Domenico Pozzovivo appreciation thread

[Samu Cuenca]

I'm impressed!
Not only did you manage to find an 8-year-old thread. You also managed to not find this newer thread, which is actually the one in the directory:

Pozzovivo | Cyclingnews Forum

You're like a reverse toby; you find threads people have completely forgotten about!

Plus he knows how to post pictures.

 

[gunara]

I'm not even sure it's him. Can't see his knees.

 

[Lequack]

Wow what a performance today. Kudos.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Pozzovivo was incredibly good yesterday. He is 39.5 years old, had several really bad injuries in the past years, had a difficult winter (got his contract really late), and still finishes there with the best.

 

[RedheadDane]

Okay, which thread are we gonna use here?

 

[HelloDolly]

Really admire Pozzo and he gets little love for his never giving up' mentality

 

[Extinction]

Quoting Pozzovivo from today's La Gazzetta dello Sport:

"I have never given up in my life, but that time (after he was hit by a car in his native Basilicata/Lucania) a minimum of credence I lent the doctors (for saying he'd never race again), as I really felt my life was in danger."

"My elbow was smashed to pieces and even a few shards were missing"

"I have to thank Doctor Christian Candrian, the trauma specialist at Lugano. For he faught hard to save my elbow the way I fight when I race. It took 6 surgeries, but now I'm here."

"Yep that's right, at a certian point we found ourselves together on the last climb, Nibali and I, the old guys, like we often do when out training. It's just that we were on Blockhaus. Five years ago it was us again (on Blockhaus), but I dropped first."

"It could be my last year, but I leave the door open. If maybe this year bad luck leaves me alone, I could have the strength to continue."

"I've never counted the fractures, for it's a bit of a macabre bookeeping. We are though at around 20."

"At Tirreno on the Carpegna I had really given strong signs climbing, so I just needed to do it again at the Giro."

"I would not want this to be my highest placed Giro (at almost 40), as someone might say I didn't try hard enough in the (16) others."

"On Blockhaus the pain was terrible. My level of pain tolerance his high though, the merit of my Lucanian genes, and over the years it has gotten higher. When you are used to suffering, cycling is all downhill."

"February was the worst (when he didn't have a contract) when everybody went to training camps."

"Cycling follows the normal rythms of life, yet today everything has become so exasperated. It's a use-and-discard world and this brings greater danger to the peloton. Once upon a time you only risked your skin at the end of a race, now its a constant vortex. Wait to declare Italian cycling dead. Everything is in such rapid evolution these days that perhaps there is already someone out there who will win next year."

And you got to like a guy who has raced 18 years as a pro, broken some 20 bones along the way, was almost killed by a car whilst training AND found time to learn to play the piano and almost complete two university degrees.

"

 

[RedheadDane]

"I've never counted the fractures, for it's a bit of a macabre bookeeping. We are though at around 20."

He's... got a point!

 

[staubsauger]

Pozzo is going strong now at the first mtf of the Giro d'Italia but eventually fades in last weeks mountain stages.

Should have gone for the mountains jersey + stage wins instead.

Story of his career and everything that's wrong with the world tour summarized.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Pozzo is going strong now at the first mtf of the Giro d'Italia but eventually fades in last weeks mountain stages.

Should have gone for the mountains jersey + stage wins instead.

Story of his career and everything that's wrong with the world tour summarized.

Yeah, he has said multiple times that he wants to ride for the gc and not go stagehunting.
He already has lots of top 10 results at the Giro, but only 1 stagewin an that was 10 years ago.
Speaking of 2012, that was probably the only time he really could have gotten a podium/fought for the win if he didn't peak too early, but he has always had a tendency of picking up a cold when the weather is bad. In 2018 Finestre was the big problem for him, his climbing style is all wrong for unpaved climbs, very little traction on his rear wheel while he's leaning forward and almost dragging the pedals.

 

[staubsauger]

Yeah, he has said multiple times that he wants to ride for the gc and not go stagehunting.
He already has lots of top 10 results at the Giro, but only 1 stagewin an that was 10 years ago.
Speaking of 2012, that was probably the only time he really could have gotten a podium/fought for the win if he didn't peak too early, but he has always had a tendency of picking up a cold when the weather is bad. In 2018 Finestre was the big problem for him, his climbing style is all wrong for unpaved climbs, very little traction on his rear wheel while he's leaning forward and almost dragging the pedals.

To be fair he couldn't have known that everyone miscalculates his preparation in 2012 and additionally Rujano caught mononucleosis as well. But 2012 indeed was his chance to win the Giro d'Italia!

 

[HelloDolly]

Pozzo closing gaps today on the climb and then leadout man supremo

What is not to love ??

 

[RedheadDane]

Pozzo closing gaps today on the climb and then leadout man supremo

That reminds me... didn't he once - back in the Ag2R days - leadout Samuel Dumoulin? Creating the smallest sprint train ever.

