992 until 2004 and was one of the most successful classic cycle races, single-day classics specialists of his generati ...
:

Hungary National Road Race championships,
László Bodrogi
László Bodrogi (born 11 December 1976 in Budapest, Hungary) is a former Hungarian and French professional road bicycle racer, specializing in the individual time trial.
Biography
László was born in 1976 in Budapest, Hungary. His father ...
: Belgium National Road Race championships,
Axel Merckx
Axel Eddy Lucien Jonkheer Merckx (born 8 August 1972) is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer and the son of five-time Tour de France champion Eddy Merckx. He is team director of UCI Continental team .
In his professional career, h ...
:

USA National Road Race championships,
Fred Rodriguez
:

Hungary National Time Trial championships,
László Bodrogi
László Bodrogi (born 11 December 1976 in Budapest, Hungary) is a former Hungarian and French professional road bicycle racer, specializing in the individual time trial.
Biography
László was born in 1976 in Budapest, Hungary. His father ...
;2001
: Italy National Road Race championships,
Daniele Nardello
Daniele Nardello (born 2 August 1972 in Varese) is a retired Italian professional road racing cyclist. His career ran from 1994 to 2009, with highlights including winning the 2001 Italian national road race championship, the 2003 Züri-Metzgete, ...
:

Hungary National Time Trial championships,
László Bodrogi
László Bodrogi (born 11 December 1976 in Budapest, Hungary) is a former Hungarian and French professional road bicycle racer, specializing in the individual time trial.
Biography
László was born in 1976 in Budapest, Hungary. His father ...
:

World Road Race championships,
Óscar Freire
Óscar Freire Gómez (born 15 February 1976) is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the top sprinters in road bicycle racing, having won the world championship three times, equalling Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbe ...
;2002
: Belgium National Road Race championships,
Tom Steels
Tom Steels (born 2 September 1971) is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer, specialising in sprint finishes and one-day races. He was one of the top sprinters in the peloton.
Steels competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, ...
:

Hungary National Time Trial championships,
László Bodrogi
László Bodrogi (born 11 December 1976 in Budapest, Hungary) is a former Hungarian and French professional road bicycle racer, specializing in the individual time trial.
Biography
László was born in 1976 in Budapest, Hungary. His father ...
:

Switzerland National Time Trial championships,
Fabian Cancellara
Fabian Cancellara (born 18 March 1981), nicknamed "Spartacus", is a Swiss people, Swiss cycling executive, businessman and former professional road bicycle racing, road racing cyclist who last rode for UCI ProTeam . He is known for being a qual ...
UCI Ranking
References
Further reading
*
*
{{Giro d'Italia team classification winners
Defunct cycling teams based in Italy
Cycling teams established in 1993
Cycling teams disestablished in 2002
1993 establishments in Italy