Alessandro Ballan

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Alessandro Ballan
Alessandro Ballan, 2017 Milan-Sanremo.jpg
Ballan at the 2017 Milan–San Remo
Personal information
Full nameAlessandro Ballan
NicknameBontempino
Born (1979-11-06) 6 November 1979 (age 44)
Castelfranco Veneto, Italy
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight68 kg (150 lb)
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Rider typeClassics specialist
Professional teams
2004–2009 Lampre
2010–2014 BMC Racing Team
Major wins
Grand Tours
Vuelta a España
1 individual stage (2008)

Stage races

Three Days of De Panne (2007)
Tour de Pologne (2009)

One-day races and Classics

World Road Race Championships (2008)
Tour of Flanders (2007)
Vattenfall Cyclassics (2007)
Medal record
Representing Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Men's road bicycle racing
UCI Road World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2008 Varese Elite Men's Road Race
Representing BMC Racing Team
World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2012 Valkenburg Team Time Trial

Alessandro Ballan (born 6 November 1979 in Castelfranco Veneto, Veneto) is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer who most recently rode for UCI World Tour team BMC Racing Team. He is best known for winning the World Road Race Championships, in 2008. [1] Although he possessed a frame that was usually more associated with climbing,[ citation needed ] Ballan established himself as a leading spring classics contender. His nickname, Bontempino, is a diminutive reference to Guido Bontempi, to whom he bears a resemblance. [2]

Contents

Career

Ballan turned professional in 2004 with the Lampre team. Despite a decent amateur career, Ballan was not sought after by professional teams, and required a little bit of help to secure a professional contract. [2] In his first season, Ballan worked as a domestique for Romāns Vainšteins and Gianluca Bortolami.

2005

In 2005, Ballan was given the opportunity to aim for high placings in the spring classics and achieved a stage victory and second overall in the Three Days of De Panne, [3] along with sixth place in the Tour of Flanders, [4] having attacked the leading group with 37 km to go. Later in the season, he achieved his first ProTour victory in taking stage 4 of the Eneco Tour of Benelux. [5]

2006

In 2006, Ballan started his spring classics campaign as a highly rated contender, given his performances in 2005 and his success in the warm-up races in winning the Trofeo Laigueglia, [6] a second place to Tom Boonen in the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen [7] and third overall at the Tirreno–Adriatico. [8] Ballan was a leading protagonist in the classics: he took fifth at the Tour of Flanders [9] and followed this with third at Paris–Roubaix, following the disqualifications of Peter Van Petegem, Vladimir Gusev and Leif Hoste. [10] Later in the season, Ballan further proved his talent with a second placing in stage 12 of the Tour de France [11] and a third place overall in the Tour de Pologne. [12] Ballan finished in sixth place in the individual rankings of the 2006 UCI ProTour. [13]

2007

In 2007 Ballan suffered a broken collarbone during Tirreno–Adriatico. Despite this injury, Ballan worked hard in Milan–San Remo, although Ballan's teamleader Daniele Bennati did not win the race. Nearly two weeks later, Ballan won the Three Days of De Panne after an escape during stage 1. Ballan did not win the stage, but beat his nearest opponent Luca Paolini during the closing time trial, in which Ballan finished 10. On 8 April, Ballan took a prestigious win at the Tour of Flanders in a close sprint finish ahead of local favourite Leif Hoste of Belgium. Ballan is the first Italian to win the Tour of Flanders and the Three Days of De Panne in the same season. On 19 August he won the Vattenfall Cyclassics with an attack in the final kilometer, holding off all of the sprinters, including former winner Óscar Freire and promising young German sprinter Gerald Ciolek, to take his second one-day classic of the season.

