Biography
Bartoli turned professional in 1992 with Mercatone Uno-Medeghini-Zucchini and in 1995 moved to the MG-Technogym team of Giancarlo Ferretti. In 1998, Bartoli signed for Asics. In summer 1998, Bartoli joined Mapei. After the Tour de France, won by Marco Pantani, Mapei showed interest in contracting Pantani, and Asics went for another sponsor, but Bartoli left and joined Mapei from 1999 to 2001.
In 1997 and 1998, Bartoli won UCI Road World Cup. From 10 October 1998 to 6 June 1999, Bartoli led the UCI Road World Rankings. During these years, Bartoli was helped by Paolo Bettini, with whom Bartoli had worked in the MG-Technogym and Asics teams. Bettini kept improving. After a crash in the 1999 Tour of Germany, Bartoli was injured and Bettini rose to prominence, winning Liège–Bastogne–Liège. From that moment, both demanded a leading role. Although they worked together at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the feud culminated in the 2001 world championship during which the two refused to collaborate, which contributed to Óscar Freire of Spain winning the world title.
Bartoli left Mapei to re-join Ferretti at Fassa Bortolo for 2002-2003. In 2004, Bartoli moved to Team CSC. In the 2004 Tour de France, Bartoli abandoned in the 18th stage, after being called back by manager Bjarne Riis from a break to protect his captain Ivan Basso. Bartoli stopped racing after completing 2004 injured. He said: "I just wasn't motivated to continue...I can't be a top level rider any more and that was a major influence on my decision, rather than my recent physical problems."
Bartoli was one of the most successful classics riders of his time. He won a variety of classics, starting with the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Omloop "Het Volk" in 1996 and 2001 respectively, and hilly races such as Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1997 and 1998, Züri-Metzgete in 1998, La Flèche Wallonne in 1999, and the Amstel Gold Race in 2002. He won the Giro di Lombardia in 2002 and 2003. He was national champion in 2000, and won short stage races such as the Tirreno–Adriatico, Tour de Reggio Calabria and Three Days of De Panne.
In the world championship he finished third in 1996 and 1998.
Read more about this topic: Michele Bartoli
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