Franco Ballerini is a retired Italian road racing cyclist born on December 11, 1964 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. On his palmarès, there are also other one-day races such as Omloop Het Volk and Paris-Brussels.

Ballerini manages the Italian national cycling squad, winning the the 2002 World Championhsips 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.

Major wins

Tre Valli Varesine1989

GP Città di Camaiore1990

Giro del Piemonte

Paris-Brussels1991

Giro della Romagna1993

2nd stage A Hofbrau Cup1995

Omloop Het Volk

Paris-Roubaix1996

GP van Wallonië

5th stage Tour of Austria1998

Paris-Roubaix

Tour de France

• 1992 - 115th
• 1993 - 61st

Teams

• 1986 - Magniflex
• 1987 - Magniflex
• 1988 - Del Tongo
• 1989 - Malvor-Sidi
• 1990 - Del Tongo
• 1991 - Del Tongo-MG Boys
• 1992 - GB-MG Maglificio
• 1993 - GB-MG Maglificio
• 1994 - Mapei-Clas
• 1995 - Mapei-GB
• 1996 - Mapei-GB
• 1997 - Mapei-GB
• 1998 - Mapei-Bricobi
• 1999 - Lampre-Daikin
• 2000 - Lampre-Daikin
• 2001 - Mapei-Quick Step