Retro Cycling Vintage

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Mapei was a hugely popular and successful Italian based road bicycle racing team that was active between 1993 and 2002. Named after sponsoring firm Mapei who were an industrial company in Italy. From 2003 Mapei dropped their sponsorship and a new team was built on top of the old structure called Quick Step-Davitamon.Mapei was one of the strongest teams during the late 1990s, and ranked as the strongest UCI team for the whole period between 1994-2000 and during 2002.

Dominant during the early season classics the team had the great Belgian and Italian classic specialists of the 1990s such as Andrea Tafi, Johan Museeuw, Michele Bartoli, Franco Ballerini under the guidance of Patrick Lefevre as directeur sportif and then manager. The team won Paris-Roubaix five times. Three times the team even had three riders in the first three places. In the 1996 edition, the sprint for the line was decided 10 miles from the finish when Directeur sportif Patrick Lefevere who was following the race in the team car talked with the owner of Mapei, Giorgio Squinzi, in Milan who said that Museeuw was to win the race. Gianluca Bortolami was second while Andrea Tafi was third. In 1998 Franco Ballerini won the race with over four minutes ahead of his two teammates Tafi and Wilfried Peeters and in 1999 Tafi won with an advantage of two minutes over teammates Peeters and Tom Steels. In the summer of 2000, Lefevre announced that the Belgian part of the Mapei team would be leaving the team to form a new team called Domo-Farm Frites which had Museeuw as team captain. As a result, there was an intense rivalry between the two teams.

The official names of the team changed depending as to what other co -sponsors were onboard. The team was known under the following names: Mapei (1993) Mapei-Clas , Mapei-GB (Not related to the united kingdom!), Mapei-Bricobi and finally Mapei-Quickstep.

Mapei was less dominating in the Grand Tours such as France, Spain and Italy. The only true stage race specialist was Tony Rominger, who won the 1994 Vuelta a España and the 1995 Giro d'Italia for the team. As Rominger focused on the Tour de France in 1996, Abraham Olano was given the leadership role at the Giro d'Italia in 1996. Olano took the maglia rosa but lost it in the mountains and during the Tour, Rominger lost time in the mountains. In latter years Paolo Bettini was Lefevre's most notable rider but in the end he had to settle as a one day specialist as well.

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The Look company started life in the 1950s in France as a company manufacturing ski bindings. Owned by famous French industrialist Bernard Tapie they expanded into other markets which included high performance cycle sport.

Clipless pedals had already made an appearance in 1971 with Cinelli's M71 which was based around a plastic cleat that slid into the pedal and was held in place by a small lever which had to be manually released. These pedals (similar to the later Addidas System 3) became known as the 'death cleats'  due to their inherent danger on the road when a rider was faced with an emergeny dismount scenario.

Look took this idea of a rider being connected to the bike but enhanced it in 1983 bringing out the first quick release clipless pedal. Known in France as 'pedale automatique' they borrowed ideas from Look's successful ski bindings and were quickly accepted by the professional peloton to the extent that Bernard Hinault used them when he won the Tour de France while riding for Tapie's La Vie Claire team using in 1985.

Look licenced their clipless pedal idea out to other manufacturers so that during the late 1980s and early 1990s component makers  such as Campagnolo had their own versions in each of their groupsets.

Shimano decided to design their own pedal quick release system to avoid paying royalties to Look and the SPD was born to which Look released an off road version of its pedal which was less successful due to the large plastic cleat not being suitable for running or walking sections and not being recessed.

In 2004 Look launched their new KEO range which offered users an even more refined riding experience. They now come in a variety of materials including aluminium alloy, plastic and carbon fibre. Titanium Look pedal axles are also available.

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He's tall
He's right
He rides a three wheel bike
DAVID DUFFIELD
DAVID DUFFIELD

If you've been reading the buzz about David Duffield and wondering who he really is or what he sounds like we're going to tell you - He's like your favourite uncle. On three wheels. With a pocket full of French cheese. And a mini cooper parked around the corner.

If you want to know what he sounds like... just take a listen to this
David Duffield Sean kelly Maurizio Fondriest

David Duffield, Maurizio Fondriest, Moreno Argentin and Sean Kelly

continue reading...

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DAVID DUFFIELD 2002

Perhaps he's rushing to the loo! Get the toilet paper out! (on a fast ride by Lance, following a bad night of vomitting and diarrhea).

