Roberto Visentini
Encyclopedia
Roberto Visentini is an Italian
former professional road racing cyclist.
Visentini was born in Gardone Riviera
, in the province of Brescia
, and had a brilliant junior career. In 1975, he was both Junior Italian champion and World Champion. As an amateur he won the 1977 time-trial World Championship.
He debuted as professional in 1978. In 1980, he won two stages at the Vuelta a España
and was ninth overall in the Giro d'Italia
. In 1983 Visentini joined the Inoxpran team and contested the final victory of the Giro with Giuseppe Saronni
but was second. Riding for the Carrera team
in 1984, he won a stage in the 1984 Giro d'Italia
, a stage in Tirreno–Adriatico and the prologue
of the Giro del Trentino
. In the 1985 edition
, when he was going to win his first Giro, he fell ill and was forced to retire, leaving he victory to Bernard Hinault
.
In 1986
, he then won his first and sole Giro by defeating racers such as Saronni, Francesco Moser
and Greg LeMond
. In the 1987
he was the protagonist of one of the most controversial episodes of 1980s Italian cycle racing: Visentini, who was the racing for , took the maglia rosa
off the shoulders of teammate Stephen Roche
after winning an individual time trial
. Several days later in a mountain stage he was suddenly attacked by his teammate Roche
, who had contravened the team's order. The Carrera team led the peloton in the chase after Roche until Visentini was left without any teammates. Visentini riskily tried to recover the gap alone but finished several minutes behind Roche who took back the maglia rosa. Several days later Visentini fell and had to retire from the race.
Roche left the Carrera team which kept Visentini, but he was no more able to repeat himself at the former levels. He concluded his career in 1990 with 18 victories, including the 1981 Giro del Trentino
and the 1983 Tirreno–Adriatico.
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1986
1987
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
former professional road racing cyclist.
Visentini was born in Gardone Riviera
Gardone Riviera
Gardone Riviera is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy.-Main sights:* The Vittoriale degli Italiani is a former residence of the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio. He donated it to the Italian State before his death...
, in the province of Brescia
Province of Brescia
The Province of Brescia is a Province in Lombardy, Italy. It borders with the province of Sondrio in the N and NW, the province of Bergamo in the W, province of Cremona in the SW and S, the province of Mantova to the S, and to the east, the province of Verona and Trentino .Source for statistical...
, and had a brilliant junior career. In 1975, he was both Junior Italian champion and World Champion. As an amateur he won the 1977 time-trial World Championship.
He debuted as professional in 1978. In 1980, he won two stages at the Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
and was ninth overall in the Giro d'Italia
1980 Giro d'Italia
The 1980 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 63rd edition of the race, was held from 15 May to 8 June 1980. It covered a total of 4,025 km, in 22 stages, completed at an average speed of 35.897 km/h...
. In 1983 Visentini joined the Inoxpran team and contested the final victory of the Giro with Giuseppe Saronni
Giuseppe Saronni
Giuseppe Saronni , also known as Beppe Saronni, is an Italian former racing cyclist.-Biography:Born in Novara, Piedmont, Saronni turned professional in 1977. During his career, that lasted until 1989, he won 193 races...
but was second. Riding for the Carrera team
Carrera (cycling team)
Carrera was an Italian based road bicycle racing team active from 1984 to 1996, named after sponsoring Italian jeans manufacturer Carrera. The team was successful in the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France with three overall wins and several wins in the Points Classification and Mountain...
in 1984, he won a stage in the 1984 Giro d'Italia
1984 Giro d'Italia
The 1984 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 67th running or the race, was held from 17 May to 10 June 1984, consisting of 22 stages. It was won by Francesco Moser, who took over the lead from Laurent Fignon in the final stage...
, a stage in Tirreno–Adriatico and the prologue
Prologue
A prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information. The Greek prologos included the modern meaning of prologue, but was of wider significance...
of the Giro del Trentino
Giro del Trentino
The Giro del Trentino is an Italian cycle road race. It is run typically mid-to-late April over four stages in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy....
. In the 1985 edition
1985 Giro d'Italia
The 1985 Giro d'Italia of cycling was held from 16 May to 9 June 1985, consisting of 22 stages for a total of 3,998 km, ridden at an average speed of 37.89 km/h...
, when he was going to win his first Giro, he fell ill and was forced to retire, leaving he victory to Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
.