2008

Ballan leading the 2008 UCI Road World Championships - Men's road race in Varese Alessandro Ballan Varese 2008.jpg
Ballan leading the 2008 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race in Varese

His spring of 2008 wasn't as prolific as 2007 although he was involved in the decisive break of Paris–Roubaix and rode hard to a third place behind past winners Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara together with whom he entered the Roubaix Velodrome losing out in a sprint to the line. This came a week after a fourth place in defence of his Tour of Flanders crown. He again opted to skip his home tour – the Giro d'Italia, but raced in both the other grand tours – the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, winning a mountain stage and wearing the leader's jersey in the latter. [14]

In September 2008 Ballan won the UCI Road Race World Championships. In a race in which 2007 champion and Italian team mate Paolo Bettini was favourite, Ballan was again involved in the decisive break on the final lap of the undulating Varese circuit. From a group of 12 riders, including 2 Italian team mates Damiano Cunego and Davide Rebellin, Ballan attacked from 1500 metres out and held off the sprint to win by 3 seconds in front of his home crowd. [1]

2009

Ballan at the 2009 Tour de France Alessandro Ballan (Tour de France 2009 - Stage 17).jpg
Ballan at the 2009 Tour de France

As if suffering from the curse of the rainbow jersey, Ballan was diagnosed with cytomegalovirus in March 2009 and as a result was unable to contest that year's Spring Classics and Giro. During the Tour de France he had an average performance, only coming into the picture in the 19th stage as part of a breakaway which was caught before the finish line. [15]

In August 2009, he won the Tour of Poland. [16] Ballan signed with BMC Racing Team for the 2010 season. [17]

2012

Ballan at the 2012 Tour of Flanders 2012 Ronde van Vlaanderen, Alessandro Ballan (7081312841) (cropped).jpg
Ballan at the 2012 Tour of Flanders

At the Tour of Flanders in April, Ballan placed third after initiating a break with 25 km to go. Boonen and Pozzato took up the chase and placed ahead of Ballan in the final sprint. [18] In December, Ballan suffered a severe training crash during a descent as he was riding with his team in Spain. He fractured his left femur, broke a rib and ruptured his spleen, which had to be removed. He spent a little more than a week in intensive care. [19]

Doping sanction

Ballan is one of 27 people indicted in Italy as part of the Mantova doping investigation. In 2010 when the enquiry was announced he was subsequently suspended by the BMC cycling team. [20] He was later cleared by BMC and allowed to race again on 28 May 2010. [21] In November 2013 it was reported that CONI were seeking a 2-year ban for violation of article 2.2 of the WADA code. [22]

In January 2014, CONI handed Ballan a two-year suspension. His contract with BMC Racing Team was subsequently terminated. [23]

Late 2015, his suspension was overturned in court, and Ballan was cleared of any wrongdoing. [24]

In 2016, Ballan had attempted to get a contract as professional cyclist, but was unable to do so and thus retired. [25]

Career achievements

Major results

2001
3rd Trofeo Città di San Vendemiano
2003
1st Trofeo Zsšdi
2nd Overall Giro della Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia
2nd Circuito del Porto
3rd Trofeo Gianfranco Bianchin
4th Trofeo Città di Brescia
2005 (2 pro wins)
1st Stage 4 Eneco Tour
2nd Overall Three Days of De Panne
1st Stage 1
3rd Classic Haribo
6th Tour of Flanders
2006 (1)
1st Trofeo Laigueglia
2nd E3 Prijs Vlaanderen
3rd Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
3rd Overall Tour de Pologne
3rd Paris–Roubaix
4th Road race, National Road Championships
4th Milano–Torino
4th Trofeo Città di Borgomanero
5th Tour of Flanders
8th Overall Eneco Tour
8th Milan–San Remo
2007 (3)
1st Jersey white.svg Overall Three Days of De Panne
1st Tour of Flanders
1st Vattenfall Cyclassics
4th Clásica de San Sebastián
5th Overall Tour de Pologne
1st Stage 1 (TTT)
8th Firenze–Pistoia
9th Coppa Sabatini
2008 (2)
1st Jersey rainbow.svg Road race, UCI Road World Championships
Vuelta a España
1st Stage 7
Held Jersey gold.svg & Jersey white.svg after Stage 7
Held Jersey granate.svg after Stages 7–8
2nd GP Ouest-France
2nd Monte Paschi Eroica
3rd Paris–Roubaix
4th Tour of Flanders
4th Coppa Bernocchi
7th Overall Three Days of De Panne
7th Giro del Piemonte
2009 (2)
1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall Tour de Pologne
1st Stage 5
3rd Overall Giro di Sardegna
5th Trofeo Laigueglia
2010
3rd Road race, National Road Championships
5th Overall Tour de Pologne
6th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
10th Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
2011
2nd Montepaschi Strade Bianche
4th Milan–San Remo
6th Paris–Roubaix
7th Trofeo Laigueglia
2012 (2)
1st Giro di Toscana
1st Stage 7 Eneco Tour
1st Stage 1 (TTT) Giro del Trentino
2nd Silver medal uci.svg Team time trial, UCI Road World Championships
3rd Paris–Roubaix
3rd Tour of Flanders
4th Strade Bianche
8th Milan–San Remo
9th E3 Harelbeke