Sponsored by Alessio, makers of alloy wheels for your car. So if you want new alloy wheels for your clapped out Ford Escort that you've had for 15 years..

Mont Ventoux:-

Their aspirations melting in the sun just as the little bit of cheese is melting on Mike Smith's screen.

If I say the twilight of his career, no doubt his supporters will start throwing bricks at me.

Boy I'm the boss! Up you, I'm off!! I'm speechless!! (as Lance leaves Beloki on Ventoux).

The cool, calm, collected voice of Sean Kelly analysing the race there.

There's nothing but huge sparse bits of green up there.

Fascinating times lie ahead of us here on Mont Ventoux, with Lance Armstrong riding magnici…….

Lance Armstrong rewriting the history books here. (I know they all say it, but still!)

Like when Armstrong put his foot on the pad on the moon, saying,"one great strep".

The speedom has come in and interfered with our marvellous shot.

If I was riding here I'd need a pair of glasses to read what they just put up.

This rash Texan, who burst upon the scene and surprised a lot of people.

My French colleagues are going absolutely over the moon because this is the moonscape!

He (Virenque)was actually born in Castablanca, Morocco.

(Virenque comes to the finish) with polka dots all over him! (he is not wearing the jersey).

He (Virenque) had a few problems in the Festina problems.

Axel Merckx, a long, tall, gangling lad.

Americans, many millions of them, are turning into their televisions early in the morning.

Not one of the well-heeled, all singing, dancing teams.

Let's get the old abacus going.

He (Beloki) has lost a hatful, something like 1 minute and 60 seconds!

Here's a man (Botero) who has a university degree and and a rich father. He could easily have gone and got a nice simple job working in a bank but he likes riding his bike.

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DAVID DUFFIELD 2001…..

Josepi Beloki, following in the footsteps of Lance Indurain.

Air-conditioning wasn't invented when they built that hotel in 1821 - no, I'm exaggerating! (describing a hot night passed in a beautiful old hotel).

So, the river running through here, cooling air from it's hot and sticky day.

Mike's got all this information stashed in his head. The old grey cells were going click, click, click, and they wouldn't actually put themselves to pieces!

In the Tour of Italy, he either took his foot off the pedal or did the same thing.

(no context missing here!)

Pantani was like half a yard of popcorn! (reminiscing over riders' weights).

We were at the ad break, so you couldn't smell the barbeque going full tilt!

We would have no room to swing a cat…….I shouldn't let cats out of the bag!

He (a rider) looks a little young to be out of school.

Sean Kelly, the man who used to eat peat for breakfast!

Soloradathama (= solo ride in the mountains).

Wachashiza (= world championships in Zurich).

If you,re licking your lips at the prospect of a bunch sprint…I'm licking my lips at the swimming-pool inside the chateau. (an aerial view near the end of a flat stage).

I'm sure a lot of people when they get home will find their kids have snitched the sheets from the bed and put them up in the sky. (roadside banners).

A little bit of speculation flowing from the lips of Sean Kelly? Can I stick your neck out?

(Much pondering over how enormous a penny-farthing would need to be to get a big top gear)…in case you're wondering why they don't ride them anymore!

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Heart-rendering stories.

He's ridden himself into the cobbles.

He (Boardman) crashed out through injury.

It could be all over bar the shouting, or until the fat lady sings.

It's every man for himself- man the lifeboaaaats!

Monet was born in Le Havre or Paris, or was brought up there and then went to Paris to do his painting.

See now as they go up: the stunted trees, the sparse grass, the special alpine flowers that can withstand the hard winter.

Any of you who have just finished hoovering the house out and have turned on the old TV…..

Easy-go-lucking.

My (steering) wheel's on the right-hand side, and when you look down you can almost get vertigo and bumps on your tummy, it's so far down!

They're big birds, so watch out lads, in case they drop one on you! (birds dropping bones on mountain rocks to break them open).

And the streaker gets his organs caught and thrown out of the finishing straight! He nearly won by a short head!

Apurov (=Abdujaparov!).

If you ever get the chance to visit Paris, do go up to the d'Orsay….I love painters; they've got Monet, Ceganne and Déjà.

2, 4, 10, 20: there must be 100 photographers here on the line!

He had time to throw his hands up in the…er…

De las Cuevas is so far down on GC you could time him in with a calendar!

This morning I went out for a run (in the Pyrenees) and was looking at the little alpine flowers.

They cycle through the toll - and no one's got their money out!

Paris, we can't hear, we've got a thunderstorm on our heads!