In 1986
1986 Giro d'Italia
The 1986 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 69th edition of the race, was held from 12 May to 2 June 1986. It covered a total of 3,858 km at an average speed of 37.615 km/h, in 22 stages...
, he then won his first and sole Giro by defeating racers such as Saronni, Francesco Moser
Francesco Moser
Francesco Moser , nicknamed "Lo sceriffo" , is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the dominant riders from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, and won the 1984 Giro d'Italia, the 1977 world road racing championship and six victories in three of the five Monuments...
and Greg LeMond
Greg LeMond
Gregory James LeMond is a former professional road bicycle racer from the United States and a three-time winner of the Tour de France. He was born in Lakewood, California and raised in Reno, Nevada....
. In the 1987
1987 Giro d'Italia
The 1987 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 70th running of the race, was held from 21 May to 13 June 1987, consisting of 22 stages. It was won by Stephen Roche.The defending champion Roberto Visentini returned with a strong team to win his second Giro...
he was the protagonist of one of the most controversial episodes of 1980s Italian cycle racing: Visentini, who was the racing for , took the maglia rosa
Maglia rosa
The pink jersey is awarded to the leader of the General Classification at the Giro d'Italia. The leader of the GC is the rider who has the fastest time when all the stage results are added together, taking into account time bonuses for high finishes and intermediate sprints...
off the shoulders of teammate Stephen Roche
Stephen Roche
Stephen Roche is a retired professional road racing cyclist. In a 13-year professional career, he peaked in 1987, becoming only the second cyclist to win the Triple Crown of victories in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia stage races, plus the World road race championship...
after winning an individual time trial
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
. Several days later in a mountain stage he was suddenly attacked by his teammate Roche
Stephen Roche
Stephen Roche is a retired professional road racing cyclist. In a 13-year professional career, he peaked in 1987, becoming only the second cyclist to win the Triple Crown of victories in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia stage races, plus the World road race championship...
, who had contravened the team's order. The Carrera team led the peloton in the chase after Roche until Visentini was left without any teammates. Visentini riskily tried to recover the gap alone but finished several minutes behind Roche who took back the maglia rosa. Several days later Visentini fell and had to retire from the race.
Roche left the Carrera team which kept Visentini, but he was no more able to repeat himself at the former levels. He concluded his career in 1990 with 18 victories, including the 1981 Giro del Trentino
Giro del Trentino
The Giro del Trentino is an Italian cycle road race. It is run typically mid-to-late April over four stages in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy....
and the 1983 Tirreno–Adriatico.
Major victories
1975 (amateurs)- World Road Cycling Championships
1979
- Circuit of Faenza
1980
- 2 stages in the Vuelta a EspañaVuelta a EspañaThe Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
1981
- Giro del TrentinoGiro del TrentinoThe Giro del Trentino is an Italian cycle road race. It is run typically mid-to-late April over four stages in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy....
1982
- Trofeo BaracchiTrofeo BaracchiThe Trofeo Baracchi was a major Italian cycling race that ran for 50 years. It was created by Mino Baracchi, in memory of his father Angelo who was a great cycle racing fan. Originally an amateur individual time trial, from 1944 it was open to professionals and became a major event on the...
1983
- Tirreno–Adriatico
- 1 stage in the Giro d'Italia1983 Giro d'ItaliaThe 1983 Giro d'Italia was held from 12 May to 5 June 1983. It was won by the Giuseppe Saronni.This 66th edition covered 3,916 km, for a total of 22 stages, completed at an average speed of 38.9 km/h.- General classification :- Maglia rosa holders :...
- Ruota d'Oro
1984
- Giro del Trentino
- 1 stage in the Giro d'Italia1984 Giro d'ItaliaThe 1984 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 67th running or the race, was held from 17 May to 10 June 1984, consisting of 22 stages. It was won by Francesco Moser, who took over the lead from Laurent Fignon in the final stage...
- 1 stage in the Tirreno–Adriatico
1986
- Giro d'Italia1986 Giro d'ItaliaThe 1986 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 69th edition of the race, was held from 12 May to 2 June 1986. It covered a total of 3,858 km at an average speed of 37.615 km/h, in 22 stages...
overall classification- 6th stage
- Milan-Vignola
- Circuit of Florence
1987
- 2 stages in the Giro d'Italia1987 Giro d'ItaliaThe 1987 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 70th running of the race, was held from 21 May to 13 June 1987, consisting of 22 stages. It was won by Stephen Roche.The defending champion Roberto Visentini returned with a strong team to win his second Giro...