A bit of an oddity: Tommasini Tecno Tig in Fondriest clothes... Ex-Roslotto Team?

[Griggsy]

Just finished building this up after a long search for a 26mm Campag locking for the Atlanta's

2004-era 10spd Chorus groupset bar the headset which is Dura-Ace and came-with, and seatpost which is Chorus but I think it's around '94, my favourite style though and a bit more modern looking. Is a bit of a fluke that I had the Atlanta 1996 wheels and they take a 10spd cassette, as they're about the only period-correct item on the frame. Such a beautiful, well made components but I forget how finicky Campagnolo can be matching standards between groupsets/years.

I bought this from Italy last year and was curious as to why a Tommasini would be painted as a Fondriest. It matches the Roslotto-era colours so possible that it was a special order or prototype for Fondriest? I emailed Tommasini but Irio is keeping a low profile because of the pandemic so there was no answers forthcoming.

Potential to repaint it as a Tommasini but keeping it as-is for now... Nice blend of lightweight and tradition with the 2000 era groupset and Atlanta's but make me nervous on our crumbling roads

 

[Griggsy]

This is a pic of the great man himself riding a similar colour-way at the Atlanta Olympics:

 

[Griggsy]

So, been doing more digging and finally got a reply from Tommasini who said they had no record of it being re-sprayed by them or a purchase record. Given the re-spray is contemporary to the frame manufacture, it seems odd someone would go to the trouble of doing it if it wasn't some kind of special order for a rider however.

That being the case, my best guess is that it might have been used by a Roslotto rider like Ugrumov at the Olympics or Worlds, or, potentially a Cofidis or Force Sud rider as they also had Fondriest sponsorship 96-97... Looks like it will remain a mystery. It rides beautifully anyway!

 

[zerogravitas]

Nice bike, love that pearl yellow! Definitely an interesting story there somewhere, good job finding out as much as you did.

 

[kermisking]

I have had a couple of Tommasini frames custom built . From my experience a custom frame always had a build sheet , Mario Cipollini had a custom made Tommasini when he raced for the Fanini amateur team and the build sheet is on the web . Unless a pro rider bought one from a shop as his personal machine liked it and then had sprayed in his team colours. Tommasini frames were sold through shops in Italy and not just direct from the factory. Interesting mystery.

 

[Griggsy]

I have had a couple of Tommasini frames custom built . From my experience a custom frame always had a build sheet , Mario Cipollini had a custom made Tommasini when he raced for the Fanini amateur team and the build sheet is on the web . Unless a pro rider bought one from a shop as his personal machine liked it and then had sprayed in his team colours. Tommasini frames were sold through shops in Italy and not just direct from the factory. Interesting mystery.

Yes, I was hoping Tommasini would have something because I don't think there's any real hope of finding records via Fondriest anymore. It could just have been a super-fan of the day I suppose, a relatively minor rider buying something special or even a prototype build/demo for Fondriest? Their team frames were of a remarkably similar construction to the Tommasini after all so maybe they just cheated a bit on the research and development side by buying one, trying a few paint jobs then farming it out to be made en masse on the cheap lol