Escartin has a pursuiter's hooter. A big nose spread all over his face to suck in lots of oxygen.

Dr Robert Millar says stay clear of Columbians and weaker Spanish riders on the descent.

This is what I call a "beyond comprehensible" climb.

If you've got a grandmother in a wheelchair, now's the time to take her for a walk so she needn't see this!

SR: What are they doing there, Dave? - DD: They're riding their bicycles!

Also STEPHEN ROCHE from the same period…

He's got his backside between two chairs.

I have my ear to the grindstone, Dave.

The team is not firing on all four cylinders.

It's time for them to show the colour of their…….

There is more than one guy has ideas behind his head here.

If it came to the sprint, Ulrich might have the upper hand on Ulrich.

He probably doesn't know himself what he's up to. That's the sad thing about it. (on a Virenque breakaway)

They're uneasy here, they're going round the corners like an old thrupenny bit.

And MIKE SMITH (link-man)…

The birthday boy of three years ago.

It could be that '98 will be seen as a watershed year. Let's hope it's a watershed with the water flowing in the right direction when all the dust has settled.

I'm sure everyone who enjoyed it took part.

Not actually a lake, a reservoir, as it's artificial water.

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Hello chaps. Here are the quotes I have, more or less chronologically. There are also a handful from Stephen Roche and Mike Smith in the same spirit, just to show how infectious is the great Duffield mindset. Hope you like them! I'm living in Finland at the moment and there is a home-grown commentator here these days, so unfortunately we don't get to hear Dave anymore. This is a development of the last couple of years; he used to be well followed in the Nordic countries too!
Best from Jim.

1996-8

DAVID DUFFIELD QUOTES….

Stephen Roche and I have just been watching this day, not dissimilar to other days, when they go fast, fall off and come in to the finish.

Neil Stephens: the great lion-horse of the Festina team.!

A short sharp reaction.

Laurent Fignon just got bombed by a baguette!

As the french say, there's nothing so long as a day without bread, and Laurent Fignon just got some but there's nothing in it!

If we had a yo-yo championship of the day, Riis would get the award.

No it's not the bedouins! (roadside info tents).

The unusuality of the race.

If the whole thing proverbially hits the fan.

In the blue shoulders, that is Jalabert.

The commentary point we're sitting from now.

I am sitting here with my chin on the counter, my mouth open like a great big whale scooping up plankton. I am gobsmacked!

One day they'll tell him (El Diablo) where to put the fork, and it won't be very pleasant either!

People are almost stripping down to their next-to-nothing.

Look down the valley…if you've got vertigo, sort of…don't look down the valley.

The mountains look black and white. The white is snow because the snow is still up in the sky.

Too many cooks to spoil the broth.

This is not for the lads back there who have any problems with their ticker-tockers! (on the descent).

It'll be time for the proverbial on the fan!

If I wasn't grey already, I'd go even greyer.

And the gap is down to 40 seconds, as I'm getting carried away by the statues!

This is like Wimbledon., Ascot and Silverstone all wrapped in together and plonked in the middle of Paris: amazing!

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From: Niall
Subject: Duffers

My favourite Duffieldism is when Dave get all euphoric and exclaims "THIS IS WHAT BIKE RACING IS ALL ABOUT"

Cheers, Niall

This is exactly the sort of thing that gets kids into cycling. Mad action on the screen and Duffield going crazy on the mic. Its got to have an effect in getting people into cyclesport somewhere. Well spotted Niall, keep 'em coming.

From: Alijosa , Singapore
Subject: duffield

Hello there I've had a chance of listening to cycling commentary in many languages and David Duffield beats them all. Name a person who can enterntain you for five or more hours during a long stage. Sure, others may be more knowledgable and proper but also oh so boring. And David...well, there's always something to talk about.

One of the Duffieldisms that you migt have forgotten to mention: "....and the proverbial has hit the fan" , probably meaning: ...and the action in a group of riders has started.

Thanks Alijosa for that one. How on earth do you manage to get to hear DD in Singapore? You're right of course - there is always something for DD to talk about. Granted it might sometimes be at the wrong time but there's always something to talk about!

From: Justi
Subject: Duff Duff

It always worries me when he says 'by the way...' because you know he's going off somewhere - usually something to do with food, while the race is reaching the most exciting point and Sean Kelly is saying 'Er, David, that's the 1 kilometre banner they'll be going under..'

Enjoyed the site though.

