Davide Rebellin died on Wednesday on the age of 51 after he was hit by a truck throughout a motorbike trip and didn’t survive the incident. The Italian bicycle owner formally ended his lengthy racing profession this yr. Rebellin was knowledgeable bicycle owner for over 30 years, this tribute solely touches on the details of his life on two wheels.
A younger Davide Rebellin – Stuttgart World Championships 1991
Davide Rebellin was a passionate racing bicycle owner. He stated in mid-2019, when he determined to proceed racing for one more yr on the age of 47: “I’ve determined to maintain racing as a result of simply enthusiastic about it makes my coronary heart beat sooner.”
Flèche 1995
Davide Rebellin turned professional on the age of 20 with GB-MG Maglificio. That was midway by way of 1992, Rebellin has been knowledgeable bike racer for over 30 years. At GB-MG Maglificio, Rebellin was a teammate of the highest riders within the peloton: Mario Cipollini, Johan Museeuw, Eros Poli, Fabio Baldato, Andrei Tchmil and Franco Ballerini. This didn’t intimidate Rebellin as he finishes ninth within the Tour of Lombardy, amongst different good performances. In 1993, his first full season, he received the German Hofbrau Cup stage race. Within the subsequent years, Rebellin turns into a stable professional and his outcomes present that he additionally has potential as a GC rider. 1996 stands out as he received a mountain stage within the Giro, wears the pink for six days and is sixth within the closing total. On the finish of the yr he takes seventh place within the Vuelta a España, however he by no means once more finishes excessive within the Grand Excursions. He did win Tirreno-Adriatico (2001), Paris-Good (2008) and some different quick stage races. The 2000 Tour of Italy was his the final Grand Tour end.
Amstel Gold Race – Davide Rebellin and Michael Boogerd
Rebellin was changing into a Classics specialist. The breakthrough got here in 1997, when he was the perfect in two World Cup races: the Clásica San Sebastián and the Championship of Zurich. That yr he additionally completed fourth within the closing rating of the World Cup. You must look forward to 2000 the place he takes his first podium end in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, however from then on he recurrently within the high 10 or podium. 2004 was his unimaginable yr. On April 18 he received the Amstel Gold Race, on April 21 the Flèche Wallonne and on April 25 Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Eight days and three high wins. Michael Boogerd completed second in each Amstel and Liège. “Davide was all the time my worry giver,” Boogerd stated WielerFlits on Wednesday. He described the Italian as: “a really sensible, intelligent rider. By no means did one flight of stairs too many, sat nonetheless on his bike.”
Lombardia’15
Boogerd and Rebellin then meet a number of occasions within the finals of Amstel and Liège, however neither of them would win these races after that yr. Rebellin did win Flèche Wallonne two extra occasions, in 2007 and 2009. The 2009 victory was to be the final actually large victory of his profession. On April 29, 2009, one week after beating Andy Schleck on the Mur de Huy, the information got here out that Rebellin had examined optimistic for CERA, the brand new EPO. Checks had been made on samples from the 2008 Olympic Video games. Rebellin had completed second behind Samuel Sánchez, however needed to hand again his silver medal. He was provisionally suspended after which after the ‘B’ pattern was additionally examined optimistic in July, Rebellin was informed that his suspension would run till April 2011.
2008 Olympic video games
Rebellin was 39 years outdated when his suspension expired and he signed a contract with the Italian Conti crew Miche-Guerciotti and returned to racing in early Could 2011. That yr he didn’t waste a lot time and received the Tre Valli Varesine and Trofeo Melinda. Within the years that adopted, Rebellin rode for the Polish CCC crew and received the Sibiu Biking Tour in 2013, Giro dell’Emilia 2014 and the Coppa Agostoni 2015. The racing and discovering a crew will get tougher for Rebellin, however his enthusiasm continues to be excessive. As time passes his doping optimistic turns into much less vital and he turns into admired because the ‘Outdated Man’ of the peloton.
As a 50 year-old professional
Rebellin continued racing at degree till October, 2022. Within the Veneto Basic, he stated goodbye to his house followers and rode his final ‘race’ in Monaco, the BEKING criterium final weekend. He was 51 years outdated and had been knowledgeable bicycle owner for thirty years, two months and fifteen days, retirement was calling, however he wasn’t going to cease because the gravel scene was calling him.
On Wednesday 30 November, 2022 Davide Rebellin was hit by a truck whereas doing what he liked, driving his bike. 51 is outdated for knowledgeable bicycle owner, however far too younger to depart this earth.
All of us ship our condolences to Davide’s household and associates.
Rebellin was to trip gravel in his retirement and had began with the World championships
Due to WeilerFlits for the premise of the obituary and ProCyclingStats for the profession information.
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