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 Classifications.
History
Inoxpran The Inoxpran cycling team began in 1979. The Inoxpran team achieved success with Italian Giovanni Battaglin who won in the period of a month and a half in 1981 two Grand Tours in with the 1981 Giro d'Italia and the 1981 Vuelta a España. Battaglin was the second rider in history to achieve this Giro-Vuelta double after Eddy Merckx who achieved the double in 1973. Roberto Visentini had been the Inoxpran team leader in 1983 when he finished second overall in the 1983 Giro d'Italia.
Carrera
Carrera Jeans became the title sponsor in 1984 and Visentini finally won the Giro d'Italia in 1986. At the end of 1985 the team had signed Stephen Roche to perform for the team at the Tour de France. Roche had a poor season in 1986 but bounced back in 1987. When Roche won the Tour de Romandie just ahead of the 1987 Giro d'Italia, he became the number one favourite for the maglia rosa and wanted to be the team leader during the race, something that Visentini, an Italian with an Italian team and the defending champion of the event expected to be alone. This inter team rivalry came to a head during the race when Roche attacked Visentini. Roche went on to win the race and then the 1987 Tour de France. This was the only time that the Carrera team would win the Tour and it would be the last time the team won the Giro d'Italia. Roche left the team at the end of 1987 but returned to the team in 1992 for his last two seasons.
In 1989, Carrera manager Davide Boifava together with Luciano Bracchi, Francesco Boifava, Tacchella's family and Valentino Compagnoni founded Carrera Podium, a manufacturer of cycles. From 1990 on, the team rode on these Carrera bikes.
During this time, Claudio Chiappucci rose from being the domestique of Visentini and Roche during the 1987 Giro to the team leader. Chiappucci wore the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification during the 1990 Tour de France finishing the race second overall and famously battled Miguel Indurain in the 1992 Tour de France. Chiappucci won the Great Italian Classic Milan–San Remo for the team in 1991.
During the latter years of the team, a young Marco Pantani emerged as a contender for the Grand Tours during the 1994 season finishing on the podium in both the 1994 Giro d'Italia and the 1994 Tour de France. Pantani's success was hindered during the last two years of the Carrera team's existence. When Carrera stopped sponsoring a cycling team at the end of 1996, it was reported that manager Davide Boifava would be building a team around Marco Pantani with Mercatone Uno as the main sponsor. However Davide Cassani became the manager of that new team, taking with him as directeur sportifs Giuseppe Martinelli and Alessandro Giannelli and ten of the riders from Carrera including Pantani forming the team with whom Pantani would win the 1998 Tour de France and the 1998 Giro d'Italia. At the same time, Boifava started a team with Asics as the main sponsor and took with him five riders from Carrera including Claudio Chiappucci.
Doping The team doctor of the Carrera cycling team, Dr. Giovanni Grazzi, worked with Professor Francesco Conconi at the University of Ferrara in 1993. It was reported in the Rome-based newspaper, La Republica, in January 2000 that Conconi was involved with administering EPO to riders on the Carrera team. In March 2000 the Italian Judge Franca Oliva published a report detailing the conclusions of an investigation into a number of sports doctors including Professor Conconi. This official judicial investigation concluded that the riders of the Carrera team were administered EPO in 1993. The riders included Stephen Roche, Claudio Chiappucci, Guido Bontempi, Rolf Sørensen, Mario Chiesa, Massimo Ghirotto and Fabio Roscioli.