Justi

Thanks Justi - By the way....

From: Mike
Subject: The god of cycling

No-one has mentioned is ability to consume local wine/beer and off-the-track delicacies.

my only complaint is that he is a such an obvious fan of Armstrong. He does sell UK cycling better than anyone else.

By the way has anyone heard his story about fat-bottomed ladies and those without clothing for a PR shot? Is it me but are Eurosport reducing his contribution and commentary time.

Duffers isn't duff just "going off on a tangent".

Mike (Kingston/Thames)

It would be interesting to go out to dinner with him one night on the Tour. If anyone has met him in a restaurant is there any chance you can do a report for us? And does anyone reckon Russell Williams really eats that many baguettes as DD makes out?

From: Mike
Subject: Peter Farazijn

It's out of date and in dutch but go to www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/9863 and click on the relevant bit.

Ciao again.

Thanks Mike. Did you send us this in a "By the way" off on a tangent tribute to DD? Its a good page isn't it and Peter Farazijn was an interesting rider.

From: Martyn
Subject: Duffers

Here is one that seems to have disappeared a bit this year in favour of "the battling ossy" The bold Stewy or anyone else that attacks and gets 10 seconds down the road. Not to mention the great ride at the Tour of Langkawi.

Indeed. And now DD can't mention the Bold Stewy without mentioning his Cobra sports car either.

From: Paul
Subject: We Love David Duffield

Love the site.
I remember reading in Cycling Weekly about David's three-wheeled exploits in the late 1950's/early 1960's, and I'm sure I met him, at least once, while on Sunday rides with the Kingston Wheelers. He would have been on his way home from a time-trial but I don't recall daring to speak to him - he was an awesome figure even then, because of his achievements and his obvious madness!
In between throwing my shoes at the television, I love the man! Long may he continue to delight and infuriate us, as he would put it (and does, many times a day), "too, as well" (i.e. also).

Paul, Surrey

Thanks Paul. Not many people contact us regarding DDs riding exploits. It would be interesting to find out more about what he was like in those days.

Thanks everyone for the emails. Please keep sending any info you might have on the great man and for those of you out there who don't like David's style of commentary then in the words of the man himself:

"If you can't stand the heat of the kitchen then don't come into it!"

Has anyone got any pictures of themselves with David? It would be great if we could display them on here, perhaps with his autograph is someone has that as well.

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From: Ben
Subject: duffers

hi addiscombe cc
i too have been a fan of the duffers stream of (un)consiousness for many years. i write a road race report for the de laune cc magazine and always give it a title from some of the phrases that he uses over and over again (these can be viewed on our web page: www.delaunecc.org). the personal favourite from this tour was him reading out the complete menu from his hotel on the 21/7/01 stage.

regards ben
de laune cc road race sec.

Gotta love those transition stages when the racing is so quiet that out comes the trusty menu from the night before. Good to see the De Laune on the web with such a good site.

From: Brian
Subject: Duffieldism

You ask for clarification of the phrase "the rough end of a ragman's trumpet".
There is a north of England working class expression of great surprise: "well f**k me with a ragman's trumpet". I'm sure that you'll see the connection .......
Hope that this helps.
An excellent website BTW.

Brian

It helps.. Too Much!

From: Phil
Subject: No Subject

The Duffers site is fantastic!
My familiarity with the Duffieldism's on the site is unnerving - obviously I'm spending far too much time watching old TDF videos on rainy Sunday's - time to get a life.
We all have our favourites, but surely his legendary condemnation of the hapless young lad who knocked Beppe Guerinni off his bike on Alpe D’Huez in 1999 must rate as the apotheosis of Dave's genius.
Remember the scene - the "yard of pump-water"-like Guerinni is riding to victory when, following a bit of a fandango go-right-go-left-go-over-the-bars, Beppe hits the floor.
Duffers: “Awwww nooooo!.....what a stupid, stupid man......if I knew that man I wouldn't want to be friends with him ever again."
Steven Roche (stifling a giggle) summed it up for all of us watching: “Well said Dave, and keeping it clean as well,"
This clip deservedly made it on to one of those bloomers-style shows on ITV.
Dave and Sean are the Eric and Ernie of sports commentary e.g:

Dave: "WhatdoyoureckonSean?Dearviewer,especiallythoseofyouswitchingonEurosportexpect
ingtoseethetennisandinsteadseeingallthesechapsonbicycles,Seanisfourtimeswinner
ofthegreenjersey, [no explanation what the green jersey is of course] AnywaySean,isDekkergoingtostayawaytotakethestageoristhebunchlyingdoggobeforego
inglicketyspit [another one!] andreelinghimin,ehSean?

