Filippo Pozzato

Pozzato at the 2016 Grand Prix de Denain
Personal information
Full name	Filippo Pozzato
Nickname	Pippo The Peacock of Sandrigo
Born	(1981-09-10) 10 September 1981 (age 42) Sandrigo, Italy
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	73 kg (161 lb; 11.5 st)
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Classics specialist
Professional teams
2000–2002	Mapei–Quick-Step
2003–2004	Fassa Bortolo
2005–2006	Quick-Step–Innergetic
2007–2008	Liquigas
2009–2011	Team Katusha
2012	Farnese Vini–Selle Italia
2013–2015	Lampre–Merida
2016–2018	Wilier Triestina–Selle Italia
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France 2 individual stages (2004, 2007) Giro d'Italia 1 individual stage (2010) Vuelta a España 1 TTT stage (2008) Stage races Tirreno–Adriatico (2003) One-day races and Classics National Road Race Championships (2009) Milan–San Remo (2006) GP Ouest–France (2013) E3 Prijs Vlaanderen (2009) Omloop Het Volk (2007) HEW Cyclassics (2005)

Filippo "Pippo" Pozzato (born 10 September 1981) is an Italian former road racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2000 and 2018 for the Mapei–Quick-Step, Fassa Bortolo, Quick-Step–Innergetic, Liquigas, Team Katusha, Lampre–Merida, and two spells with the Farnese Vini–Selle Italia/Wilier Triestina–Selle Italia teams.^[1]

A northern classics specialist, Pozzato finished in second place at both the 2009 Paris–Roubaix and the 2012 Tour of Flanders. Pozzato finished a total of 37 Monument classics, including a victory in the 2006 Milan–San Remo; he finished second in the race in 2008 as well. Pozzato also won stages at the 2004 Tour de France, the 2007 Tour de France and the 2010 Giro d'Italia, and was the winner of the 2009 Italian National Road Race Championships.

Career

Mapei–Quick-Step

Born in Sandrigo, Veneto, Pozzato turned professional in 2000 with the Mapei–Quick-Step cycling team, part of the famous classe di '81 a group of emerging young riders born in 1981 who were part of the Mapei TT3 development team. Other alumni include Fabian Cancellara and Bernhard Eisel, Alexandr Kolobnev and Gryschenko.

Fassa Bortolo

After Mapei ended its sponsorship in 2002 Pozzato joined Giancarlo Ferretti's Fassa Bortolo cycling team. Despite his win of Tirreno–Adriatico in 2003 and a stage win in the 2004 Tour de France, personality clashes with Ferretti meant that Pozzato suffered poor years with Fassa Bortolo in 2002–2004. During this period he was injured for some time and had to work for star sprinter Alessandro Petacchi at other times.

During the 2004 season he was chosen to be part of the Italian 2004 Olympics team in support of team leader Paolo Bettini who went on to win the event.

Quick Step–Innergetic

He re-established contact with several managers and directeurs sportif of Quick-Step–Innergetic. The Quick Step-Innergetic team expressed interest and Pozzato was able to obtain a release for the 2005 ProTour season, joining several former Mapei riders already on the team, such as Paolo Bettini and Davide Bramati.

The 2005 ProTour season went better for Pozzato, with a win in the HEW Cyclassics in front of teammate Luca Paolini.

The 2006 season saw him win the first major classic of the year Milan–San Remo after a superb ride which saw him first work for team leader Tom Boonen, but then was forced to launch his own winning attack in the finale.

Liquigas

For the 2007 season, Pozzato joined the Liquigas squad, and began his season in style, winning the Tour du Haut Var, the Omloop Het Volk and Stage 5 of the Tour de France.

Team Katusha

In 2009 he won the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen. His results show experience, comfort, and power on the cobblestones and on the Belgian hills ("hellingen"). In aftermath of his 2nd place in the 2009 Paris–Roubaix, Pozzato claimed that when avoiding a crash of Thor Hushovd he lost 4 or 5 seconds and the chance for victory. He also suggested that Boonen benefited from the slipstream of official motorcycles to augment his lead.^[2]

In 2010 he has been accused by several riders, including Bjorn Leukemans, Boonen and Philippe Gilbert for his "negative tactics" during key races. This resulted in the nickname "The Shadow".^[3]

Lampre-Merida

In 2013, Pozzato earned his first victory of the year in the Trofeo Laigueglia, held in Liguria, Italy on mainly narrow, twisting and turning roads. His team Lampre–Merida reeled in the breakaway and controlled the front of the leading group when Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini–Selle Italia) attacked with 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to cover, with Pozzato jumping in his slipstream. The sprint was contested by 4 riders, Pozzato getting the best of them. This marked Pozzato's third win in the event, a record in the race's history.^[4] In September, he raced the GP Ouest-France and despite not being a top favourite, he won the race, becoming just the fifth Italian to do that.

Southeast Pro Cycling

In 2016 Pozzato joined the Italian-based Southeast Pro Cycling Team. In December 2018 he announced his retirement from competition.^[5]

Doping ban

In 2012, Pozzato was banned from cycling for three months by the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) after it was found that he had worked with infamous doctor Michele Ferrari from 2005 to 2008. CONI had looked to ban him for a year but were forced to reduce it to a three months thanks to a technicality.^[6]

Major results

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

Grand Tour	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
Giro d'Italia	—	84	—	—	—	DNF	45	—	DNF	120	—	—	115	104
Tour de France	116	—	133	DNF	67	100	—	—	—	—	—	125	—	—
Vuelta a España	—	—	—	—	DNF	—	DNF	—	—	—	DNF	—	—	—

Monuments results timeline