Giorgio Squinzi, director of Mapei, a chemical building materials manufacturer that was the main sponsor of the most successful men's team in cycling history during the 1990s and 2000s, has died after a long illness; he was 76.

Squinzi was born in 1943 in Cisano Bergamasco, Lombardy, Italy, six years after his father Rodolfo founded Mapei. Giorgio took over as general manager of Mapei in 1976 and quickly expanded his father's business worldwide.

Sponsorship of the Mapei cycling team began in 1993, partly due to marketing implications and partly due to Squinzi and his father's passion for the sport, and in May of that year he became the main sponsor of the Eldor Viner team, and in 1994 the Spanish Clas The team merged with Cajastur to become Mapei Class and began its reign as one of the most powerful teams in professional bicycle racing. [Mapei, which includes Tony Rominger, Johan Museeuw, Andrea Tafi, Paolo Bettini, Oscar Freire, Frank Vandenbrouck, Pavel Tonkov, Abraham Olano, and Gianni Bugno, has won Paris-Roubaix five times and the Tour de Flanders three times, They won the Vuelta a España and the Giro d'Italia with Rominger in 1994 and 1995, respectively, as well as 15 Tour de France stage victories and multiple national championship titles. He also won 15 stage victories in the Tour de France and several national championship titles.

Mapei ended its sponsorship of the team after the 2002 season (then Mapei Quick-Step), but continues to be involved in the sport through sponsorship of various cycling events and other sports. Squinzi is also the owner and president of soccer club US Sassuolo (current shirt sponsor is Mapei), which he promoted from the Italian fourth division in 2005 to Serie A in 2013.

Just a week ago, Squinzi and Mapei agreed to a new three-year sponsorship deal with the UCI and will remain the main partner of the UCI Road World Championships at least until the end of 2022.

"For Mapei, cycling is more than just a sport or a communication tool. It reflects the values embedded in our DNA, such as hard work, relentless teamwork, and determination to take on new challenges, that have laid the foundation for Mapei's success," Squinzi said in a press release following the signing of the agreement at the end of September.

"For 11 years now, Mapei has been part of the championship. Our partners are pictured on arches, banners, and vehicles." Their blue and white logo is closely tied to the image of our flagship event. The extension of this partnership is evidence of their renewed confidence and attraction to our sport."

After Squinzi's death in Milan on Wednesday, various former athletes and cycling luminaries paid tribute to him on social media: "Sad to hear of the passing of Giorgio Squinzi, Mapei president and passionate cycling fan.

Shari Wegelius, sports director of EF Education First, who worked for Mapei for three seasons from 2000 to 2002, wrote on Twitter, "Giorgio Squinzi's passion for cycling changed my life forever," and former CSC and Orica GreenEdge press representative and now journalist Brian Nygaard called Squinzi "one of the most important figures in modern cycling."

Nygaard also included a photo of Museeuw, who won the 1996 Paris-Roubaix race ahead of teammates Gianluca Bortolami and Andrea Tafi, achieving a Mapei 1-2-3 that year. Prior to Museeuw's victory, Mapei's team manager Patrick Lefebure (now manager of Detunink-Quickstep) apparently received a call from Squinzi telling him which rider should win.

Cycling News would like to extend its condolences to the family and friends of Giorgio Squinzi.