1996 Paris–Roubaix
| 1996 UCI Road World Cup, race 3 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race details | |||||||||||||
| Dates | April 14, 1996 | ||||||||||||
| Stages | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Distance | 263.5 km (163.7 mi) | ||||||||||||
| Winning time | 6h 05' 00" | ||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||
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| Winner |
 Johan Museeuw (BEL)
|
(Mapei–GB) | |
| Second |
 Gianluca Bortolami (ITA)
|
(Mapei–GB) | |
| Third |
Andrea Tafi (ITA)
|
(Mapei–GB) |
The 94th running of the Paris–Roubaix single-day cycling classic, was held on 14 April 1996. Classics specialist Johan Museeuw won his first Hell of the North classic; his team mates Gianluca Bortolami and Andrea Tafi completed the all-Mapei podium. The race started in Compiègne and finished on the velodrome of Roubaix, covering a distance of 263.5 kilometres (163.7 miles). The race served as the third leg of the 1996 UCI World Cup. Propelled by tailwind, the race had the fastest average speed (43.31 km/h) since Paris–Roubaix was moved to the more difficult easterly route in 1968. It was the 100th anniversary edition of Paris–Roubaix.
Mapei–GB dominated the race with three riders on the podium. Four Mapei riders – Italians Franco Ballerini, Gianluca Bortolami, Andrea Tafi and Belgian Johan Museeuw – broke clear at 86 km from the finish. Ballerini, the winner of the previous edition, punctured shortly after; his team mates subsequently powering on to Roubaix. Museeuw won the race on the velodrome in Roubaix, without sprinting, before Bortolami and Tafi who completed the all-Mapei podium. All three were riding Colnago C40 bicycles.
15 km before the finish, Patrick Lefevere, directeur sportif of the Mapei team, had received a phone call from Mapei’s managing director, Giorgio Squinzi. Squinzi called from the company headquarters in Milan to tell that Museeuw should win the race. Despite objections, mainly from Tafi, both Italians concurred with the decision and Museeuw claimed his first victory in Paris–Roubaix.
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