It was 11 April 1993: Franco would have liked to dedicate the victory to his father who had just passed away. Instead he was fooled by Duclos-Lassalle in the sprint, even though his career would change that very day
That time, thirty years ago, Ballerini made up his mind to win his first Roubaix to dedicate it to his father and his son. His father had been selling boats for thirty years, he even worked on Sundays. When he had finally retired, he had returned to his first love of his, the bicycle. Franco, his son, had given him a mountain bike, and he had also gone for a fitness check.