Franco Pellizotti
Encyclopedia
Franco Pellizotti is an Italian professional road bicycle racer, currently suspended from the sport.
Pellizotti is known as a climbing specialist and won Stage 10 in the 2006 Giro d'Italia
, Stage 16 in the 2008 Giro d'Italia
and Stage 17 in the 2009 Giro d'Italia
. After finishing third overall in the 2009 Giro, he won the polka dot jersey in Paris as the best climber of the 2009 Tour de France
, as well as named the Most Combative (Aggressive) Rider on Stages 9 and 17. At the start of each race, Pellizotti can be seen making the sign of the cross and kissing a crucifix around his neck.
On May 3, 2010, Pellizotti's name was released by La Gazzetta dello Sport
as being one of several riders under investigation by the Union Cycliste Internationale
(UCI) for "irregular blood values". Pellizotti was reported to have had "suspicious values" on the eve of the 2009 Tour de France
and request has been made by the UCI for investigation. This was confirmed later that day in a UCI press release. He was due to be one of ' team leaders at the 2010 Giro d'Italia
, but was immediately pulled from the squad and replaced with Vincenzo Nibali
. His team said they have faith in the explanation put forward by Pellizotti and are conducting a further investigation. Shortly after the end of the season, the suspension was lifted on the grounds of lack of evidence, and Pellizotti declared a wish to seek financial redress from the UCI. declined to re-sign Pellizotti after the 2010 season. Pellizotti's case reached the Court of Arbitration for Sport
in March 2011. After asking the court for a speedy verdict, he was suspended for two years after it upheld the UCI's appeal. His ban is expected to last until May 2012. The Court also annulled all results from May 17, 2009, meaning that Pellizotti lost a stage win and third place overall in the Giro d'Italia
and a stage win and overall victory in the mountains and combativity classifications in the Tour de France
.
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009 (results annulled)
RA - Results Annulled
WD - Withdrew
Pellizotti is known as a climbing specialist and won Stage 10 in the 2006 Giro d'Italia
2006 Giro d'Italia
The 2006 Giro d'Italia was the 89th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 6 May to 28 May 2006, and covered , beginning in the Belgian mining town of Seraing and ending in Milan...
, Stage 16 in the 2008 Giro d'Italia
2008 Giro d'Italia
The 2008 Giro d'Italia was the 91st running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It began in Palermo on 10 May and ended in Milan on 1 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race, which was won by Spaniard Alberto Contador of the cycling team...
and Stage 17 in the 2009 Giro d'Italia
2009 Giro d'Italia
The 2009 Giro d'Italia was the 92nd running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 9 to 31 May 2009, and marked the 100th year since the first edition of the race...
. After finishing third overall in the 2009 Giro, he won the polka dot jersey in Paris as the best climber of the 2009 Tour de France
2009 Tour de France
The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco...
, as well as named the Most Combative (Aggressive) Rider on Stages 9 and 17. At the start of each race, Pellizotti can be seen making the sign of the cross and kissing a crucifix around his neck.
On May 3, 2010, Pellizotti's name was released by La Gazzetta dello Sport
La Gazzetta dello Sport
La Gazzetta dello Sport is an Italian newspaper dedicated to coverage of various sports. It was first published on April 3, 1896, allowing it to cover the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens...
as being one of several riders under investigation by the Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
(UCI) for "irregular blood values". Pellizotti was reported to have had "suspicious values" on the eve of the 2009 Tour de France
2009 Tour de France
The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco...
and request has been made by the UCI for investigation. This was confirmed later that day in a UCI press release. He was due to be one of ' team leaders at the 2010 Giro d'Italia
2010 Giro d'Italia
The 2010 Giro d'Italia was the 93rd edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Giro started off in Amsterdam on 8 May and stayed in the Netherlands for three stages, before leaving the country...
, but was immediately pulled from the squad and replaced with Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who rides UCI ProTeam . Born near the Strait of Messina, Nibali's nickname is the "shark of the strait" or simply "the shark." His first major win came at the 2006 GP Ouest-France, where he beat an impressive field on a tough course...
