Mario Cipollini facts for kids

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Mario Cipollini

Cipollini at the 1993 Tour de France
Personal information
Full name	Mario Cipollini
Nickname	Il Re Leone (The Lion King) Super Mario Cipo Mooie Mario (Pretty Mario) Mousselini
Born	(1967-03-22) 22 March 1967 (age 58) Lucca, Italy
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Weight	76 kg (168 lb; 12 st 0 lb)
Team information
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Sprinter
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France 12 individual stages (1993, 1995–1999) 1 TTT stage (1993) Giro d'Italia Points classification (1992, 1997, 2002) 42 individual stages (1989–1992, 1995–2003) Vuelta a España 3 individual stages (2002) One-day races and Classics World Road Race Championships (2002) National Road Race Championships (1996) Milan–San Remo (2002) Gent–Wevelgem (1992, 1993, 2002) E3 Prijs Vlaanderen (1993) Scheldeprijs (1991, 1993) Other Vélo d'Or (2002)

Mario Cipollini (born March 22, 1967), often called Cipo, is a famous Italian road cyclist who is now retired. He was best known for his amazing sprinting skills. He also raced for a very long time, winning his first professional race in 1988 and his last in 2005. He had 170 professional wins in total. People often called him Il Re Leone (The Lion King) or Super Mario because of his strong personality. Many consider him the best sprinter of his time.

Some of his biggest wins include the Road World Championships and the Milan–San Remo race, both in 2002. He also won 42 stages in the Giro d'Italia, 12 stages in the Tour de France, and three stages in the Vuelta a España.

Mario Cipollini's Cycling Journey

Early Life and First Wins

Cipollini (center) climbing during the 1991 Giro d'Italia

Mario Cipollini was born in San Giusto di Compito, Italy. His family loved cycling. His father, Vivaldo, was a good amateur racer. His brother, Cesare, was a professional cyclist too. Even his sister, Tiziana, competed in cycling. Mario was a fantastic young rider. He won 125 races as a youth and amateur. He became a professional cyclist in 1989.

King of the Sprint Train

Cipollini at the 1997 Paris-Nice

In the 1999 Tour de France, Mario led the fastest stage in Tour history. The riders averaged over 50 kilometers per hour. In the same Tour, he won four stages in a row. This set a new record for consecutive stage wins after World War II. He also won the Gent–Wevelgem race three times (1992, 1993, and 2002), which is a record.

At his best, no one could match Cipollini's speed. He was the first rider to use a "sprint train." This was a group of teammates who worked together. They would ride at the front of the main group of cyclists. They kept the speed very high in the last few kilometers of a race. This made it hard for other riders to attack. It also made sure that Cipollini was in the perfect position. In the final 200–300 meters, he would burst forward to win. This strategy changed how teams approached mass sprints. It also helped create new sprinters like Alessandro Petacchi.

World Champion Success

In early 2002, Cipollini won the Milan–San Remo race. He then won Gent–Wevelgem. After some disagreements, he announced he would retire. But the Italian national coach, Franco Ballerini, convinced him to keep racing. The coach built the Italian team around Cipollini for the 2002 UCI Road World Championships. Cipollini won the famous rainbow jersey in a sprint finish in Zolder, Belgium.

Breaking Records

In the 2003 Giro d'Italia, Cipollini wanted to break a record. He aimed to beat Alfredo Binda's record of 41 Giro stage wins. He was wearing the world champion's jersey at the time. Another rider, Alessandro Petacchi, made it difficult for him. But Cipollini finally broke the record. He had to leave the next stage because of injuries from a crash. He said this crash ended his career. His team was not chosen for the Tour de France that year. Cipollini felt the organizers did not respect his world champion status.

When he left the 2004 Giro after another crash, it was the only time he raced the Giro without winning a stage. In 2008, he returned to racing briefly. He joined the Rock Racing team for the Tour of California.

Life After Racing

Cipollini often talked about retiring during his career. He finally retired for good on April 26, 2005. This was one week before the 2005 Giro began. He rode in a special opening event for the Giro. He wore a bright pink suit that listed all his 42 stage wins.

He came out of retirement in early 2008 with the Rock Racing team. His first race back was the 2008 Tour of California. He finished third in one stage. But just before the Milan–San Remo race, he announced he would retire again. He said he had disagreements about his role on the team.

Mario Cipollini was known for his flashy style and personality. His height, good looks, and long hair earned him the nickname "Lion King." He also used names like "Super Mario." He owned many suits, ties, and shoes. Despite his outgoing public image, Cipollini could be very humble. After breaking Alfredo Binda's record, he said he would have been happy "just to polish [Binda's] shoes." When fellow cyclist Marco Pantani passed away in 2004, Cipollini said he was "devastated." He added it was "a tragedy of enormous proportions for everyone involved in cycling."

In 2010, Cipollini started his own brand of bicycles. These bikes were used by the Italian ISD–NERI team.

Key Achievements

Grand Tour Race Results

Grand Tour	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Giro d'Italia	DNF	142	124	126	—	—	DNF	DNF	89	DNF	DNF	DNF	107	100	DNF	DNF
Tour de France	—	—	—	DNF	DNF	—	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	—	—	—	—	DNF
/ Vuelta a España	—	—	—	—	—	DNF	—	—	DNF	—	—	DNF	—	—	DNF	—

Classic Race Results

See also

In Spanish: Mario Cipollini para niños