Dzhamolidin ABDUZHAPAROV

Dzhamolidin Abduzhaparov was one of the fastest sprinters in the professional peloton, racing as a pro from 1990-97. Called “The Tashkent Terror,” he was also somewhat erratic in his final sprints, and was involved in some wild crashes, causing him to have significant rivalries with his fellow riders, notably Laurent Jalabert. Abduzhaparov is one of only four men to have won the points classification at all three of the grand tours – winning at the Tour de France in 1991 and 1993-94, at the Giro d’Italia in 1994, and at the Vuelta a España in 1992. As an amateur, Abdu also won that jersey at the 1988 Peace Race, and competed for the Soviet Union at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, finishing fifth in the road race. Abduzhaparov also won the 1991 Gent-Wevelgem classic.