. His team said they have faith in the explanation put forward by Pellizotti and are conducting a further investigation. Shortly after the end of the season, the suspension was lifted on the grounds of lack of evidence, and Pellizotti declared a wish to seek financial redress from the UCI. declined to re-sign Pellizotti after the 2010 season. Pellizotti's case reached the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
in March 2011. After asking the court for a speedy verdict, he was suspended for two years after it upheld the UCI's appeal. His ban is expected to last until May 2012. The Court also annulled all results from May 17, 2009, meaning that Pellizotti lost a stage win and third place overall in the Giro d'Italia
2009 Giro d'Italia
The 2009 Giro d'Italia was the 92nd running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 9 to 31 May 2009, and marked the 100th year since the first edition of the race...
and a stage win and overall victory in the mountains and combativity classifications in the Tour de France
2009 Tour de France
The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco...
.
Notable results
2002- 1st Stage 6, Tirreno–Adriatico
- 1st Stage 4, Vuelta al País Vasco
- 1st Tour de Frioul
- 1st Stage 5, Tour de PologneTour de PologneThe Tour de Pologne is a road bicycle racing stage race. It consists of seven or eight stages and is usually around 1,200 km in length. The race was first held in 1928. Until 1952 the race was held sporadically, but since then it has been an annual race...
2003
- 2nd Milan-Turin
- 3rd Grand Prix de Larciano
- 9th Overall, Giro d'Italia2003 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2003 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 86th running of the race, was held from 10 May to 1 June 2003, consisting of 21 stages for a total of 3,472 km, ridden at an average speed of 38.828 km/h. It was won by Gilberto Simoni....
2004
- 1st Gran Premio di ChiassoGran Premio di ChiassoThe Gran Premio di Chiasso is an annual road bicycle race held annually in Chiasso, Switzerland. It has been organised since 1995 and since 2005 as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.-Winners:...
- 2nd Coppa SabatiniCoppa SabatiniThe Coppa Sabatini is a late season road bicycle race held annually in Province of Pisa, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.-Winners:...
- 2nd Tour de Frioul
2005
- 1st Overall Settimana internazionale di Coppi e BartaliSettimana internazionale di Coppi e BartaliThe Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali is an Italian cycle road race. It is run typically in late March over five days in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.-History:...
- 1st Stage 2
- 3rd Overall Tour MéditerranéenTour MéditerranéenTour Méditerranéen is a professional road bicycle racing event held in southern France along the Mediterranean Sea. The Tour Méditerranéen is a five-day stage race that began in 1974 and since 2005 has been a part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event...
- 2nd Trofeo LaiguegliaTrofeo LaiguegliaThe Trofeo Laigueglia is an early season road bicycle race held annually in Liguria, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. It is held about ten days after the opening to the Italian season, the Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi.-Palmarès:...
2006
- 8th Overall, Giro d'Italia2006 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2006 Giro d'Italia was the 89th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 6 May to 28 May 2006, and covered , beginning in the Belgian mining town of Seraing and ending in Milan...
- 1st Stage 10
- 2nd Milan-Turin
- 10th, Clásica de San SebastiánClásica de San Sebastián 2006The 2006 edition of the Clásica de San Sebastián cycle race took place in the Basque city of San Sebastián on August 12, 2006. It was surprisingly won by little known Spanish cyclist Xavier Florencio of the Bouygues Télécom cycling team....
2007
- 9th Overall, Giro d'Italia2007 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2007 Giro d'Italia was the 90th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It took place from 12 May to 3 June 2007. The race began in Sardinia and finished in Milan, and featured five mountain top finishes, of which one was an individual time trial...
- 5th Overall, Paris–Nice
- 1st, Stage 3
- 1st Points classificationPoints classificationThe points classification is a secondary award category in road bicycle racing. Points are given for high finishes and, in some cases, for winning intermediate sprints. The points classification is the top prize for many cycling sprinters and therefore is often known as the Sprint Classification;...
