Luca Paolini
.jpg) Paolini at the 2013 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luca Paolini | ||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Il Gerva | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 17 January 1977 Milan, Italy | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 66 kg (146 lb) | ||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||
| Current team | Retired | ||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Road | ||||||||||||||
| Role | Rider | ||||||||||||||
| Rider type | Classics specialist | ||||||||||||||
| Professional teams | |||||||||||||||
| 2000–2002 | Mapei–Quick-Step | ||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | Quick-Step–Davitamon | ||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Liquigas | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Acqua & Sapone–Caffè Mokambo | ||||||||||||||
| 2011–2015 | Team Katusha | ||||||||||||||
| Major wins | |||||||||||||||
Grand Tours
| |||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Luca Paolini (born 17 January 1977) is an Italian former road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 2000 and 2015. He started his sports career in the early 2000s by joining Mapei–Quick-Step (2000–2002), UCI ProTeam directed by Patrick Lefevere. Within Mapei-Quick Step and then its successor team Quick-Step–Innergetic (2003–2005), Luca Paolini achieved several victories. Among them were first places at Gran Premio di Lugano, Giro del Piemonte and Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli. He has also won stages at Tour of Britain and Tour de Wallonie.
Career
[edit]_(cropped).JPG)
Paolini was born in Milan. Seasons 2006–2007 and 2008–2010 Luca Paolini spent in two Italian cycling team – Liquigas and Acqua & Sapone respectively. As their member, he triumphed at certain stages of Vuelta a España and Three Days of De Panne, won one-day races Gran Premio Città di Camaiore, Trofeo Laigueglia, Coppa Placci as well as Coppa Bernocchi. Meanwhile, his bright victories attracted a particular attention from anti-doping bodies. As his name appeared in taped phone conversations together with Ivan Basso and his sister Elisa, he was suspected in illegal drugs usage.[1] In September 2006 Paolini's home was searched in a doping investigation which was called Operazione Athena[2] – however it appears that no evidence was found that led to any conviction of Paolini's fault, so Team Liquigas refused to suspend him.[3]
In 2011, he was signed by Russian Team Katusha to be a domestique for Filippo Pozzato both at classics and Grand Tours. However, due to Pozzato's poor performance and traumas in season 2011, he switched to other co-riders and pursued his personal goals in the peloton. In autumn 2011 he finished third at Giro del Piemonte having taken his first podium for Team Katusha.[4] In 2013, Paolini took the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad after breaking away from the leading group with Omega Pharma–Quick-Step's Stijn Vandenbergh. The pair resisted and Paolini won the sprint after Vandenburgh took long pulls in the final kilometers.[5] In Milan – San Remo, Paolini finished in the lead group in fifth position, as MTN–Qhubeka's Gerald Ciolek won the race.[6]
In 2015, Paolini won a very windy and difficult edition of Gent–Wevelgem, as only 39 riders out of 160 finished the race. Paolini attacked his breakaway companions with five kilometers to go and benefited from a disorganized chase to win solo.[7] In May, it was announced that Paolini's contract with Katusha had been extended by a year, finishing at the end of 2016.[8]
Doping case
[edit]In the 2015 Tour de France, Paolini tested positive for cocaine and was thrown out of the race after Stage 7.[9] His contract with Katusha was nullified. He revealed that he had been suffering from an addiction to the sleeping drug benzodiazepine and claimed to have taken cocaine "at a low point in his life".
