View source for Claudio Chiappucci

{{Short description|Italian cyclist (born 1963)}}
{{Infobox cyclist
|name        = Claudio Chiappucci
|image       = Claudio Chiappucci Tour 1993.jpg
|caption     = Chiappucci at the [[1993 Tour de France]]
|fullname    = Claudio Chiappucci
|nickname    = El Diablo
|birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1963|2|28|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Uboldo]], Italy
| height      = 1.72m<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,29/articleid,0910_01_1990_0161_0029_12542663/|title = La Stampa – Consultazione Archivio}}</ref>
| weight      = 67 kg<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,29/articleid,0910_01_1990_0161_0029_12542663/|title = La Stampa – Consultazione Archivio}}</ref>
|currentteam = Retired
|discipline  = Road
|role        = Rider
|ridertype   = All-rounder
|proyears1   = 1985–1996
|proteam1    = {{UCI team code|CAR|1985}}
|proyears2   = 1997
|proteam2    = {{UCI team code|ASI|1997}}
|proyears3   = 1998–1999
|proteam3    = {{UCI team code|Amica Chips|1998}}
|majorwins   = '''[[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tours]]'''
:'''[[Tour de France]]'''
::[[Mountains classification in the Tour de France|Mountains classification]] ([[1991 Tour de France|1991]], [[1992 Tour de France|1992]])
::[[Combativity award in the Tour de France|Combativity award]] ([[1991 Tour de France|1991]], [[1992 Tour de France|1992]])
::3 individual stages ([[1991 Tour de France|1991]], [[1992 Tour de France|1992]], [[1993 Tour de France|1993]])
:'''[[Giro d'Italia]]'''
::[[Points classification in the Giro d'Italia|Points classification]] ([[1991 Giro d'Italia|1991]])
::{{nowrap|[[Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia|Mountains classification]] ([[1990 Giro d'Italia|1990]], [[1992 Giro d'Italia|1992]], [[1993 Giro d'Italia|1993]])}}
::1 individual stage ([[1993 Giro d'Italia|1993]])
'''[[Race stage|Stage Races]]'''
:[[Tour of the Basque Country]] (1991)
:[[Volta a Catalunya]] (1994)
:[[Giro del Trentino]] (1992)
'''[[Classic cycle race|One-Day Races and Classics]]'''
:[[Milan–San Remo]] (1991)
:[[Clásica de San Sebastián]] (1993)
:[[Giro del Piemonte]] (1989, 1995)
:[[Tre Valli Varesine]] (1994)
| show-medals    = no
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry| {{flagu|Italy}} }}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[road bicycle racing]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[UCI Road World Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1994 UCI Road World Championships|1994 Agrigento]]|Elite Men's Road Race}}
}}

'''Claudio Chiappucci''' (born 28 February 1963 in [[Uboldo]], [[province of Varese|Varese]], [[Lombardy]]) is a retired Italian professional cyclist. He was on the podium three times in the [[Tour de France]] general classification: second in 1990, third in 1991 and second again in 1992.

==Career==
After a quiet start to his career he burst onto the scene in the 1990 Tour de France. Chiappucci found himself almost casually wearing the [[yellow jersey]] after a stage one attack which the favourites allowed him to arrive with a 10-minute time advantage. In subsequent stages he resisted the return of [[Greg LeMond]], only losing the lead of the race in stage 20, the final time trial. In the end, LeMond won the Tour by 2' 16", Chiappucci came home with a surprising second place and, moreover, the status of a cycling star. He was the first Italian cyclist to arrive on the podium at the Tour since [[Felice Gimondi]] in 1972. This first successful campaign highlighted Chiappucci's main weakness, the time trial. Although vowing to return the following year as a better racer against the clock, Chiappucci never was able to master this discipline.

The year of 1991 confirmed to the cycling community that Chiappucci was able to perform consistently. Beginning with a win in the opening classic of the season, the Milan San-Remo, Chiappucci rode the [[Giro d'Italia]] and the Tour of France.

