Bianchi, a Tradition of Innovation - Part 2
The Mountain bike invention
1984 was the year of the "Mountain bike", the off-road bicycle designed in cooperation with Bianchi USA.
In 1987, Bianchi took over the Austrian trademark "Puch".
The year 1990 brought a further innovative idea leading to a completely new generation of bicycles, the prototype of the modern city bike.
Bianchi's new creation was called "Bianchi Spillo", and in a short time it became a reference for the whole bicycle industry; even nowadays,
all the manufacturers have a range based on this bicycle model.
Though without losing sight of the on-road competitions, Bianchi focused on mountain bike challenges.
In 1991 Bruno Zanchi, riding his Bianchi bike, became MTB World Champion in the downhill specialty.
In 1993 another Bianchi biker, Dario Acquaroli, got the MTB World Championship in the cross country specialty.
In 1995, Bianchi re-engineered in-depth its city bike models through the "City Project" aimed to equip them, for the first time ever, with
avant-garde frames, built according to the most updated ergonomic parameters.
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
The year of the triumph. Marco Pantani leaves everybody behind both at Giro d'Italia and Tour de France: a double win conquered
just by few, to prove himself and the others he's not only the man of one-day-win and meaningless mountain escapes. The best Pirate, the
portrait of sheer joy: the man everybody wants and continues to remember.
The year of Stefano Garzelli, Pirate's trusty friend and faithful team-mate, who at Tour of Switzerland inaugurated successfully his career.
The year of Marco Velo and his win at the Italian Time Trial Championships as well as of the numerous wins of the Martini Racing team in the MTB cross country and downhill.
As life and destiny play with the Pirate's dreams, shattering his hopes while running up towards the utter glory, Marco Velo keeps
at his side with dedication, while confirming his skills of chrono-man. For Bianchi Mercatone Uno, a strong and close-knit team, this is the confirmation of a talent.
Dario Aquaroli and Nadia De Negri, together with the new French star, Gregory Vollet, establish the fame of the MTB Martini Racing Team in the off road.
While Garzelli gets the win in the "Jubilee Tour" flanked by Pantani, and Velo hits for the umpteenth time the title of Italian
champion against the clock, the century ends with the golden shines of the mountain bikes.
To resume the results of the Bianchi-Motorex team, it takes to recall the great deeds of the past champions: José Hermida "el Torito" pulls
together the World Championship, the World Cup and the European Championship, Vollet gains the French Championship, Acquaroli seals off the
contenders and triumphs at the cross country National championship.
New win for Marco Velo in the tricolour time trial race, but it is the Mtb team which stands out as the leading formation worldwide.
World Cup or European Championships, this makes no difference for José Antonio Hermida and Julien Absalon. On his debut, the Spaniard is
second among "Elites" as well as in the World Cup, and he also gets the win at the European Championship. The Frenchman wins the World Cup
within Under 23, then he gains the France Cup and triumphs at the European Championship. Both triumph also in their respective national
championships. In Italy, junior riders are no less: Nicoletta Bresciani captures another tricolour title whereas Quadroni and Lanteri
stand out at the National Championship.
The Bianchi-Coast union bestows strong emotions: the team captained by Swiss Alex Zulle collects 21 wins. The Helvetian champion
is the greatest protagonist of the team pocketing 7 wins inclusive the "Tour of Switzerland".
Another brilliant season breaks out in the off-road for the Motorex-Bianchi team, chaired by Felice Gimondi and directed by the new manager Massimo Ghirotto.
The "boys" strike 21 wins: the World Championship and the Under 23 Cross Country European Championship with Absalon and the Elite European
Championship with Hermida. And that's not all... Absalon, the rising star of the off-road, besides the honour placement in the Under 23
World Cup, scores a wonderful triplet of wins in the prestigious Allianz Cup.
After 19 years Bianchi is back as first sponsor of a professional outfit: Jan Ullrich leads the Bianchi team and at the Centenary
Tour de France he stirs the crowd of fans by challenging Lance Armstrong, defeating him in the time trial race and getting the honour
placement in the overall ranking.
In the off-road sector, the threesome Absalon-Hermida-Dietsch strengthens the leading role of the Bianchi Motorex team in Europe and worldwide,
while Marco Villa stands out on track capturing the win in the Italian Championship and the new Aliverti women team captures 10 successes in total.
The year of celebrations. The event of 120 years of pure "passione celeste" coincides with a brilliant season loaded with emotions.
With Julien Absalon, Bianchi hits an unforgettable double win: the MTB Cross Country Olympic Competition in Athens and the World title at
the World Championship in Les Gets, France. Absalon's magic moment is followed by another important win captured by his country fellow man
and team-mate, Thomas Dietsch, who in July, after getting the Silver medal at the Marathon World Championship in Austria, captures also the
gold medal at the Marathon European Championship in Poland.
Even in the road race, Bianchi confirms its leadership by capturing, with the Swede Magnus Backstedt, colour-bearer of the Alessio-Bianchi team,
the most enthralling and prestigious race among the Northern Classical competitions: the legendary Paris-Roubaix, followed by the on-road
tricolour success of Cristian Moreni at the Italian Championship. Moreni is then summoned to take part with the national team in the Olympic
Games in Athens (where he will give his precious contribution to the Olympic win of Paolo Bettini) and in the World Championship in Verona.
Bianchi is protagonist also on-track with the champion from Bergamo Vera Carrara, who at the World Championship in Melbourne (Australia)
ranks second in the World Point Race Competition.
Bianchi's collection of medals got rich by two more golden medals, those won by Cristian Cominelli of Bianchi-Agos Junior team at the Pupils
Cycle-Cross Italian Championship and at the MTB Cross Country Italian Championship, as well as by two bronze medals conquered in the Male
and Female Junior Cross Country MTB tricolour competitions, respectively by Daniele Radici from Brescia and Nicoletta Bresciani from Bergamo.
Bianchi Today
Since May 1997 F.I.V. Edoardo Bianchi is part of Cycleurope A.B. group, the Swedish company of the Grimaldi group, known as the worldwide most important holding in the cycling sector.
The brands of the Bianchi group (Bianchi, Legnano, Puch and Chiorda) have met those of Cycleurope (Monark, Crescent, DBS, Kildemoes, Everton, Micmo, Gitane) to constitute a unique network in the two-wheel market.
Today Cycleurope can implement the most advanced operative synergies involving prestigious European companies, amongst which Bianchi represents the flagship brand. The strategic investments of the group aim at two outstanding targets: the development of a highly-advanced product and the establishment of Bianchi brand on international markets.
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