Marco Pantani

Condor Man

Have just finished reading the Marco Pantani 'The life and death of' by his manager 'Manu' and an Italian journalist 'Josti'

I loved Pantani as a rider and was distraught when he was chucked out of the Giro for what I construed to be doping.

This book has revealed a very vulnerable side to this most charismatic of characters, but more than that it's revealed Manu's misplaced efforts to help him. After reading her book it is obvious that he suffered from depression and co-dependency issues, as well as an addictive personality. Which came first is unclear but Manu and Josti do a great job of portraying the destructive whirlwind, that these three disorders can create.

If he had only admitted his problem to himself and others then I'm sure that we would still have him with us today. I'm convinced that Manu did what she thought was right by 'Mothering' him and that does come across in her book and God bless her for all of her efforts but I believe that by not trying to help him face up to his problems, he reached 'rock bottom' rather too late, he was going their any way (rock bottom) but all she did was give him a parachute to slow his fall and allow him to take more cocaine and in effect increase the pain of his addiction and co-dependency.

It's a fantastic read and one that is written from Marco and his inner circles point of view, so it's bound to come down in favour of him and against the Italian/ world cycling press but I'm sure if you are still reading this then you are intelligent enough to make up your own mind as to whether or not Marco Pantani was a victim of a malicious plot against him or more conveniently just a doper.

I would encourage you to read this book if like me you are a fan of Il Pirata.

God bless you Marco.

nikopro

I've also just finished reading the book.I assume the author is correct with his facts,as the book really does name names as far as the carrera team goes,& doesn't leave you in any doubt,in the modern era,as to what it takes to win the triple [:(]
Overall,a very good book

jimmythecuckoo

The best of the best of the best. A true victim of 'the system'. Todays riders have seen examples like Rudy Dhaenens and Marco and not learned from it. Tyler Hamilton et al deserve no sympathy at all.

But Pantani wasnt all about drugs, he was about living the dream that all of us wanted. The ability to fly up a mountain on bike...a brilliant man.

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http://fenlandclarioncc.wordpress.com/

Melpro

I thought the book was OK but it did seem to me that Ronchi was trying to absolve herself of any blame in the whole sad affair. Having read the book I feel she kept letting Pantani bale out whenever things got difficult, whatever happened to the saying 'being cruel to be kind'?

I much preferred reading Matt Rendell's 'The Death of Marco Pantani' which seemed to be much more factual and not clouded by sentiment.

jimmythecuckoo

is that out in p/b yet?

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http://fenlandclarioncc.wordpress.com/

Condor Man

My thoughts exactly Mel. I think that the book is just as much a vehicle for her to try and show the world how much she cared for and tried to help Pantani but in writing this book she has served to prove that she helped Pantani bale everytime it got too hard, which in the long run didn't help him at all.

Melpro

Jimmy - I'm not sure if Matt Rendell's book is out in paperback yet. I guess Amazon would be able to tell you.

AGILISMERLIN

i am about done with Matt Rendell's biography on Marco Pantani

very complete book,long, lots of history.


Paints quite a diff. picture of Marco



exceptional when young
emotional problems early
carrera onwards - drugged
accidents
doped and prosecuted
cocaine/crack addict
his own money/funding the team last two years
everyone on his dollar/team/managers/psychiatrists etc...
addict
everyone living off his past - everyone

drug addict/killed himself

kind of sad in many ways

amerlin

<font color="green">"LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO RIDE CRACKED CARBON"</font id="green">

campagchris

I enjoyed Manuela Ronchi's book,bearing in mind she had a husband to go home to and could only do so much for Marco.I have managed to get Matt Rendells book off ebay fairly cheap and will read it,but didn't like his other book significant other so have an open mind on this one

AGILISMERLIN

The last couple of chapter in the book are like walking is a trudge through the muck..............brought me quite low............


lot of chaos going on their.


sad story


AmerliN

<font color="green">"LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO RIDE CRACKED CARBON"</font id="green">

neilwheel

I've just watched the Italian TV movie "Il Pirata". It's based on Manuela Ronchi's book. It's OK; the stuff about Marco's early life is good, but it gets a bit schmaltzy in the middle and fades into a 'boy meets girl'- type movie. The director sits on the fence about Marco's doping history; instead we get Marco's line that he was set up - his claims being that he was tested every day he was in pink and it came up negative, yet came up positive once the race was effectively over bar the cheering in Milan. It also leads us to accept/beleive at that his coke habit came after the Giro positive and losing the race. This is the sad bit really; it was a pretty weak explanation at the time and history doesn't make it any stronger.

A feast though, if you're a bike geek, as they used a collection of Marco's actual bikes as props.

heavymental

The Ronchi book is pretty lame compared to Rendells book and theres also some interesting points in Rendells book about Ronchis facts and the picture she paints of him. I'd say Rendells book is the definative book to buy on the whole story of Pantani. Very well researched, doesn't shy away from the truth and unbiased. Almost the opposite of Ronchis book infact.

Condor Man....I think you might find the facts a bit hard to swallow by the sound of it. I'm a big fan of Pantani but I'm pretty sure he was no saint and I'm also pretty sure his story is no X Files case either.

ricadus

If you have read Ronchi's book first then definitely read the Rendell biography as a follow up.

Among many others he interviewed her during his research - there are very few saints in this story and deluded manipiulation wasn't just confined to the drug-addict Pantani.

Julspro

I recently read Marco Pantani: The Legend of a Tragic Hero, edited by John Wilcockson with photgraphs by Graham Watson.
I haven't read any other Pantani books, so I have nothing to compare this one to - story wise.
The pictures from Watson are great, as usual.
More interestingly, there are about 12 pages of an interview with Christina Jonsson - Pantani's long time girfriend.
It's a glimpse into the everyday life of Pantani, and a bit into his mindset. It is also very sad.
Pantani was a great rider, but clearly a train wreck waiting to happen. It makes you want to go back in time and pull him out of it.

bigdawg

the rendell book is much much better, the other one was a bit me me me for my liking...

oh and it is out in 'big' paperback in Smiths

SteveR_100Milers

I havent read Ronchi's version of events yet, but Rendells book is very good. He holds her partly responsible for his ultimate downfall, and constantly critiscises her for being totally misguided in her behaviour and actions.

heavymental

If you look in the index under Ronchi there are some interesting sections on her. It certainly casts a shadow over the credibility of her book I think.