# Franco Ballerini

Franco Ballerini (11 December 1964 – 7 February 2010) was an Italian road racing cyclist.
Born in Florence, his greatest exploits as a rider came with his two victories in the cycling classic Paris–Roubaix, riding for the Mapei cycling team. In 1993 he was beaten on the line by Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle in an exciting Paris–Roubaix finale. Also on his palmarès or list of accomplishments there are other one-day races such as Omloop Het Volk and Paris–Brussels.
Ballerini then became manager of the Italian national cycling squad, winning the 2002 World Championships with Mario Cipollini and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens with ex-teammate Paolo Bettini. In 2006, 2007 and 2008 he won the World Championships with Paolo Bettini and Alessandro Ballan.
On 7 February 2010, Ballerini, a rallying fan, was mortally injured during a race in Larciano where he was participating as co-driver/navigator for professional driver Alessandro Ciardi. He died of his injuries at the Pistoia city hospital at the age of 45.
He was honored by race organizers in 2010.

## Doping

Months after finishing 3rd in the 1994 Paris–Roubaix it came out that Ballerini tested positive for Salbutamol, he was not sanctioned. In 1996 after the Grand Prix de Wallonie Ballerini tested positive again this time for Ephedrine, he received a 20 day suspension.

## Major results

Sources:

### 1986

    6th Trofeo Laigueglia

### 1987

    1st Tre Valli Varesine
    8th Trofeo Laigueglia

### 1988

    1st Overall Cronostaffetta
    5th Trofeo Masferrer
    9th Giro dell'Umbria

### 1989

    1st GP Città di Camaiore
    2nd Giro di Campania
    2nd Coppa Placci
    10th Giro di Lombardia

### 1990

    1st Giro di Campania
    1st Paris–Brussels
    1st Grand Prix des Amériques
    1st Giro del Piemonte
    2nd Trofeo Matteotti
    3rd Gent–Wevelgem
    3rd Giro del Veneto
    3rd Millemetri del Corso di Mestre
    5th Amstel Gold Race
    7th Züri-Metzgete

### 1991

    1st Stage 14 Giro d'Italia
    1st Giro della Romagna
    3rd Giro di Lombardia
    5th Paris–Roubaix
    5th Giro dell'Emilia
    7th Overall KBC Driedaagse van De Panne-Koksijde
    8th Tour of Flanders

### 1992

    2nd Giro di Campania
    9th Tour of Flanders

### 1993

    1st Stage 4 Tour de France (TTT)
    2nd Paris–Roubaix
    2nd Dwars door België
    2nd Brabantse Pijl
    3rd Coppa Bernocchi
    6th Tour of Flanders
    7th Milan–San Remo
    10th Amstel Gold Race

### 1994

    2nd Gent–Wevelgem
    2nd Paris–Brussels
    3rd Paris–Roubaix
    4th Tour of Flanders
    5th Tre Valli Varesine

### 1995

    1st Paris–Roubaix
    1st Omloop Het Volk
    6th Brabantse Pijl
    8th Overall Hofbrau Cup

### 1996

    1st Grand Prix de Wallonie
    3rd Overall Tour of Austria
       1st Stage 5
    5th Paris–Roubaix
    5th Dwars door België
    8th Coppa Bernocchi
    8th Paris–Brussels

### 1997

    3rd Tour of Flanders
    6th Omloop Het Volk

### 1998

    1st Paris–Roubaix
    2nd Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
    5th GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
    5th Paris–Brussels
    8th Tour of Flanders

### 1999

    8th HEW Cyclassics

### 2000

    4th Omloop Het Volk
    8th Paris–Roubaix

### Grand Tour general classification results timeline

| Grand Tour | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 |
| Vuelta a España | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | — | — | — | — | 97 | — |
| Giro d'Italia | 124 | — | — | 109 | DNF | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tour de France | — | — | — | — | — | 115 | 61 | — | — | — | — | DNF |
Legend :
| — | Did not compete |
| DNF | Did not finish |