Brook Watts said...
"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".
My friend Dan Franger was a member of that team. He told me that Gianni had promised a hefty bonus to the members of the team if they finished the race. Half way through, the guys were so far down on GC that there was little promotional value left for the sponsor. Gianni instructed the team mechanic to tighten up the BB and hub bearings on all the rider's bikes in an effort to make them finish outside of the time limit! Like many American racers, the guys paid attention to their bikes and noticed that the bearings were super tight and confronted the mechanic, who tearfully spilled the beans about the plot to keep them from finishing the race and getting their bonuses. I can't remember if the team finished within the time limit and collected the money or not.
Joe Bell
San Diego