The last days of the year are the right opportunity to celebrate all runners who have decided to abandon competitive sports after more or less long careers, more or less full of satisfactions. Our review opens with the Italians who have decided to store their bicycles in the cellar or garage (or attic).
The Italian runners retreat at the end of 2025
Not only Alessandro De Marchi, Giacomo Nizzolo and Elia Viviani, about whom we have spoken extensively in the past months: the group of athletes from our home who have left the professionalism she is quite nourished.
At the head of the group is Gianluca Brambilla: the rider from Como by birth and Vicenza by adoption leaves racing after 16 seasons in the top series (the last three with Q36.5) and 6 victories, half of which were obtained in 2016, when he won the stage of Arezzo at the Giro d’Italia – wearing the insignia of the record for two days – and the finish line of Sallent de Gállego-Aramón Formigal at the Vuelta de España. A thoroughbred striker, Brambilla also wore the blue shirt at the world championships in Innsbruck 2018 and Imola 2020. His CV also includes the final ranking of Tour of the Maritime Alps 2021, conquered – needless to say – with a long-distance escape which also earned him the stage success.
At his wheel we find a sprinter of good standing: the 36-year-old Davide from Friuli Cimolai ends a love story with cycling that lasted more than fifteen years, in which he achieved 9 victories. At the top of the list are the two stages won at Tour of Catalonia in the two-year period 2016-2017, the Rasteau stage at Paris-Nice 2015 and, in the same year, the Laigueglia Trophy. However, Cimolai experienced the best day of his career at the European Road Championships Glasgow 2018, when he did an exemplary job for Matteo Trentinwho would then beat Mathieu in the sprint van der Poel e Wout van Aert.
From one pure sprinter to another sprinter who – as the years went by – converted to the wingman: the Tuscan Kristian Get rid of it35 years old, has crossed the world of professionalism for over a decade between the World Tour and Professional (Solution Tech-Vini Fantini was his last destination). Only one success on the board, but of absolute prestige: the stage of Castellon at the 2015 Vuelta, leaving none other than John behind Degenkolbfresh from a double Sanremo–Roubaix.
The men of fatigue: a category (of the spirit and the heart) worthily represented by Salvatore Puccio. The Sicilian rider – 36 years old in September – has tied his entire career (15 seasons in total) to just one team, the Team Sky/INEOS Grenadiers. Very few satisfactions – with the exception of a pink jersey worn after the team time trial Ischia at the Giro 2013 – but a very precious job for his captains especially in the big stage races: 3 Giri won with Christopher Froome (2018), Tao Geogheghan Hart (2020) ed Egan Bernal (2021) and the 2017 Vuelta teaming with Froome. A real one flag.
Petilli and Baldaccini also close
Another long-time runner is Simone from Como Petals: a decade in the top flight (without victories) with Lampre’s shirts, UAE Emirates and Wanty Gobert/Intermarché before leaving the group and starting a new life from preparator. «I wasn’t a samplebut I have met so many and I have learned something from each one», the measured greeting of the 32-year-old from Lombardy.
Finally, despite his far from advanced age, the 27-year-old Davide from Bergamo Balconies – who raced for three years with the Corratec/Solution Tech – decided to take a new path. His CV stands out as a partial success at Tour of Qinghai Lake 2023.
