Velochimp

After the botched performance in the Madrid World Championships Road Race, many Italian tifosi were calling for Italian team coach Franco Ballerini’s head. After all, he had the top favorite in Petacchi and the top-in-form rider in Bettini, but failed to get the Gold Medal.

Tom Boonen is no slacker, so you can’t fault Ballerini that much. The former Roubaix winner did get a win during the 2002 Worlds in Zolder with a dream leadout train that featured Petacchi as the final leadout man. Plus, the Azzurri did get Bettini the Gold in Athens in 2004, so he is successful. Italy has loads of top one-day riders and managing them to work to one goal is much like hearding cats. Every year there is at least one disgruntled Italian rider who did not get picked for the Worlds. Some even go so far as to get dual citizenship in time for the Worlds. This is a sign that Ballerini is doing something right. Better to have the disgruntled riders cry before the Worlds than after. Although I do have a great picture of a sad Luca Paolini from the 2003 Worlds in Hamilton.

Ballerini confermato Ct della Nazionale