Cipollini to retire
04-26-05, 01:24 PM
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https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/othe...ng/4487617.stm
Italian sprinter Mario Cipollini has announced his retirement from cycling for the second time.
The 38-year-old has retired once before - two years ago - but returned to the peloton again.
But Cipollini said: "Announcing my withdrawal one week before the Giro d'Italia is a painful but honest decision. The public will understand."
Cipollini holds the record for the most number of Giro stage wins (42) and has also won 12 Tour de France stages.
But he has been plagued by injury over the past year.
Cipollini admitted he had wanted to compete in one more Giro.
He said: "I would have liked to be at the start of the Giro d'Italia in Reggio Calabria looking for victory again, fighting for the pink jersey.
"Maybe, an "old man" like me, who has given a lot to cycling and has also received a lot, has to recognise when is the right moment to stop."
Italian sprinter Mario Cipollini has announced his retirement from cycling for the second time.
The 38-year-old has retired once before - two years ago - but returned to the peloton again.
But Cipollini said: "Announcing my withdrawal one week before the Giro d'Italia is a painful but honest decision. The public will understand."
Cipollini holds the record for the most number of Giro stage wins (42) and has also won 12 Tour de France stages.
But he has been plagued by injury over the past year.
Cipollini admitted he had wanted to compete in one more Giro.
He said: "I would have liked to be at the start of the Giro d'Italia in Reggio Calabria looking for victory again, fighting for the pink jersey.
"Maybe, an "old man" like me, who has given a lot to cycling and has also received a lot, has to recognise when is the right moment to stop."
Last edited by timmhaan; 04-26-05 at 02:10 PM.
04-26-05, 02:46 PM
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Man this is such a drag!! I was really looking forward to the Giro and seeing if he could get at least one more stage victory, I sure hope he comes back for that at least!!
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04-26-05, 04:19 PM
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(Rummaging in Bottega Veneta bag for Gucci hankie) *sniff*sniff*sob*
...well, at least...before the season he said he was going to go into fashion after he retired. I can't wait to see what he does next, because whatever it is, we'll hear about it...Cipo on the red carpet, anyone?
...well, at least...before the season he said he was going to go into fashion after he retired. I can't wait to see what he does next, because whatever it is, we'll hear about it...Cipo on the red carpet, anyone?
04-26-05, 05:15 PM
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I'm a little surprised by this. He got a couple of early season wins, though they were minor, even one against Petacchi. He was a great personality and a great champion. He will be missed.
This is really getting to be a crazy year. Lance announces, Tyler banned, Cipo out. The changing of the guard is officially under way.
This is really getting to be a crazy year. Lance announces, Tyler banned, Cipo out. The changing of the guard is officially under way.
04-26-05, 07:18 PM
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I think this time he means it. He's 38 and if he could be in the giro he would.
I figured it would be his last giro, but I really was looking forward to seeing him at the opening prologue in some wacky skinsuit. Remember the one with the tiger stripes? Classic!
I figured it would be his last giro, but I really was looking forward to seeing him at the opening prologue in some wacky skinsuit. Remember the one with the tiger stripes? Classic!
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04-26-05, 08:13 PM
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I'm really surprised and saddened that he decided to not even start the Giro. I wonder if his fitness or confidence are lagging, and he doesn't want the public's last image of him racing to be him getting spanked by Petacchi. I'm sorry to see him go. He was a great character who added a lot of excitement to the peloton. Remember when he arrived at the start of a Tour stage on a chariot and dressed as Julius Caesar?
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04-26-05, 08:27 PM
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Mario
04-26-05, 08:29 PM
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muscle suit, love this one.
04-26-05, 09:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Smoothie104
muscle suit, love this one.
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04-27-05, 06:43 AM
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Ciao, Cipo! We'll miss your speed,competitive fire and most of all, flamboyance.
04-27-05, 08:48 AM
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Wabbit I totally agree with you! I certianly was looking forward to this year's Giro and what skinsuit he would wear at the prologue, I always look forward to that also..And yes I do remember the tiger strips outift. Most of the prologue outfits that he wears, they release to the public in the form of a jersey and matching shorts, and I normally get them. So I have that tiger one, it's really neat. I just wished that Specialized would have made public the TT bike that he rode. I read in a cycle sport one year, that they had plans to make it available in 2004, but it never came, so that was a drag, oh well.
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04-27-05, 08:54 AM
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Originally Posted by caadman
I just wished that Specialized would have made public the TT bike that he rode. I read in a cycle sport one year, that they had plans to make it available in 2004, but it never came, so that was a drag, oh well.
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04-27-05, 09:14 AM
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All these Cipo photos are great, keep em coming if you have em...
04-27-05, 09:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Smoothie104
All these Cipo photos are great, keep em coming if you have em...
04-27-05, 09:48 AM
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He will be missed for sure. He was one of those cyclists that you could never hate. There was nothing to hate about him since he was a badass for a long time.
He had a really disappointing Giro last year so it is not surprising that he decided to retire before it. I remembered saving this photo from last year's Giro in which he crashed 200 meters before the finish line in one of the stages.
His expression says it all.
He had a really disappointing Giro last year so it is not surprising that he decided to retire before it. I remembered saving this photo from last year's Giro in which he crashed 200 meters before the finish line in one of the stages.
His expression says it all.
