Domenico Pozzovivo appreciation thread

[SafeBet]

Had a quick chat with him this morning.
He told me he's been sick the past couple of days after feeling great until Thursday.
He's aiming at a top10 and hopes he's recovered today so he can hang with the GC riders as long as possible.
If he feels better after the rest day he'll try to hit the break again in the third week.

 

[JR1012]

I think top10 is now over. Lost contact to main group with 15km to go.

 

[ppanther92]

I think top10 is now over. Lost contact to main group with 15km to go.

Well, its a little bit under 6min. Crazier stuff has happened with hitting the right break.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Had a quick chat with him this morning.
He told me he's been sick the past couple of days after feeling great until Thursday.
He's aiming at a top10 and hopes he's recovered today so he can hang with the GC riders as long as possible.
If he feels better after the rest day he'll try to hit the break again in the third week.

He's a great guy to chat with, even if he's a bit shy.

 

[SafeBet]

Well, its a little bit under 6min. Crazier stuff has happened with hitting the right break.

Yeah if he's healthy again after the rest day it's not impossible.
Pretty much every rider ahead of him in GC will try to get in breaks though.

 

[search]

The weather forecast for the coming days is not exactly in his favor, but let's hope we'll get to see him on the attack again at some point.

 

[JR1012]

Giro is more or less over for him now. But would be still a great achievement if he can finish the Giro.

Will this year be his last year as a pro or will he continue riding if he gets a contract for next year?

 

[Rob5091]

4th on GC at Tour of Slovenia so still showing the kids how to do it! Chapeau!

 

[SafeBet]

4th on GC at Tour of Slovenia so still showing the kids how to do it! Chapeau!

His best GC finish since the 2019 Tour of Oman!

 

[Lequack]

His thoughts on Tour of Slovenia, he says it's quite emotional.

For him, every race, since he announced his final retirement at the end of the season, has become a catwalk, but it is not in the character of the Lucanian to face races in a superficial way, on the contrary. It was like this also in Slovenia, where there were also moments that deeply touched him.
«We also passed through Skofja Loka, where I won in 2012 – he says – and I won't deny that when it happened, many thoughts came to me. I can't deny that these weeks are special, every run is tinged with melancholy sensations. That's not to say it's a negative thing, it's just a series of emotions that hit me ."

In Slovenia si rivede Pozzovivo, che promette un gran finale - bici.PRO

Un altro Giro d'Italia all'insegna del covid per Pozzovivo, ma al Giro di Slovenia ha ritrovato la gamba. Ogni corsa ha un sapore malinconico

bici.pro

 

[Rob5091]

So he hopes to do Lombarida which would be a good way to wrap up his career.

 

[Rob5091]

Down for the Tour of Austria - a country with a few hills, if I remember correctly. 2nd to 7th of July when some other race is on in France. UAE sending their usual top team, and the man without the luck of the Irish, Eddie Dunbar down for another in his series of comebacks.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

On the startlist for Arctic Race of Norway 2024
(in italiano)

Arctic Race of Norway 2024, anche Domenico Pozzovivo tra i sei corridori della VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè

La VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè vola in Scandinavia per partecipare all'#ArcticRace, in programma da domani a mercoledì

cyclingpro.net

 

[Rob5091]

Yep, he's up in the far north of Norway. Just as good place as any to get in some racing km's. Stage 3 has a hockey stick profile so that mignt entice him otherwise not many places for opportunities.

 

[Rob5091]

Pozzovivo does dell.Emillia and il Lombardia and that's it folks!

https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...-to-continue-would-be-like-asking-for-trouble

Domenico Pozzovivo will leave professional cycling at the end of this season 2024. He will do so wearing the colors of VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè and racing two of the mythical races in his country as the classic Giro dell'Emilia and the monument Il Lombardia. It will be on October 12, a month and a half before his 42nd birthday.

"The reasons I am retiring are clearly my age and the risk associated with cycling. To continue would be like asking for trouble. However, I don't lack enthusiasm or excitement for cycling. It never happens to me that I don't feel like getting on the bike or that I'm dragging because I have to train. I always want to train and compete," Pozzovivo told Bici.Pro. "I'm looking forward to racing the Giro dell'Emilia and the Giro di Lombardia. In 2022, I got on the podium at the Giro dell'Emilia (3rd), after fighting with Tadej Pogacar. As for the Giro di Lombardia, it's the classic I like the most and the one that fascinates me the most. I would love to have a good result there."