In April 2016, he was banned from competition for 18 months, with the UCI judging that he had not intended to breach the anti-doping rules, as they do not prohibit the use of cocaine outside competition. Katusha confirmed that he would not be able to return to the team.[10]
Paolini's ban expired in January 2017, however in an interview that month he said that he had retired from racing after being unable to find a team, and had invested in a coffee bar in Como. He also stated that he had overcome his addiction to benzodiazepine.[11]
Major results
[edit]- 1999
- 1st Trofeo Città di Brescia
- 1st Gran Premio di Poggiana
- 2nd
Road race, UCI Under-23 Road World Championships - 2nd Giro del Mendrisiotto
- 2000
- Tour de l'Avenir
- 1st
Points classification - 1st Stage 1
- 1st
- 1st Stage 3 Tour de Normandie
- 1st
Mountains classification, Danmark Rundt - 5th Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi
- 2001
- 1st Gran Premio di Lugano
- 4th Giro del Piemonte
- 5th Coppa Bernocchi
- 2002
- 1st Giro del Piemonte
- 2nd Overall Tour de la Région Wallonne
- 4th Japan Cup
- 8th Coppa Bernocchi
- 8th Coppa Placci
- 9th Criterium d'Abruzzo
- 9th Tre Valli Varesine
- 10th Gran Premio di Chiasso
- 10th Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli
- 2003
- 1st Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli
- 2nd Coppa Sabatini
- 3rd Milan–San Remo
- 3rd Brabantse Pijl
- 6th Overall Vuelta a Andalucía
- 7th Paris–Brussels
- 8th Road race, UCI Road World Championships
- 8th Paris–Tours
- 9th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
- 2004
- 1st Brabantse Pijl
- 3rd
Road race, UCI Road World Championships - 3rd Gran Premio Città di Camaiore
- 5th Trofeo Laigueglia
- 2005
- Tour of Britain
- 1st Points classification
- 1st Stages 3 & 6
- 1st
- 1st Stage 3 Tour de la Région Wallonne
- 2nd HEW Cyclassics
- 8th GP Ouest–France
- 2006
- 1st Gran Premio Città di Camaiore
- 1st Stage 12 Vuelta a España
- 3rd Coppa Bernocchi
- 3rd Milan–San Remo
- 4th Trofeo Matteotti
- Vuelta a Mallorca
- 6th Trofeo Cala Millor
- 10th Trofeo Mallorca
- 7th E3 Prijs Vlaanderen
- 2007
- 3rd Giro della Romagna
- 3rd Tour of Flanders
- 4th Coppa Bernocchi
- 10th Overall Three Days of De Panne
- 1st Stage 1
- 2008
- 1st Trofeo Laigueglia
- 1st Coppa Placci
- 2nd Giro del Piemonte
- 3rd Paris–Brussels
- 4th Giro della Romagna
- 5th Gran Premio Industria e Commercio Artigianato Carnaghese
- 6th Gent–Wevelgem
- 7th Overall Giro della Provincia di Grosseto
- 7th GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
- 10th Overall Three Days of De Panne
- 2009
- 1st Coppa Bernocchi
- 1st Stage 6 Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda
- 2nd Memorial Cimurri
- 3rd Road race, National Road Championships
- 3rd Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato
- 3rd Giro del Veneto
- 4th Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli
- 4th Giro del Piemonte
- 4th Giro di Lombardia
- 6th Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi
- 9th Milan–San Remo
- 2010
- 3rd Overall Three Days of De Panne
- 1st Points classification
- 1st
- 3rd Coppa Ugo Agostoni
- 4th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
- 4th Giro del Veneto
- 6th Trofeo Laigueglia
- 6th Giro del Friuli
- 6th Dwars door Vlaanderen
- 6th Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato
- 10th Milan–San Remo
- 10th Gent–Wevelgem
- 10th Grand Prix de Wallonie
- 2011
- 2nd Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato
- 3rd Giro del Piemonte
- 4th Coppa Ugo Agostoni
- 5th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
- 10th Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli
- 2012
- 2nd Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato
- 2nd Gran Piemonte
- 4th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
- 4th Grand Prix de Wallonie
- 7th Tour of Flanders
- 9th Road race, Olympic Games
- 9th Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
- 10th GP Ouest–France
- 2013
- 1st Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
- Giro d'Italia
- 1st Stage 3
- Held
after Stage 3–6
- 5th Milan–San Remo
- 8th E3 Harelbeke
- 2015
- 1st Gent–Wevelgem
Grand Tour general classification results timeline