 

[Mayomaniac]

That reminds me... didn't he once - back in the Ag2R days - leadout Samuel Dumoulin? Creating the smallest sprint train ever.

He's also the nicest guy ever if you talk to him. Almost shy when you wish him good luck for a stage.

 

[Lequack]

Domenico Pozzovivo riding through the pain at the Giro d’Italia
"The 39-year-old still suffers from pain in his back sustained in a horrific crash during a training ride in 2019. Pozzovivo was left with a broken arm, leg, hand, and ribs after he was hit head-on by a driver and had to undergo a six-hour operation to insert some 20 screws and four plates to fix the injuries.

Over the last two-and-a-half years, Pozzovivo has changed the way he rides to compensate for the lasting impact of the crash. However, he is unable to get rid of the pain completely and he’s had to learn to cope with it if he wants to race."

Domenico Pozzovivo riding through the pain at the Giro d’Italia

The Italian still suffers from pain in his back after a driver hit him head-on during a training ride in 2019, but he's riding with the best at the Giro.

www.velonews.com

 

[Sciatic]

Domenico Pozzovivo riding through the pain at the Giro d’Italia
"The 39-year-old still suffers from pain in his back sustained in a horrific crash during a training ride in 2019. Pozzovivo was left with a broken arm, leg, hand, and ribs after he was hit head-on by a driver and had to undergo a six-hour operation to insert some 20 screws and four plates to fix the injuries.

Over the last two-and-a-half years, Pozzovivo has changed the way he rides to compensate for the lasting impact of the crash. However, he is unable to get rid of the pain completely and he’s had to learn to cope with it if he wants to race."

Domenico Pozzovivo riding through the pain at the Giro d’Italia

The Italian still suffers from pain in his back after a driver hit him head-on during a training ride in 2019, but he's riding with the best at the Giro.

www.velonews.com

He is simply an impressive little guy—hope he is rewarded with some good fortune in this Giro,

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Pozzovivo still traning on Etna hoping for a call:

Here Etna, Pozzovivo pedals and hopes: "The Intermarché track is not yet closed..."
The 40-year-old Lucanian does not yet have a contract for 2023 and is training alone. "I haven't lost faith"
More here in italiano

Qui Etna, Pozzovivo pedala e spera: “La pista Intermarché non è chiusa...”

Il lucano, 40 anni, non ha ancora il contratto per il 2023 e si sta allenando da solo. “Non perdo la fiducia”

www.gazzetta.it

 

[tobydawq]

Pozzovivo still traning on Etna hoping for a call:

Here Etna, Pozzovivo pedals and hopes: "The Intermarché track is not yet closed..."
The 40-year-old Lucanian does not yet have a contract for 2023 and is training alone. "I haven't lost faith"
More here in italiano

Qui Etna, Pozzovivo pedala e spera: “La pista Intermarché non è chiusa...”

Il lucano, 40 anni, non ha ancora il contratto per il 2023 e si sta allenando da solo. “Non perdo la fiducia”

www.gazzetta.it

Why are the articles on the Gazzetta always so short? Is it different in the printed version?

Anyway, I really hope he closes a deal but I guess he must have some demands as to the salary, otherwise he would be under contract now.

 

[Roku]

In the end he might accept the low offer from Intermarché. The other feasible option is Corratec and don't think they manage to put a much better offer than Wanty, which will support him better anyways.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Ok, it‘s February now… But Pozzovivo should start racing in March, at the latest. March is still ok - then he can ride Giro and TdF for Intermarche, and Meintjes rides TdF and Vuelta for them.

But Pozzo and Intermarche should sign this contract still in February, so that the rider has a few weeks to meet his people at the team again. Shouldn‘t be done in the very last moment.

Anyways, Pozzo and Intermarche - that fits. Surprisingly good rider, surprisingly good team. Both very popular amongst fans.

 

[Mayomaniac]

In the end he might accept the low offer from Intermarché. The other feasible option is Corratec and don't think they manage to put a much better offer than Wanty, which will support him better anyways.

Not sure about the money side, the Sponsors on an Italian team might be willing to drop some extra cash for a big Italian name. Other than that I agree.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

rumours on Gazzetta of possible IPT place for Domenico

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Almost there!
See (in italiano)

Pozzovivo con Froome, ci siamo: la firma con Israel si avvicina

Il lucano, 40 anni, aveva chiuso ottavo l’ultimo Giro d’Italia e sembra prossimo a trovare la squadra per il 2023

www.gazzetta.it

 

[RedheadDane]

He definitely fits the peculiar IPT signing criteria.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

He definitely fits the peculiar IPT signing criteria.

How about their singing criteria?

Results wise, it probably would have been better if he had accepted the Wanty wages, but I'm happy as long as he'll still be in the peloton.