Paolo Savoldelli
 |
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Paolo Savoldelli |
| Nickname | Il Falco ("The Falcon") |
| Born |
7 May 1973 Clusone, Italy |
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Weight | 70 kg (150 lb; 11 st) |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | All-rounder |
| Professional team(s) | |
| 1996–1997 | Rosslotto |
| 1998–2001 | Saeco |
| 2002 | Index-Alexia Alluminio |
| 2003–2004 | Team Telekom |
| 2005–2006 | Discovery Channel |
| 2007 | Astana |
| 2008 | LPR Brakes–Ballan |
| Major wins | |
|
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Paolo Savoldelli (born 7 May 1973 in Clusone, province of Bergamo) is an Italian former road racing cyclist and winner of the 2002 and 2005 Giro d'Italia.
Savoldelli was a climber but known for his fast downhill riding. He is nicknamed Il Falco ("the falcon"). His downhill skills won him the 2005 Giro. His descent of the Colle delle Finestre before the final ascent to Sestriere in the penultimate stage, closed a gap to Gilberto Simoni, preserving his lead and giving him the win.
On 20 July 2005, Savoldelli won the 17th stage of the Tour de France. He led Astana in the 2007 Giro d'Italia, but worked for teammate Eddy Mazzoleni.
Savoldelli retired from competitive professional cycling at the end of the 2008 season. He did not leave the cycling world however, as he embarked on a career covering the sport in the media.
As of 2012, Savoldelli worked for the Italian television channel RAI, providing viewers with commentary on cycling races. He comments from a motorbike, offering insights from a first-hand point of view. He concludes each of his interventions with an emphatic "A Voi!" (Italian for "Back to you!"), which became his trademark.
Despite having already retired, in May 2014 Savoldelli was banned from bicycle racing for six months for being a client of the infamous doping doctor, Michele Ferrari. Later on, his name was tied to evidence in the 2012 USADA Report as "Rider 1," and is said to have set up and used EPO doping in the 2006 Giro d'Italia.
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