>
>Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 08:52:46 -0400
>From: loudeeter@aol.com
>
>Subject: [CR]Gianni Motta bikes and Olympics
>
>
>I just received a Gianni Motta with the U.S. red/white/blue flag
>pattern paint job. The seller told me that it had been owned by an
>Olympian, who she thought had ridden in the 84 Olympics. At Cirque,
>Brian Hammill brought four or five Gianni Motta bikes for sale and
>one was a larger red/white/blue model that one of the listmembers
>bought. Brian also thought that these bikes with this paint were
>for the U.S. Olympic team members, but he didn't know whether they
>were actually ridden in the Olympic road race. I don't recall ever
>hearing that U.S. team members rode Motta bikes as any type of
>sponsorship so I'm clueless about this information. Were Motta
>frames available to the public with this paint? If they were given
>to U.S. Olympic Team members, was it 1984? I'm also in need of
>Gianni Motta pantographed seatpost, brakes and shift levers if
>anyone has them for sale. Lou Deeter, Orlando FL
>
There were no Gianni Motta's at the start line in LA ridden by US riders, I can say that with confidence. Bill Kristofer of CKR in Tulsa was the importer of the first Motta's in the US. Motta helped get the first US team--Linea MD Italia/Gianni Motta-- in the Giro in 1984. There are some great stories about the trials those guys went through. I still see one of the team members fairly regularly at local races--Michael Carter. Robin Morton directed the team and now is part of the organization responsible for the Philly races coming in the next couple of weeks.
I cannot recall if Motta-sponsored rider John Eustice rode a Motta when he became US Champion and that led to the paint job? Anyone remember?
Brook Watts
Longmont Colo USA