Files seized as part of the judicial investigation allegedly detail a number of aliases for former Tour de France, Giro d'Italia winner and World Champion Stephen Roche including Rocchi, Rossi, Rocca, Roncati, Righi and Rossini. In 1997, Claudio Chiappucci told prosecutor Vincenzo Scolastico that he had been using EPO since 1993, but later he recalled that statement.Vrijgesproken Conconi moreel veroordeeld door Italiaanse gerecht
Major wins
1979 Stage 7 Tour de Suisse, Giovanni Battaglin Mountains classification Tour de France, Giovanni Battaglin Coppa Placci, Giovanni Battaglin Coppa Agostoni, Giovanni Battaglin
1980 Zambana di Trento, Giovanni Battaglin Stage 5 Giro d'Italia, Jørgen Marcussen Stage 18 Giro d'Italia, Giovanni Battaglin Coppa Placci, Giovanni Battaglin Chignolo Po, Giovanni Battaglin Milano–Torino, Giovanni Battaglin Quistello Criterium, Alfredo Chinetti
1981 Stages 1 & 3 Vuelta a España, Guido Bontempi Stage 2 Vuelta a España, Alfredo Chinetti Stage 8b Vuelta a España, Giovanni Battaglin Overall Giro d'Italia, Giovanni Battaglin Stage 1a, Guido Bontempi Stage 19, Giovanni Battaglin
1982 Stage 6 Settimana Ciclistica Bergamasca, Bruno Leali Stage 15 Giro d'Italia, Guido Bontempi Coppa Placci, Alfredo Chinetti
1983 Stages 2 & 8 Giro d'Italia, Guido Bontempi Stage 22 Giro d'Italia, Roberto Visentini Giro del Piemonte, Guido Bontempi
1984 Gent–Wevelgem, Guido Bontempi Prologue Giro del Trentino, Roberto Visentini Stage 13 Giro d'Italia, Roberto Visentini Stage 18 Giro d'Italia, Bruno Leali Stage 21 Giro d'Italia, Guido Bontempi Stage 1 Ruota d'Oro, Guido Bontempi Stage 2 Ruota d'Oro, Bruno Leali
1985 Mountains classification Tour de Romandie, Beat Breu Overall Grabs–Voralp, Beat Breu Stage 1, Beat Breu Stage 9a (TTT) Tour de SuisseThe riders on the squad were Massimo Ghirotto, Claudio Chiappucci, Urs Zimmermann, Francesco Rossignoli, Giancarlo Perini, Beat Breu, Jørgen Pedersen, Fabio Bordonali Stage 10 Tour de France, Jørgen Pedersen Martigny–Mauvoisin, Beat Breu Stage 5 Tour of Denmark, Guido Bontempi Giro del Lazio, Bruno Leali Switzerland National Hill Climb Championships, Beat Breu Oreno di Vimercate Cyclo-cross, Claudio Chiappucci
1986 Stage 6 Paris–Nice, Jørgen Pedersen Overall Critérium International, Urs Zimmermann Stage 2, Urs Zimmermann Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria, Guido Bontempi Gent–Wevelgem, Guido Bontempi Stage 6 Giro d'Italia, Roberto Visentini Overall Critérium du Dauphiné, Urs Zimmermann Stage 5, Erich Mächler Overall Giro d'Italia, Roberto Visentini Points classification, Guido Bontempi Stages 7, 10, 11, 17 & 20, Guido Bontempi Stage 10 Tour de Suisse, Massimo Ghirotto Stages 6, 22 & 23 Tour de France, Guido Bontempi Stage 21 Tour de France, Erich Mächler Coppa Placci, Guido Bontempi Gouden Pijl, Guido Bontempi Paris–Brussels, Guido Bontempi
1987 Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, Stephen Roche Stage 4, Stephen Roche Stage 1 (TTT) Paris–NiceUrs Zimmermann, Claudio Chiappucci, Erich Mächler, Jørgen Pedersen, Walter Magnago, Eddy Schepers, Bruno Leali, Stephen Roche Stage 7b Paris–Nice, Stephen Roche Milan–San Remo, Erich Mächler Overall Tour de Romandie, Stephen Roche Stages 5a & 5b, Stephen Roche Overall Giro d'Italia, Stephen Roche Prologue & Stage 13, Roberto Visentini Stages 1b, & 22 Stephen Roche Stage 12, Guido Bontempi Prologue & Stage 3b Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Erich Mächler Preis Vom Seetal, Erich Mächler Italy National Road Championships, Bruno Leali Overall Tour de France, Stephen Roche Stage 2 (TTT)Giancarlo Perini, Davide Cassani, Jørgen Pedersen, Guido Bontempi, Eddy Schepers, Stephen Roche, Massimo Ghirotto, Erich Mächler, Urs Zimmermann Stage 10, Stephen Roche Kortenhoef Criterium, Stephen Roche Linne Criterium, Guido Bontempi Sint-Truiden Criterium, Guido Bontempi Coppa Placci, Massimo Ghirotto Coppa Bernocchi, Guido Bontempi UCI Road World Championships, Stephen Roche Trofeo Baracchi (TTT), Bruno Leali & Massimo Ghirotto Aalsmeer Criterium, Stephen Roche Super Prestige Pernod, Stephen Roche