However, Chiappucci declined quickly. After riding a solid Giro it looked like his 1993 Tour de France was to be a big showdown with Miguel Induráin. But from the first mountain stage Chiappucci was obviously struggling. Although he had a revival later on in the race, Chiappucci finished sixth overall. He won the Clásica de San Sebastián a few weeks after the Tour de France, but this marked the end of his major results. His level of performance declined sharply from around 1994/1995, and he retired in 1998 after suspicions of [[Doping (sport)|doping]] in 1997.

His most famous victory was stage 13 of the [[1992 Tour de France]], when he attacked on the first climb of the day, 245&nbsp;km from the finish, and arrived in [[Sestriere]] after holding off a thrilling chase by [[Miguel Induráin]] and [[Gianni Bugno]]. On that occasion [[Pascal Lino]] was holding the yellow jersey, but it was one of the first major mountain stages and was anticipated to lose it to the GC contenders. Induráin, Roche, LeMond, Delgado, Bugno and Induráin were all ahead of Chiappucci who was in 7th overall.<ref>{{cite web|title=1992 TDF
|publisher=Bike Race Info
|date=18 May 2021
|url=https://bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf1992.html
|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101026173810/http://bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf1992.html |archive-date=2010-10-26 }}</ref> Chiappucci risked everything by joining the early breakaway that no other GC riders were willing to enter. He dropped the other breakaway riders before the first summit and rode on a solo attack for 125 kilometers. He was alone on top of all five main climbs, of which 3 were "première catégorie" and 1 "hors catégorie".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1992_13.php |title=Memoire du Cyclisme |access-date=July 21, 2012 |archive-date=August 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826233232/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1992_13.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> By end of the stage he had jumped to 2nd place overall about ninety seconds behind Induráin. He had wanted to replicate the same accomplishment as Fausto Coppi exactly 40 years earlier.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1992/luglio/19/Chiappucci_vive_giorno_Coppi_co_0_9207191504.shtml|title=Archivio Corriere della Sera|website=archiviostorico.corriere.it}}</ref>

Chiappucci rode his last race at the International Criterium of the Valencian Community on 7 November 1999, finishing second behind [[Abraham Olano]].<ref>{{cite news |title=News for November 8, 1999 |url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/1999/nov99/nov8news.shtml |access-date=27 June 2023 |work=[[cyclingnews.com]] |date=8 November 1999}}</ref>

Among the awards received by Chiappucci is a silver medal earned in 1994 at the [[World Cycling Championship]] in [[Sicily]].

Not gifted with an exceptional physique, Chiappucci was distinguished by a gritty, combative style, always ready to attack; he did not hold back in the face of any climb or time trial.