Sean:
"Yes."

Mygirlfrend, who has never watched cycling in her life before, is now addicted to Eurosport. Like most neophyte viewers she is often driven to distraction by Duffers but soon she will come to understand. Cycling ain't cycling without the Man.
Full marks to Addiscombe CC for providing us with a forum to express our devotion. Surely it is about time his nuggets were immortalised in print - so to speak.

Cheers, Phil

Thanks Phil, interestingly its the wives and girlfriends that are amongst his biggest fans (and consequently send him pictures of their pussies - see Duffield Facts) and Its probably because he is always *trying* to explain what bike racing is all about. Although its normally to the disappointment of the boring know it all *expert* amateur road racers out there , some of which have now started to send me abusive Duffield mail. Can you believe it? Plonkers.

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Post Tour de France 2001

The interest in David Duffield reached fever pitch toward the end of the Tour de France 2001. Emails were received and the best ones are below for your enjoyment.

From: Ryan
Subject: duffield

One Duffieldism that I thought you would have got,

Now the (Saeco, Telecom etc.) team are starting to go = Team is working hard at the front. Usually uttered after the team has been working at the front for well over 20k. Also can be applied to a rider who has been at the front for at least half an hour.

Other classic Duffers characteristics include,

Confusion over which rider he is watching. Even if one was 10 minutes behind in the peleton and the other was in the front with a break of 3. This happens frequently when he is not sure who is in the break and if a team mate attacks from the peleton he thinks that is the rider attacking the break. Most recently when Cardenas won his stage and he was not sure whether he was watching Laiseka or Etxebarria.

As you have mentioned in other areas, failure to pay attention to what is going on. Which he does realise and then apologises for another 5 minutes by which time the race is usually finished.

One last one. This usually happens to Sean. Duffers asks a question, short pause and before Sean answers he then continues to evaluate all possible answers that Sean could give. Usually ends with Sean just saying YES when Duffers finally finishes his question.

I have watched Eurosport for two years now and suffered. Lots of people in our club like Duffers, but I think he is the worst commentator I have ever heard. Unfortunately I have no choice if I want to see any cycling coverage in the UK. The whole idea is to analyse the action from an informed point of view. He does appear to be informed but in no way able to analyse what is going on (probably comes from being a tester in his racing days). Comparisons to Murray are just not fair. Murray has made some fantastic mistakes but his following of the action has never faulted, despite mis-identifications, jinxed timing and poking Nigel Mansell on the huge bruise on his head. Still Duffers does deserve recognition for his "attempts" to try and popularise cycling and his dedication to the cause.

Like the site. Keep up the good work.

Ryan
Birmingham Cycling Club
www.birmcc.org.uk

I guess with David you have to do part of the work when watching a race. You look after the technicalities of who's in the break and who's off the back and leave the entertaining stories of cheese, hard work, Fausto Coppi and rabbits called sixpence to DD. Lets see what the others say...

From: Edmund
Subject: Dufferisms

Hi, love the site!
Here are some tasty snippets which spring to mind:
Calling the banned Spinachi bars "Spinergy" bars (David, they make wheels!) In the early days of EPO awareness, he was calling haematocrit "haematoclit" bless 'im......like that one, David! The little Columbian climbers who "weigh 7-stone wet-though" The marvellous moment during the Giro 2001 when the riders were getting hassled from the Simoni supporters and just as David was stepping into the pulpit to preach how something had to be done with the wild tifosi, Belli plants his right fist on a culprit's coupon (the hapless victim turned out to be Simoni's cousin or something)...David's joyous reaction was priceless, and just a leeeetttle out of line considering they threw Belli off the race for that! The similar defining moment when Guidi was knocked down by that geeky lad brandishing a camera on Alpe d'Huez...David said something like..." and I hope that all the people who are friends of this man, never, ever speak to him again...!", while sounding like he was frothing at the mouth...no, sorry.."spitting nails"!
I have a feeling we have a long way to go before exhausting new material for your site...

Ed Edinburgh

p.s. I like to sometimes watch Euro while listening to France Inter commentary on Long Wave radio...they also have live reports from the motorbikes and wow can they make it exciting!

Haematoclit??? What did he think epo did? Is it oestrogen based?