Statue Dedicated to Franco Ballerini

A statue dedicated Franco Ballerini ws unveiled in Florence on Friday. Ballerini, who died unexpectedly on February 7, 2010, in a rally car crash, won Paris Roubaix in 1995 and 1998 and was coach of the Men’s Italian national team from the 1st of August 2001 until his death.

The sculpture was created by Giorgio Butini in white marble from Carrara.

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Franco Ballerini Sculpture to be Unveiled in Florence

Franco Ballerini died unexpectedly on February 7, 2010, in a rally car crash leaving a real gap in the cycling world and not only. On Friday, September 20, two days before the beginning of the UCI Road World Championships, the statue dedicated to him, champion of the Paris Roubaix and coach of the Men’s Italian national team from the 1st of August 2001 until his death, will be inaugurated in Florence.

The meeting is at 1:00 PM at the Nelson Mandela Forum in Viale Paoli. The “Ballero”’s smile, his accomplishments, his spirit will be commemorated by the Stefania Saccardi, Deputy mayor of the City of Florence, Sergio Givone, Councillor for Culture of the City of Florence, Renato Di Rocco, President of the Italian Cycling Federation, Vincenzo Ceccarelli, President of the Institutional Committee, Riccardo Nencini, Senator, Alfredo Martini, Honorary President of the Italian Cycling Federation, and Mauro Ballerini, the “Ballero”’s brother.

The sculpture was created by Giorgio Butini in white marble from Carrara. The statue representing Ballerini on a bicycle while racing on the pavé of the “Monument” has been carved out from a 75 quintal block of marble selected by the artist. The statue is 2,40m high and will be placed in the square in front of the Mandela Forum, in front of the World Championships’ finish line.

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Cycling Monuments, Memorials, Plaques, etc., Part X

Jac Zwart, author of the Dutch language book "Wielermonumenten - Reisgids door de geschiedenis van de wielersport" (Cycling Monuments - Travel Guide through the History of the Sport of Cycling), contributes his seventh article, this time about a sculpture to remember Franco Ballerini.

"Today, February 7th, marks the one year anniversary of the death of Franco Ballerini . As the navigator for driver Allessandro Ciardo, he was victim of a car crash in the Rally of Larciano, not far away from Casalguidi, where he lived.

During the year, a number of tributes have been placed to commemorate the former national coach ( C.T., Commissario Tecnico) of the Italian road squad, who won the cycling one day classic Paris-Roubaix in 1995 and 1998. One of those tributes can be found in the village of San Miniato Basso. It is called "Pinocchio in bicicletta" and when you closely observe the iron figure on the bike it is quite easy to recognize the wooden puppet which appeared in the tale written by Carlo Collodi (Carlo Lorenzini). Pinocchio has become the symbol of San Miniato Basso, a village that originated from a combination of the villages Casenuove Ontraino and Pinocchio. The monument was originally meant to celebrate the start of a stage in the Tirreno-Adriatico, but after the death of Franco Ballerini the decision was made to also dedicate the monument to him.

The iron sculpture has a height of three meters and is made out of recycled material. It is located at the Piazza Don Ruggini."

Related stories:
Italian National Team Coach Ballerini Dies in Rally Car Crash
The Final GoodBye to Franco Ballerini

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Ballerini's Paris-Roubaix Victories on ESPN Classic

ESPN Classic (Channel 216 on SKY) will be showing the 1995 and 1998 Paris-Roubaix victories of Franco Ballerini at 2200 and again at 2400 (Italy) on Wednesday, February 10th. The program will be repeated at 1900 on Thursday.

Ballerini was also 2nd in the 1993 Paris-Roubaix behind Gilbert Duclos-Lasalle of France and also 3rd in the 1994 Paris-Roubaix behind Andrei Tchmil of Russia and Fabio Baldato of Italy.

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Italian National Team Coach Ballerini Dies in Rally Car Crash

Italian national cycling coach and former Paris-Roubaix winner Franco Ballerini died on Sunday morning after being involved in a crash during a rally car event in Tuscany, Italy.

According to La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Ballerini, 45, was competing in the rally within the municipality of Larciano as a navigator for pilot Alessandro Ciardi when their vehicle left the road and crashed.

Both were rushed to nearby Pistoia Hospital where despite the efforts of doctors Ballerini passed away soon afterwards.

Ballerini rode as a professional between 1986 and 2001. He won Paris-Roubaix twice, in 1995 and 1998. The cobbled Classic was also his last race as a professional when he retired in 2001.

He quickly became the Italian national professional men's road coach and was in charge of the team that won the rainbow jersey with Mario Cipollini in 2002, Paolo Bettini in 2006 and 2007, and most recently with Alessandro Ballan in Varese in 2008.

Paolo Bettini also won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics under Ballerini's management.

Cyclingnews spoke to Pat McQuaid as the UCI President was about to board a plane for Vancouver, Canada. He hadn’t heard the news, and was stunned to hear of Ballerini’s passing.

“What can you say - it is a tragedy for Italian and world cycling,” he stated. “He was a very good figure in the Italian team over several years now, creating an importance within the Italian cycling as regards to the title of World professional Champion.

“[The World Championships] has been his biggest day every year with the Italian team. He had a very successful tenure as coach, and he was also a great cyclist too. It is a tragedy that he goes like this.”

Story source: www.cyclingnews.com

Photo: Franco Ballerini winning Paris-Roubaix in 1998; Franco Ballerini and Paolo Bettini with the Team Mapei Rally car at the Monza Rally Show in November 2009