COLNAGO C40 – authentic bike of Franco BALLERINI – Team Lampre (Paris-Roubaix 1999) – SOLD

Ernesto Colnago was born on February 9, 1932 in Cambiago, near Milan, Italy. At age 13 he entered in world of two wheels and immediately he fall in love with bikes and cycling. In 1952 he founded Colnago and started to work as mechanic for several professional teams. Colnago’s bikes still have a domination of the world’s cycling sports because Ernesto was always an innovator and pioneer of new technologies which supposedly provide more efficency or comfort.

In 1994 Colnago started to produce their very successful model C40 — ‘C’ for carbon and ‘40’ to commemorate Colnago’s 40th year in business. Full carbon frame with Master profile carbon tubes bonded to carbon lugs. Colnago solved the problem of how to make a carbon frame durable enough to win the toughest cobbled Classics yet light enough to soar up Alpine cols. That’s the reason why the C40 is the favourite bike of all time for so many people — including Sir Bradley Wiggins. Colnago could have created something with perhaps a swoopy, futuristic profile befitting its revolutionary design. Instead he kept the tubes ramrod-straight in the traditional style — albeit with the star-shaped cross-section that he had pioneered with the steel Master.

Franco Ballerini (11 December 1964 – 7 February 2010) was a professional Italian road racing cyclist. Born in Florence, his greatest exploits as a rider came with his two victories in the cycling classic Paris–Roubaix (1995 and 1998, riding for the Mapei cycling team. In 1993 he was beaten on the line by Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle in an exciting Paris–Roubaix finale. Also on his palmarès or list of accomplishments there are other one-day races such as Omloop Het Volk and Paris–Brussels. In 1999 he signed a two year contract with Team Lampre. Ballerini then became manager of the Italian national team, winning the 2002 World Championships with Mario Cipollini and the2004 Summer Olympics in Athens with ex-teammatePaolo Bettini. In 2006, 2007 and 2008 he won the World Championships with Paolo Bettini and Alessandro Ballan. On 7 February 2010, Ballerini, a rallying fan, was mortally injured during a race in Larciano where he was participating as co-driver. He died of his injuries at the Pistoia city hospital at the age of 45.

Here we are proudly offering a legendary racing machine – COLNAGO C40 Lampre, ridden by Italian star power-horse Franco Ballerini.  It’s one his bikes 2 bikes that were ready for the 1999 Paris Roubaix. The bike is shinning in original paint job with original set-up. No much words needed. A museum piece.

A special piece for all Colnago fans.

Frame & Fork: Colnago C40 Lampre – Franco Ballerini 1999 (frame no: L13 ) /  steel Precisa fork

Size:

– seat tube (c-t): 62 cm

– top tube (c-c): 58.2 cm

– headset tube: 16.7 cm

– standover: 83 cm

Crankset: Campagnolo Record Titanium 9s

Front Derailleur: Campagnolo Record Titanium 9s

Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Record Titanium 9s

Levers: Campagnolo Record Titanium 9s

Brakes: Campagnolo Record Titanium 9s

Chain: Campagnolo Record 9s

Headset: Campagnolo Record 1″

Saddle: San Marco Regal Team

Seatpost: Campagnolo Record Titanium (27.2)

Stem: ITM

Handlebar: ITM

Hubs: Campagnolo Record Titanium 9s

Rims: Ambrosio

Pedals: LOOK

Handlebar tape: Colnago, cork (original)

Condition: Used, but very good condition. No cracks, no dents, not bent. Original paint, original setup. All parts are working fine.

Year: 1999

PRICE: SOLD (October 2023)