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

Grand Tour 20062007200820092010201120122013
Jersey pink.svg Giro d'Italia —————— 103 —
Jersey yellow.svg Tour de France 67 88 94 95 87 ———
Jersey red.svg Vuelta a España —— DNF DNF —— 63 —

Classics results timeline

Monument2004200520062007200820092010201120122013
Milan–San Remo — 52 8 55 16 — 64 4 8 —
Tour of Flanders 82 6 4 1 4 — 35 12 3 —
Paris–Roubaix DNF 47 3 61 3 —— 6 3 —
Liège–Bastogne–Liège DNF — 19 ———————
Giro di Lombardia — DNF 56 DNF 14 29 ————

Major championship results timeline

Championship2004200520062007200820092010201120122013
Jersey rainbow.svg World Championships —— 88 52 1 41 ————
Legend
—Did not compete
DNF Did not finish

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References

  1. 1 2 Atkins, Ben; Brown, Gregor; Friebe, Daniel; Kröner, Hedwig (28 September 2009). "Ballan crowned new King of Italy". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 Maloney, Tim (7 April 2005). "Ballan following in Bartoli's footsteps?". Cyclingnews.com – First Edition Cycling News for 7 April 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  3. ↑ "KBC Driedaagse van De Panne-Koksijde Results". 31 March 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  4. ↑ "89th Tour of Flanders Results". 3 April 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  5. ↑ "1st Eneco Tour of Benelux Results". 10 August 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  6. ↑ "43rd Trofeo Laigueglia Results". 14 February 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  7. ↑ "49th E3 Prijs Vlaanderen Results". 27 September 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  8. ↑ "41st Tirreno-Adriatico Results". 14 March 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  9. ↑ "90th Tour of Flanders Results". 2 April 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  10. ↑ "104th Paris-Roubaix Results". 9 April 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  11. ↑ "93rd Tour de France, Stage 12 Results". 14 July 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  12. ↑ "63rd Tour of Poland Results". 10 September 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  13. ↑ "UCI ProTour Individual Rankings as of 2006-10-14". 12 December 2006. Archived from the original on 13 November 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2006.
  14. ↑ "www.cyclingnews.com presents the 63rd Vuelta a España".
  15. ↑ "World Champion Ballan on track in Roubaix".
  16. ↑ "Italy's Ballan wins Tour of Poland". AFP. 9 August 2009. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  17. ↑ VeloNews.com (1 September 2009). "Hincapie confirms to BMC with Ballan, Kroon, Burghardt". VeloNews. Archived from the original on 3 September 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  18. ↑ Decaluwé, Brecht (1 April 2012). "Boonen wins 2012 Tour of Flanders". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  19. ↑ Ben Atkins (28 December 2012). "Alessandro Ballan out of intensive care following leg and abdomen surgery". Velo Nation. Velo Nation LLC. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  20. ↑ "Lampre refuses to suspend riders over Mantova investigation". 10 April 2010.
  21. ↑ "BMC Racing Team: Statement Regarding Alessandro Ballan". Archived from the original on 9 June 2010.
  22. ↑ "Doping: Procura Coni deferisce Ballan - Altri Sport - Tuttosport". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  23. ↑ Wynn, Nigel (17 January 2014). "Alessandro Ballan sacked by BMC after doping ban". Cycling Weekly . IPC Media . Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  24. ↑ "Lampre riders and staff cleared in Mantova doping trial". cyclingnews.com. 18 December 2015.
  25. ↑ "Voormalig wereldkampioen Ballan keert niet meer terug in peloton" [Former world champion Ballan does not return in peloton] (in Dutch). nu.nl. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Vattenfall Cyclassics
2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Tour de Pologne
2009 		Succeeded by
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