[edit]| Grand Tour | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giro d'Italia
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 59 | 111 | 111 |
 Tour de France
|
— | — | 69 | — | — | 101 | — | — | — | — | — | 108 | — | 136 | DNF |
 Vuelta a España
|
106 | — | — | DNF | — | DNF | — | — | — | — | 135 | — | 107 | — | — |
Classics results timeline
[edit]| Monument | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan–San Remo | — | — | 64 | 3 | 83 | — | 3 | 12 | — | 9 | 10 | 122 | 12 | 5 | 33 | 30 |
| Tour of Flanders | — | — | — | 39 | 26 | — | 32 | 3 | — | — | — | 57 | 7 | 23 | 36 | 52 |
| Paris–Roubaix | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | DNF | 11 | 21 | 74 | 44 |
| Liège–Bastogne–Liège | — | DNF | 68 | DNF | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Giro di Lombardia | — | DNF | DNF | DNF | — | 44 | — | — | DNF | 4 | DNF | 11 | DNF | — | — | |
| Classic | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | — | — | — | 4 | 5 | 12 | 1 | DNF | — |
| Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne | — | — | — | 12 | 113 | — | DNF | — | — | — | DNF | 24 | 19 | NH | 46 | — |
| Dwars door Vlaanderen | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| E3 Harelbeke | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | DNF | — | — | DNF | — | 28 | 8 | 13 | 33 |
| Gent–Wevelgem | — | 39 | — | — | — | — | DNF | 19 | 6 | — | 10 | 116 | 24 | 54 | DNF | 1 |
| Brabantse Pijl | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | DNF | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hamburg Cyclassics | — | 33 | 135 | 13 | 31 | 2 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| GP Ouest–France | — | — | 12 | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | 126 | — |
| Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec | Race did not exist | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | |||||||||
| Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Paris–Tours | 43 | 11 | 120 | 8 | 152 | DNF | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Major championships results timeline
[edit]| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Olympic Games
|
— | Not held | 39 | Not held | — | Not held | 9 | Not held | ||||||||
 World Championships
|
— | — | — | 8 | 3 | 72 | 38 | — | DNF | 65 | 38 | 106 | 75 | DNF | — | — |
 National Championships
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 3 | — | 10 | — | — | DNF | — |
| — | Did not compete |
|---|---|
| DNF | Did not finish |
| NH | Not held |
| DNS | Did not start |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "T-Mobile: "Do it right or don't do it at all"". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ "Operazione Athena not over for Paolini". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
- ^ "Liquigas backs Paolini after house searched". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
- ^ "97th Giro del Piemonte — Gran Piemonte". Dailypeloton.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
- ^ Edward Pickering (23 February 2013). "Het Nieuwsblad analysis: Two against eight – how Omega Pharma won, then lost the race". Cycle Sports. IPC Media. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ Ryan, Barry (17 March 2013). "Sagan rues missed opportunity at Milan-San Remo". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ Nigel Wynn (29 March 2015). "Luca Paolini wins memorable edition of Ghent-Wevelgem". Cycling Weekly. IPC Media Sports & Leisure network. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- ^ Emil Axelgaard (25 May 2015). "Paolini re-signs with Katusha for another season". Cycling Quotes. CyclingQuotes.com 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- ^ "Paolini informed of cocaine positive at Tour de France". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
- ^ "Luca Paolini handed 18-month doping ban". Cyclingnews.com. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ Farrand, Stephen (18 January 2017). "Paolini abandons hope of a comeback after serving ban for cocaine". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
External links
[edit]
- Palmares at Cycling Base
- Luca Paolini at Cycling Archives (archived)
- Luca Paolini at ProCyclingStats
