Petacchi retires

poppit
poppit Posts: 926
edited August 2013 in Pro race
Is this old news?

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/538025/alessandro-petacchi-retires-from-professional-cycling.html
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Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    No, but it has got a mention in one of the spoiler threads today.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Doesn't get enough credit really. Was very good.
    _
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    He was a cut above every other sprinter on the market from 2005 to about 2008
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    2004. 9 giro stages in 1 GT
    _
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    2004. 9 giro stages in 1 GT

    Apologies, my memory always defaults to 2005 in the Giro. Because it was the best race ever.

    Even before then, 2003 TDF. 4 stages before sacking it at the end of week 1 and 6 in that years Giro too.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • pat1cp
    pat1cp Posts: 766
    Wasn't a young Spartacus one of his lead out back then on the Fassa Bortollo team.
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  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,697
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/petacch ... retirement
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,923
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12918032
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  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,697
    So that's how little people care then. i tried to write something underneath but just couldnt think of anything....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    I’ll add to your thread, if it makes any difference to which one of the two 'Petacchi retiring' threads I contribute:

    In the other thread, disgruntledgoat is too narrow in his dates of Petacchi's 'high life' (2005-2008); a range 2003-2010 would be more accurate …
    2003 = Petacchi started all 3 GTs and collected total 15 stage wins in them.
    2010 = he won the Points Jersey in the TdF (to complete his collection of a Points Jersey in each of the 3 GTs, a rare feat)
    … albeit with a question mark on 2007 (some wins were cancelled as result of unclear decisions on possible doping) and with 2008 written in small case digits (because he was banned most of the year and only really rode the Tour of Britain that Autumn).

    In 2006 he also risked his private life (long term relationship/eventually marriage with Anna Chiara in 2005) when he made a calendar for 2007 with Italian TV glamour girl Federica Ridolfi, accompanied by associated rumours of a possible relationship with Ridolfi.

    I think he under-achieved compared to what was possible given his ability, perhaps because as person, despite greater physical stature compared to many Italians, he was at heart a reserved person, i.e. too nice a rider to regularly be a cut-throat sprinter and too relaxed a person to have continual ambition.

    His wife looks like she is well worth retiring for (I think in the meantime, they have a young child).

    8675727041_650f57dbcb.jpg
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    It's sad that when I read this last night my first thought was....what doping revelations are going to make an appearance tomorrow.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    inkyfingers wrote:
    It's sad that when I read this last night my first thought was....what doping revelations are going to make an appearance tomorrow.

    Could it just be as simple as realising, 2 weeks in advance, that he didn't have a hope of putting up a final win in the Giro?
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    His palmares have to respected and although I thought he would have retired a few years ago, he has still managed to maintain high placings. I would have loved to see him in his prime.

    Love the photos of him in the sprinters Giro jersey while riding for LPR. If my photosite was working I would post up.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    inkyfingers wrote:
    It's sad that when I read this last night my first thought was....what doping revelations are going to make an appearance tomorrow.

    Could it just be as simple as realising, 2 weeks in advance, that he didn't have a hope of putting up a final win in the Giro?

    For sure, I think he should probably have retired a couple of years ago. He was a very classy rider (despite a tendency to climb off at the first sniff of a mountain :wink: ).

    My comment was just me saying what a sad indictment on the sport it is that when somebody retires suddenly that I automatically think that there might be more than meets the eye.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    inkyfingers wrote:
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    inkyfingers wrote:
    It's sad that when I read this last night my first thought was....what doping revelations are going to make an appearance tomorrow.

    Could it just be as simple as realising, 2 weeks in advance, that he didn't have a hope of putting up a final win in the Giro?

    For sure, I think he should probably have retired a couple of years ago. He was a very classy rider (despite a tendency to climb off at the first sniff of a mountain :wink: ).

    .

    There's a bit on my 2003 TDF DVD where Gary Imlach says (as Jesus Manzano is being saved from near death on the bonnet of a speccie's car) that "Petacchi followed up his fourth stage win by retiring on the morning of stage 9, putting the finishing touches to his 'Mario Cippolini Rides The Tour' impression"

    Gold.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Yes, I know it well, watched that DVD many times on the Turbo!
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    inkyfingers wrote:
    Yes, I know it well, watched that DVD many times on the Turbo!

    I think I know that whole DVD by heart.

    "We've never seen a race like this!" x 1000.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    inkyfingers wrote:
    Yes, I know it well, watched that DVD many times on the Turbo!

    I think I know that whole DVD by heart.

    "We've never seen a race like this!" x 1000.

    Dirty as hell, but brilliant.

    Descent into Gap always gets me, you know that Beloki is going to go down, but never quite sure when. I know that incident has almost become a pastiche, but it was incredibly exciting at the time.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    inkyfingers wrote:
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    inkyfingers wrote:
    Yes, I know it well, watched that DVD many times on the Turbo!

    I think I know that whole DVD by heart.

    "We've never seen a race like this!" x 1000.

    Dirty as hell, but brilliant.

    Descent into Gap always gets me, you know that Beloki is going to go down, but never quite sure when. I know that incident has almost become a pastiche, but it was incredibly exciting at the time.


    That stage is ruined for me when Ned asks Armstrong about his past as a mountain bike rider. I'm not sure he'd ever been on a mountain bike at that point.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • chrisday
    chrisday Posts: 300
    Always been a fan, despite his 'complex' preparation. Loved the era when he dominated all the GTs, and for me that Fassa jersey is still an absolute classic. But others on here are right, he's not been that competitive for a while, so shouldn't be too surprised.

    Raising a glass to Ale Jet all the same :)
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  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Not as retired as was first reported, it seems...

    http://www.gazzetta.it/Ciclismo/24-04-2013/ciclismo-petacchi-stop-non-ritiro-ma-pausa-20286093315.shtml

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/could-petacchi-come-back-as-a-lead-out-man
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    There's a job going for a lead out man at OPQS :wink:
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,436
    the Inner Ring ‏@inrng 1h
    La Gazzetta says Petacchi set to join OPQS in Giro as Cav's lead out, has been testing the team's Specialized. But UCI rules could stop deal
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    It's all a bit surreal
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    TailWindHome wrote:
    the Inner Ring ‏@inrng 1h
    La Gazzetta says Petacchi set to join OPQS in Giro as Cav's lead out, has been testing the team's Specialized. But UCI rules could stop deal

    Testing a bike? Jebus, he's a professional cyclist, it's hardly a fighter plane is it?
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Well..probably sensible
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • argyllflyer
    argyllflyer Posts: 893
    Can't see the grounds for waiving a UCI regulation here. Changes to the rulebook should be between seasons. If Petacchi can tear up his Lampre contract (even on the grounds of retirement) in order to reappear elsewhere at WT level in the same season, then it should be the case for all riders to move on.
  • argyllflyer
    argyllflyer Posts: 893
    UCI have blocked the move.
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    Inrng on this
    http://inrng.com/2013/05/petacchi-opqs-transfer-market/
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,436
    Petacchi_Alessandro_OPQS13_HS-1.jpg
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!

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