==Doping==
Claudio Chiappucci used the services of doctor [[Francesco Conconi]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prorider.org/chiapucci.htm|title=Chiapucci|first=Cees|last=Beers|website=www.prorider.org|access-date=2007-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221102/http://www.prorider.org/chiapucci.htm|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> who is accused of applying [[Erythropoietin|EPO]] to cyclists.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.team-csc.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5013 |title=Doping affairs in cycling from 1980-1998 |access-date=June 26, 2007 |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928012004/http://www.team-csc.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wilhelm-gym.de/html/sport/doping/it28_10.htm |title=Conconi wird wegen Epo-Dopings der Prozess gemacht |language=de |access-date=June 26, 2007 |archive-date=November 8, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051108213406/http://www.wilhelm-gym.de/html/sport/doping/it28_10.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Conconi was found 'morally guilty', but not convicted, because the statute of limitations had expired.<ref>[http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2004/mar04/mar20news1 Judge calls Italian professor "morally guilty"] Retrieved June 26, 2007</ref> The judge had looked at medical reports of 33 cyclists in the period from 1993 to 1995, including Chiappucci's, and all blood tests showed largely fluctuating hematocrit-values, indicative for EPO-use.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dewielersite.nl/db2/wielersite/nieuwsfiche.php?nieuwsid=1203|title=Conconi vrijgesproken na proces van vijf jaar|trans-title=Conconi is acquitted after five years of trial|language=nl|access-date=June 26, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120801124415/http://www.dewielersite.nl/db2/wielersite/nieuwsfiche.php?nieuwsid=1203|archive-date=August 1, 2012}}</ref> In 1997, Claudio Chiappucci told prosecutor Vincenzo Scolastico that he had been using EPO since 1993, but later he retracted that statement.<ref name="hbvl">{{cite news|url=http://limburg.hbvl.be/nieuws-sport-wielrennen/2004/03/11/vrijgesproken-conconi-moreel-veroordeeld-door-italiaanse-gerecht.html |title=Vrijgesproken Conconi moreel veroordeeld door Italiaanse gerecht |language=nl |date=March 11, 2004 |access-date=June 26, 2007 |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927010021/http://limburg.hbvl.be/nieuws-sport-wielrennen/2004/03/11/vrijgesproken-conconi-moreel-veroordeeld-door-italiaanse-gerecht.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Career achievements==
===Major results===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
;1982
: 1st [[File:MaillotItalia.svg|20px]] [[Italian National Road Race Championships|Road race]], National Amateur Road Championships
;1984
: 2nd [[Piccolo Giro di Lombardia]]
;1987
: 1st Stage 3 ([[Team time trial|TTT]]) [[1987 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
: 2nd [[Giro di Toscana]]
: 8th [[1987 Paris–Tours|Paris–Tours]]
;1988
: 2nd [[Trofeo Luis Puig]]
: 7th [[Gran Premio Città di Camaiore]]
: 9th [[1988 Giro di Lombardia|Giro di Lombardia]]
;1989
: 1st [[Giro del Piemonte]]
: 1st [[Coppa Placci]]
: 2nd Overall [[1989 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
: 3rd [[Eschborn–Frankfurt|Rund um den Henninger Turm]]
: 6th [[Tre Valli Varesine]]
: 8th [[1989 La Flèche Wallonne|La Flèche Wallonne]]
;1990
: 1st [[File:Jersey green.svg|20px]] [[Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia|Mountains classification]] [[1990 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
: 1st Stage 4 [[Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali]]
: 2nd Overall [[1990 Tour de France|Tour de France]]
::Held [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] after Stages 12–19
: 2nd [[Tre Valli Varesine]]
: 3rd [[Züri-Metzgete]]
: 3rd [[Giro del Friuli]]
: 4th [[Wincanton Classic]]
: 4th [[Grand Prix des Amériques (cycling race)|Grand Prix des Amériques]]
: 5th Overall [[1990 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
: 6th [[1990 UCI Road World Cup|UCI Road World Cup]]
: 7th Overall [[1990 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]]
::1st Stage 6
;1991
: 1st [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Overall [[1991 Tour of the Basque Country|Tour of the Basque Country]]
::1st Stage 3
: 1st [[1991 Milan–San Remo|Milan–San Remo]]
: [[Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme]]
::1st Stages 4a & 4b
: 2nd Overall [[1991 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
::1st [[File:Jersey violet.svg|20px]] [[Points classification in the Giro d'Italia|Points classification]]
: 2nd Overall [[1991 Vuelta a Murcia|Vuelta a Murcia]]
: 3rd Overall [[1991 Tour de France|Tour de France]]
::1st [[File:Jersey polkadot.svg|20px]] [[Mountains classification in the Tour de France|Mountains classification]]
::1st Stage 13
::[[Combativity award in the Tour de France|Combativity award]] Overall
: 3rd [[Italian National Road Race Championships|Road race]], National Road Championships
: 3rd [[1991 La Flèche Wallonne|La Flèche Wallonne]]
: 3rd [[Giro dell'Appennino]]
: 3rd [[Giro del Friuli]]
: 4th Overall [[1991 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
: 4th [[Tre Valli Varesine]]
: 9th [[Wincanton Classic]]
;1992
: 1st [[File:Jersey violet.svg|20px]] Overall [[1992 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
::1st Stage 3
: 1st [[Giro dell'Appennino]]
: 1st [[Subida a Urkiola]]
: 2nd Overall [[1992 Tour de France|Tour de France]]
::1st [[File:Jersey polkadot.svg|20px]] [[Mountains classification in the Tour de France|Mountains classification]]
::1st Stage 13
::[[Combativity award in the Tour de France|Combativity award]] Overall
: 2nd Overall [[1992 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
::1st [[File:Jersey green.svg|20px]] [[Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia|Mountains classification]]
: 2nd Overall [[Clásico RCN]]
::1st Stage 1
: 2nd [[1992 Giro di Lombardia|Giro di Lombardia]]
: 2nd [[1992 Clásica de San Sebastián|Clásica de San Sebastián]]
: 2nd [[Coppa Placci]]
: 2nd [[Eschborn–Frankfurt|Rund um den Henninger Turm]]
: 4th [[Wincanton Classic]]
: 7th [[1992 UCI Road World Cup|UCI Road World Cup]]