 

[Gratemans]

I'm gonna miss that tiny bow-legged dude. Must have been one of the most recognizable riders. Quite an impressive career overall and a pretty nice guy I always thought.

 

[Squire]

If anyone had deserved a fluke Giro win or at least a podium, it's this guy. But I guess he was always just one step below the required level, unfortunately. I thought 2012 could be his year when he looked awesome on the Passo Giau. Wonder if it would have been different if the contenders didn't just ride around holding hands while Purito ran away in the final km in that Giro.

 

[staubsauger]

If anyone had deserved a fluke Giro win or at least a podium, it's this guy. But I guess he was always just one step below the required level, unfortunately. I thought 2012 could be his year when he looked awesome on the Passo Giau. Wonder if it would have been different if the contenders didn't just ride around holding hands while Purito ran away in the final km in that Giro.

Pozzo peaked to early in 2012. If he had his Punta Veleno shape up towards the Stelvio he might have won the Giro d'Italia!

Same goes if Rujano had gotten his act together. He really would have been able to win that 2012 Giro d'Italia!

In defense to Pozzovivo & Rujano they couldn't have known that all big guns mess up their preparation. Rujano after had some kind of illness after all

 

[TourOfSardinia]

In action today

 

[Rob5091]

After 6th place on Wednesday, back again on Saturday for Memorial Marco Pantani. Not bad for a guy who's 42 in November.

 

[Tour_de_Calvados]

Pozzo peaked to early in 2012. If he had his Punta Veleno shape up towards the Stelvio he might have won the Giro d'Italia!

Same goes if Rujano had gotten his act together. He really would have been able to win that 2012 Giro d'Italia!

In defense to Pozzovivo & Rujano they couldn't have known that all big guns mess up their preparation. Rujano after had some kind of illness after all

That Punta Veleno stage was epic, Pozzovivo looked unbeatable that day. Also featured Basso hilariously taking a wrong turn at the foot of the climb IIRC. That climb needs to be in the Giro, not sure why they never went there?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Everybody talk about 2012, but he was flying in 2015 when he crashed out, and was possibly better in 2018 than he was in 2012. Just a stronger field. First giro was 2005. Incredible longevity

 

[Mayomaniac]

Everybody talk about 2012, but he was flying in 2015 when he crashed out, and was possibly better in 2018 than he was in 2012. Just a stronger field. First giro was 2005. Incredible longevity

The one reason why he didn't podium in 2018 is Finestre, that climb is really bad for his climbing style, at least the sterrato half. He is always standing, riding a big gear and his body is so far forward that he'd dragging the pedals behind. He pretty much always looses traction on his rear wheel in the long run and wastes way more energy than the rest.

Not sure about 2015, he had a heavy racing schedule during that spring (at least for him) and if anyone was going to get sick during the rainly first 2 week of that Giro it's him. That crash looked horrible.

 

[Squire]

Everybody talk about 2012, but he was flying in 2015 when he crashed out, and was possibly better in 2018 than he was in 2012. Just a stronger field. First giro was 2005. Incredible longevity

Yeah, in 2018 he was great, and mainly got screwed by the Finestre stage. Should absolutely have been a podium otherwise. 2012 was still his best chance at winning though.

His 2015 build-up wasn't that different from most other years, so I'm not sure. Contador, Landa and Aru would have been no joke to go up against in that Giro. In his peak years he had pretty much exactly the same results in the spring races every year, 2016 being a noteably more lacklustre season. Some early-season warmup, then top 10-ish in Tirreno which mostly didn't suit him, sometimes a good showing in Catalunya, the usual beast shape in Trentino followed with consistently exceeding expectations in Liege.

 

[tobydawq]

The one reason why he didn't podium in 2018 is Finestre, that climb is really bad for his climbing style, at least the sterrato half. He is always standing, riding a big gear and his body is so far forward that he'd dragging the pedals behind. He pretty much always looses traction on his rear wheel in the long run and wastes way more energy than the rest.

Not sure about 2015, he had a heavy racing schedule during that spring (at least for him) and if anyone was going to get sick during the rainly first 2 week of that Giro it's him. That crash looked horrible.

Plus, it also had Finestre