Cycling: Cyclist Marco Pantani - A Remembrance

By JAMES RAIA

On the day he won the Tour de France in 1998, Marco Pantani arrived unannounced in the hotel press room in Paris several hours after his triumphant win.

Dressed in an expensive suit, he strode through several rows of reporters and sat down for interviews with what seemed like a never-ending stream of Italian reporters.

He had just become the first Italian to win the Tour de France in 23 years. His compatriot journalists gushingly cheered him and Pantani gleamed in the spotlight.

It may have been the last glorious day of the great climber's life.

Pantani, 34, the last of the seven cyclists to claim the Tour of Italy and Tour de France in the same year, died alone in an Italian hotel room Feb. 15 under suspicious circumstances.

Since his death, Pantani's demise has been linked to speculated long-term drug use, and the tragedy further clouded the turbulent life of the feared climber.

In short, Pantani seemed vibrant when he was winning and vulnerable when he wasn't.

Small, muscular and powerful, Pantani was a prototypical climber. He won 36 professional races, held the leader's yellow jersey in the Tour de France six times and the leader's pink jersey in the Tour of Italy 14 times.

Pantani had already won many races, but he vaulted himself to the top of the cycling world when soloed to his '98 stage win in the Tour de France with a quick, definitive attack in the Col du Galibier, 2,646-meter peak high into the Alps. He left Jan Ullrich, the defending race titlist, suddenly and rode proudly to the finish in inclement weather and on gradients of more than 12 percent.

Pantani's win not only propelled him into the race lead again, it solidified his race win and his return to the sport after two horrible crashes.

In what seemed like a career replete with a penchant for misfortune, Pantani's accidents included a '95 mishap when he was hit by a Jeep, suffered multiple injuries and spent five months on crushes. Two years later, he was injured again when his bike crossed paths with a black cat.

One of Pantani's epic rides occurred in 2000 when he and Lance Armstrong rode together to the top of Mt. Ventoux in the French Alps. Armstrong was on his way to his second race title and he eased at the end of the stage, allowing Pantani to cross the line first.

Pantani was furious. The next day, a rest day at the Tour de France, Pantani said he "didn't need Armstrong's sympathy" at a press conference.

The eventual race titlist fired back. He criticized Pantani for giving himself the nickname of "Il Pirata," The Pirate. Pantani liked his self-appointed moniker, based on his penchant for wearing a folded bandana on his bald head. But he was also called "Elefantino" or Little Elephant, a nicknamed he despised since it was based on his protruding ears.

Armstrong pointedly reminded the media of the elephant nickname during the press conference.

Pantani failed a random drug test at the 1999 Tour of Italy and was expelled from the race. He also endured a rash of criticism and scrutiny in 2001 when a syringe was found in a police raid in a race hotel room, again during the Tour of Italy. He was suspended again, although criminal charges were eventually dropped.

Last year, Pantani's last season in the peloton, he returned to the Tour of Italy, suffered in stages and finished a disappointing 14th overall.

Late last year, a depressed Pantani checked himself in the mental health facility. And earlier this year, Pantani's father was quoted in an Italian sports daily. He said he felt his son would not compete again.

As it has turned out, a father's words have never been more prophetic.

© Copyright 2003, James Raia

Posted with the permission of James Raia.

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