;1993

: 1st [[1993 Clásica de San Sebastián|Clásica de San Sebastián]]
: 1st [[Japan Cup (cycling)|Japan Cup]]
: 1st [[Coppa Sabatini]]
: 1st Cronoscalata della Futa-Memorial Gastone Nencini
: 2nd Overall [[1993 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]]
: 2nd Overall [[1993 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
: 2nd Overall [[Escalada a Montjuïc]]
: 2nd [[GP du Canton d'Argovie]]
: 2nd [[Subida a Urkiola]]
: 2nd [[Giro del Friuli]]
: 3rd Overall [[1993 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
::1st [[File:Jersey green.svg|20px]] [[Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia|Mountains classification]]
::1st Stage 14
: 3rd [[1993 La Flèche Wallonne|La Flèche Wallonne]]
: 3rd [[Giro dell'Emilia]]
: 3rd [[Giro del Veneto]]
: 4th [[1993 Giro di Lombardia|Giro di Lombardia]]
: 4th [[Tre Valli Varesine]]
: 5th Overall [[1993 Volta a Catalunya|Volta a Catalunya]]
: 5th [[1993 UCI Road World Cup|UCI Road World Cup]]
: 6th Overall [[1993 Tour de France|Tour de France]]
::1st Stage 17
: 6th [[1993 Liège–Bastogne–Liège|Liège–Bastogne–Liège]]
: 7th [[Züri-Metzgete]]
: 10th Overall [[1993 Tour of the Basque Country|Tour of the Basque Country]]
;1994
: 1st [[File:MaillotVolta.png|20px]] Overall [[1994 Volta a Catalunya|Volta a Catalunya]]
::1st Stage 4
: 1st [[Tre Valli Varesine]]
: 1st [[Japan Cup (cycling)|Japan Cup]]
: 2nd Overall [[Tour of Galicia]]
::1st Stage 3
: 2nd Overall [[Escalada a Montjuïc]]
: 2nd [[File:Silver medal blank.svg|15px]] [[1994 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|Road race]], [[1994 UCI Road World Championships|UCI Road World Championships]]
: 2nd [[1994 Giro di Lombardia|Giro di Lombardia]]
: 2nd [[Subida a Urkiola]]
: 2nd [[Giro dell'Appennino]]
: 3rd Overall [[1994 Tour of the Basque Country|Tour of the Basque Country]]
: 4th [[1994 UCI Road World Cup|UCI Road World Cup]]
: 4th [[1994 Liège–Bastogne–Liège|Liège–Bastogne–Liège]]
: 4th [[Züri-Metzgete]]
: 5th Overall [[1994 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
: 5th Overall [[Critérium International]]
: 7th Overall [[1994 Tirreno–Adriatico|Tirreno–Adriatico]]
: 7th [[1994 Amstel Gold Race|Amstel Gold Race]]
: 7th [[1994 La Flèche Wallonne|La Flèche Wallonne]]
: 8th [[Giro dell'Emilia]]
: 8th [[Coppa Bernocchi]]
: 9th Overall [[1994 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
;1995
: 1st [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Overall [[Escalada a Montjuïc]]
::1st Stage 1a
: 1st [[Giro del Piemonte]]
: 1st [[Japan Cup (cycling)|Japan Cup]]
: 1st Cronoscalata della Futa-Memorial Gastone Nencini
: 3rd [[Subida a Urkiola]]
: 4th Overall [[1995 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
: 4th [[1995 Tour of Flanders|Tour of Flanders]]
: 6th [[1995 Giro di Lombardia|Giro di Lombardia]]
: 7th Overall [[1995 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]]
: 7th [[1995 Liège–Bastogne–Liège|Liège–Bastogne–Liège]]
: 8th Overall [[1995 Vuelta a Murcia|Vuelta a Murcia]]
: 8th [[1995 Milan–San Remo|Milan–San Remo]]
: 9th [[1995 GP Ouest–France|GP Ouest–France]]
;1996
: 3rd [[GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano]]
: 3rd [[Coppa Sabatini]]
: 3rd [[Grand Prix de Fourmies]]
: 10th [[1996 GP Ouest–France|GP Ouest–France]]
;1997
: 2nd Overall [[Giro di Sardegna]]
: 2nd Overall [[Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali]]
: 6th [[1997 Tour of Flanders|Tour of Flanders]]
: 9th [[1997 GP Ouest–France|GP Ouest–France]]
: 10th [[Eschborn–Frankfurt|Rund um den Henninger Turm]]
;1998
: 8th Overall [[1998 Tirreno–Adriatico|Tirreno–Adriatico]]
:10th [[Coppa Placci]]
{{div col end}}