1988 Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, Erich Mächler Prologue & Stage 4b, Erich Mächler Stages 1 & 5 Settimana Siciliana, Guido Bontempi Stages 3 & 6b Tirreno–Adriatico, Erich Mächler E3 Prijs Vlaanderen, Guido Bontempi Stage 1 Vuelta a España, Ettore Pastorelli Stage 4b Tour de Romandie, Urs Zimmermann Stages 2 & 5 Giro d'Italia, Guido Bontempi GP Industria & Artigianato, Massimo Ghirotto Prologue Tour de France, Guido Bontempi Coppa Bernocchi, Guido Bontempi
1989 Stage 7 Vuelta a España, Massimo Ghirotto Stage 2 Giro d'Italia, Acácio Da Silva Stage 1 Tour de France, Acácio Da Silva Coppa Placci, Claudio Chiappucci Stage 1b GP de Sintra, Acácio Da Silva Giro del Piemonte, Claudio Chiappucci
1990 Stage 4 Settimana Siciliana, Claudio Chiappucci Points classification Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, Guido Bontempi Stages 1 & 2, Guido Bontempi Stage 7 Paris–Nice, Claudio Chiappucci GP Pino Cerami, Maximilian Sciandri Overall Giro di Puglia, Guido Bontempi Stage 1, Guido Bontempi Stages 2, 3a, 4, 5 & 6 Vuelta a Aragón, Maximilian Sciandri Mountains classification Giro d'Italia, Claudio Chiappucci Stage 1a Tour de Luxembourg, Acácio Da Silva Stage 3 Tour de Luxembourg, Bruno Bonnet Stage 4 Tour de Luxembourg, Erich Mächler Giro dell'Appennino, Flavio Giupponi Stage 9 Tour de France, Massimo Ghirotto Stage 19 Tour de France, Guido Bontempi Geraardsbergen Criterium, Claudio Chiappucci Critérium cycliste international de Quillan, Claudio Chiappucci
1991 Stages 2 & 4b Vuelta a Murcia, Djamolidine Abduzhaparov Milan–San Remo, Claudio Chiappucci Stage 1a Driedaagse van De Panne, Maximilian Sciandri Gent–Wevelgem, Djamolidine Abduzhaparov Stages 10 & 15 Vuelta a España, Guido Bontempi Points classification Giro d'Italia, Claudio Chiappucci Stage 6, Vladimir Pulnikov Stage 9, Massimo Ghirotto Stage 11, Maximilian Sciandri Stage 2 Tour de Luxembourg, Guido Bontempi Points classification Tour de France, Djamolidine Abduzhaparov Mountains classification, Claudio Chiappucci Stages 1 & 4, Djamolidine Abduzhaparov Stage 13, Claudio Chiappucci Draai van de Kaai, Claudio Chiappucci Circuito delle Mura - Città di Marostica, Claudio Chiappucci Stage 7 Volta a Catalunya, Djamolidine Abduzhaparov Giro del Piemonte, Djamolidine Abduzhaparov
1992 Stages 5a & 6 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, Djamolidine Abduzhaparov Stage 4 Vuelta al País Vasco, Vladimir Pulnikov Giro dell'Appennino, Claudio Chiappucci Points classification Vuelta a España, Djamolidine Abduzhaparov Stages 2a, 4, 11 & 21, Djamolidine Abduzhaparov Mountains classification Giro d'Italia, Claudio Chiappucci Stages 6 & 8, Guido Bontempi Mountains classification Tour de France, Claudio Chiappucci Stages 5, Guido Bontempi Stages 13, Claudio Chiappucci Stages 16, Stephen Roche Boxmeer, Criterium, Claudio Chiappucci Castillon-la-Bataille, Criterium, Claudio Chiappucci Gouden Pijl, Claudio Chiappucci Wincanton Classic, Massimo Ghirotto La Louvière, Claudio Chiappucci Overall CronostaffettaGiancarlo Perini, Vladimir Pulnikov, Andrea Tafi, Fabio Roscioli, Alessandro Giannelli Stage 1bGiancarlo Perini, Vladimir Pulnikov, Andrea Tafi, Fabio Roscioli, Alessandro Giannelli Sprint classification Clásico RCN : Fabio Roscioli Stage 1, Claudio Chiappucci Stage 4, Alessandro Giannelli Stage 5, Vladimir Pulnikov
1993 Stage 3 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, Guido Bontempi Stage 3a Driedaagse van De Panne, Rolf Sørensen Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Rolf Sørensen Eschborn-Frankfurt City Loop, Rolf Sørensen Prologue & Stages 1 & 4b Tour de Romandie, Rolf Sørensen Amsterdam Rai Derny Race, Rolf Sørensen Mountains classification Giro d'Italia, Claudio Chiappucci Stage 6, Guido Bontempi Stage 14, Claudio Chiappucci Stage 9 Tour de Suisse, Rolf Sørensen Stage 12 Tour de France, Fabio Roscioli Stage 17 Tour de France, Claudio Chiappucci