- 1st, Memorial Marco PantaniMemorial Marco PantaniThe Memorial Marco Pantani is professional road bicycle race held annually in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The race has been organized since 2004 and serves as a memory of Marco Pantani. The race starts in Cesenatico, Marco Pantani hometown, and follows a route towards his birthplace, Cesena...
2008
- 4th Overall, Giro d'Italia2008 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2008 Giro d'Italia was the 91st running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It began in Palermo on 10 May and ended in Milan on 1 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race, which was won by Spaniard Alberto Contador of the cycling team...
- 1st Stage 16
- 3rd Overall, Tour de Pologne
2009 (results annulled)
- 3rd Overall, Giro d'Italia2009 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2009 Giro d'Italia was the 92nd running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 9 to 31 May 2009, and marked the 100th year since the first edition of the race...
- 1st Stage 17
- 37th, Overall Tour de France2009 Tour de FranceThe 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco...
- 1st, King of the MountainsKing of the MountainsThe King of the Mountains is the title given to the best climber in a cycling road race; usually and officially known as the Mountains classification...
Classification - Combativity award Overall
- Stage 9, Stage 17
- 1st, King of the Mountains
Grand Tour General Classification results timeline
| Grand Tour | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Giro d'Italia The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar... |
- | 16 2002 Giro d'Italia The 2002 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 85th running of the race, was held from 11 May to 2 June 2002. It consisted of a prologue in Groningen plus 20 stages with two rest days, for a total of 3,354 km, ridden at an average speed of 37.567 km/h. It was won by the Italian Paolo... |
9 2003 Giro d'Italia The 2003 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 86th running of the race, was held from 10 May to 1 June 2003, consisting of 21 stages for a total of 3,472 km, ridden at an average speed of 38.828 km/h. It was won by Gilberto Simoni.... |
11 2004 Giro d'Italia The 2004 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 87th running of the race, was held from 8 May to 30 May 2004, consisting of 21 stages for a total of 3,420 km, ridden at an average speed of 38.565 km/h. It was won by Damiano Cunego... |
- | 8 2006 Giro d'Italia The 2006 Giro d'Italia was the 89th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 6 May to 28 May 2006, and covered , beginning in the Belgian mining town of Seraing and ending in Milan... |
9 2007 Giro d'Italia The 2007 Giro d'Italia was the 90th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It took place from 12 May to 3 June 2007. The race began in Sardinia and finished in Milan, and featured five mountain top finishes, of which one was an individual time trial... |
4 2008 Giro d'Italia The 2008 Giro d'Italia was the 91st running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It began in Palermo on 10 May and ended in Milan on 1 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race, which was won by Spaniard Alberto Contador of the cycling team... |
RA 2009 Giro d'Italia The 2009 Giro d'Italia was the 92nd running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 9 to 31 May 2009, and marked the 100th year since the first edition of the race... |
 Tour de France The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The... |
- | - | 75 2003 Tour de France The 2003 Tour de France started and ended in Paris. Lasting from July 5 to July 27 the race covered 3,427.5 km , proceeding clockwise in twenty stages around France, including six major mountain stages... |
- | 47 2005 Tour de France The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised 21 stages over 3592.5 km, the winner's average speed was 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was... |
- | - | - | RA 2009 Tour de France The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco... |
 Vuelta a España The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages... |
20 2001 Vuelta a España The 56th Vuelta a España , a long-distance stage race and one of the 3 Grand Tours, was held from September 8 to September 30, 2001... |
- | - | - | - | - | 37 2007 Vuelta a España The 2007 Vuelta a España, the sixty-second edition of the cycle race, took place from September 1 until September 23, 2007. For the first time in a decade, the race started in the region of Galicia, at Vigo, home to Óscar Pereiro, with a flat stage... |
- | - |
RA - Results Annulled
WD - Withdrew