===Grand Tour general classification results timeline===

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | [[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tour]]
! scope="col" | 1985
! scope="col" | 1986
! scope="col" | 1987
! scope="col" | 1988
! scope="col" | 1989
! scope="col" | 1990
! scope="col" | 1991
! scope="col" | 1992
! scope="col" | 1993
! scope="col" | 1994
! scope="col" | 1995
! scope="col" | 1996
! scope="col" | 1997
! scope="col" | 1998
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px|link=|alt=A pink jersey]] [[General classification in the Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
|[[1985 Giro d'Italia|64]]
|[[1986 Giro d'Italia|—]]
|[[1987 Giro d'Italia|48]]
|[[1988 Giro d'Italia|24]]
|[[1989 Giro d'Italia|46]]
|[[1990 Giro d'Italia|12]]
|style="background:#ddddff;"|[[1991 Giro d'Italia|'''2''']]
|style="background:#ddddff;"|[[1992 Giro d'Italia|'''2''']]
|style="background:#ddddff;"|[[1993 Giro d'Italia|'''3''']]
|style="background:#ddddff;"|[[1994 Giro d'Italia|5]]
|style="background:#ddddff;"|[[1995 Giro d'Italia|4]]
|[[1996 Giro d'Italia|DNF]]
|[[1997 Giro d'Italia|—]]
|[[1998 Giro d'Italia|60]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px|link=|alt=A yellow jersey]] [[General classification in the Tour de France|Tour de France]]
|[[1985 Tour de France|—]]
|[[1986 Tour de France|—]]
|[[1987 Tour de France|—]]
|[[1988 Tour de France|—]]
|[[1989 Tour de France|81]]
|style="background:#ddddff;"|[[1990 Tour de France|'''2''']]
|style="background:#ddddff;"|[[1991 Tour de France|'''3''']]
|style="background:#ddddff;"|[[1992 Tour de France|'''2''']]
|style="background:#ddddff;"|[[1993 Tour de France|6]]
|[[1994 Tour de France|DNF]]
|[[1995 Tour de France|11]]
|[[1996 Tour de France|37]]
|[[1997 Tour de France|—]]
|[[1998 Tour de France|—]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | [[File:Jersey gold.svg|20px|link=|alt=A gold jersey]] [[List of Vuelta a España general classification winners|Vuelta a España]]
|[[1985 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1986 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1987 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1988 Vuelta a España|26]]
|[[1989 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1990 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1991 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1992 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1993 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1994 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1995 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1996 Vuelta a España|—]]
|[[1997 Vuelta a España|11]]
|[[1998 Vuelta a España|—]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Legend
|-
! scope="row" | —
| Did not compete
|-
! scope="row" | [[Did not finish|DNF]]
| Did not finish
|}

==See also==
*[[List of doping cases in cycling]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927025853/http://www.velo-club.net/article.php?sid=5556 Palmares {{in lang|fr}}]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070630040247/http://mrambaul.club.fr/coureurs/coureurs_c/chiappucci.htm Claudio Chiappucci dans le Tour de France {{in lang|fr}}]
*{{Procyclingstats|claudio-chiappucci}}

{{Tour de France mountains classification winners}}
{{Tour de France combativity award winners}}
{{Giro d'Italia points classification winners}}
{{Milan–San Remo winners}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chiappucci, Claudio}}
[[Category:Italian male cyclists]]
[[Category:Doping cases in cycling]]
[[Category:Cyclists from the Province of Varese]]
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Italian sportsmen]]