He is called "Il Gladiatore",
the Gladiator. The great Italian Cycling Star was the winner of 5 UCI World Cup
races, including memorable solo victories in the "Hell of the North", the legendary Paris-Roubaix classic
and the Ronde van Vlaanderen , two of the hardest one-day races in the world.
In 2005, Andrea retired after riding his final season with the Spanish
Saunier Duval-Prodir team, ending his 17th and final season as a professional, after racing and enjoying important wins
in all parts of the globe. He called an end to his illustrious career and officially retired after his beloved Paris-Roubaix
race on April 10th.
He competed in all the major European Classics, the Giro
d'Italia, the Tour de France, raced in Asia, Australia and America and represented his country many times as part of
the legendary Italian Squadra Azzuri at the World Cycling Championships.
Tafi remained
one of the most popular figures in the professional peloton. His friendly demeanor and tremendous work ethic endeared
him to his many fans around the world. He had a powerful pedaling stroke, his hands on the tops of the handlebars in his signature
style. A champion in his own right, his fearless attacks and ability to ride alone off the front led to many solo victories. But
he was a willing team worker when needed, and Andrea was often seen at the head of the peloton, relentlessly driving
the pace or reeling in the breakaway for the good of his team.
Some might say he rode more with his heart than with his head, but it was
this human side of Andrea Tafi, so freely expressed on the road, that captured the emotions of the tifosi.
From
La Gazzetta dello Sport:
"Tafi is like a Chianti, and the other big reds
from his region- able to keep old age in check...in fact, to get even better, to improve with each new spring"
On these pages, I've gathered some information about Andrea's career, his family, race results and some pictures from
his greatest moments and victories. I hope you enjoy it!
