Alessandro Petacchi: Rider Profile

Alessandro Petacchi on the podium after winning the 2014 Grand Prix Pino Cerami

(Image credit: Graham Watson)

published 26 March 2009

Date of birth: 03/01/1974

From: La Spezia, Italy

Team: Southeast

Previous teams: Omega Pharma-QuickStep (2013-2014), Lampre (2010-2013), LPR Brakes (2009); Milram (2006-2008); Fassa Bortolo (2000-2005); Navigare-Gaerne (1999); Scrigno (1996-1998)

Alessandro Petacchi career profile

Alessandro Petacchi is one of the most successful sprinters in the history of the sport, with well over 100 wins to his name.

Turning professional in 1996 with the Scrigno team, the Italian made a name for himself taking a stage of the Tour de Langkawi in 1998.

A winless year at Navigare followed but it was at Fasso Bortolo under the tutelage of the formidable Giancarlo Ferretti that the Italian flourished. Petacchi's first Grand Tour stage wins came in 2000, taking two wins at the Vuelta. 2003 saw the man from La Spezia take stages in all three of the Grand Tours but 2004 was his most prolific; nine stage wins at the Giro and four at the Vuelta was an astonishing performance as Petacchi dominated the sprint finishes of nearly every race he entered.

He finally realised a dream in 2005, winning Milan-San Remo proving that he could climb when it was really necessary, training hard over the winter to shed any excess weight.

Controversy struck in 2007, when the Italian returned a ‘non-negative' test for excess levels of salbutamol, an asthma medication at that year's Giro. He had a Therapeutic Use Exemption certificate for the drug, but the level was recorded at 320mg/ml above the 1000mg/ml limit allowed and was suspended immediately by his Milram team. The Italian Olympic Committee ruled that the he had no intention to dope and its use had only been therapeutic, but by this time the damage had been done and he was banned from racing for twelve months, which was later reduced to take into account the period during which he was suspended.

Petacchi struggled to restore his his fearsome turn of speed and spent a year with the ProContinental team, LPR Brakes. Two stage victories in the Giro, followed by three in the Tour of Britain were enough for Lampre to sign him for the 2010 season.

The Italian duly had a fine season, finishing third in Milan-San Remo, winning a stage in the Tour de Suisse before riding a brilliant Tour de France. He won two stages in the first week, and held off a charge from Mark Cavendish to win the green jersey in Paris.

In 2013, Petacchi 'retired' from Lampre only to sign for Omega Pharma-QuickStep to form part of Cavendish's lead out. His contract with Omega Pharma ended after 2014, and Petacchi signed with the Southeast Italian Pro Continental outfit for 2015.

Alessandro Petacchi results

2014

Grand Prix Pino Cerami

Dernycriterium 's-Gravenwezel

2012

Bayern Rundfahrt; stage one

Bayern Rundfahrt; stage three

Bayern Rundfahrt; stage five

Bayern Rundfahrt; points classification

2011

Volta a Catalunya; stage two

Giro d'Italia; stage two

Tour of Turkey; stage four

Tour of Turkey; points classification

2010

Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria; stage two

Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria; stage four

GP Costa degli Etruschi

Tour de Suisse; stage four

Tour de France; stage one

Tour de France, stage four

Tour de France; points classification

2009

Giro d'Italia; stage two

Giro d'Italia; stage three

Tirenno Adriatico; stage two

Settimana Ciclista Lombarda; stage two

Settimana Ciclista Lombarda; stage four

Settimana Ciclista Lombarda; points classification

Giro di Sardegna; stage five

Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen

Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi

2008

Tour of Britain; stage one

Tour of Britain; stage six

Tour of Britain; stage eight

GP Beghelli

Memorial Viviana Manservisi

2007

Vuelta a Espana; stage 11

Vuelta a Espana; 12

Tour of the Algarve; overall

Tour of the Algarve; stage

Vuelta Valenciana; stage

Regio Tour; stage

Internationale Niedersachsen-Rundfahrt; overall

Internationale Niedersachsen-Rundfahrt; stage

Paris-Tours

2006

Tirreno Adriatico; stage seven

Tirreno Adriatico; points classification

Ruta del Sol; stage

Vuelta Valenciana; stage

Internationale Niedersachsen-Rundfahrt; overall

Internationale Niedersachsen-Rundfahrt; stage

GP Costa Degli Etruschi

Giro della Provincia di Lucca

2005

Giro d'Italia; stage 10

Giro d'Italia; stage 13

Giro d'Italia; stage 16

Giro d'Italia; stage 21

Vuelta a Espana; stage three

Vuelta a Espana; stage four

Vuelta a Espana; stage eight

Vuelta a Espana; stage 12

Vuelta a Espana; stage 21

Tour de Romandie; stage one

Tour de Romandie; stage two

Tirreno Adriatico; stage one

Tirreno Adriatico; stage six

Tirreno Adriatico; stage seven

Vuelta a Aragon; stage

Vuelta a Andalucia; stage

Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana; overall

Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana; stage

Milan-San Remo

GP Costa Degli Etruschi

Trofeo Luis Puig

2004

Giro d'Italia; stage two

Giro d'Italia; stage five

Giro d'Italia; stage seven

Giro d'Italia; stage nine

Giro d'Italia; stage 11

Giro d'Italia; stage 13

Giro d'Italia; stage 15

Giro d'Italia; stage 16

Giro d'Italia; stage 21

Giro d'Italia; points classification

Giro d'Italia; most combative rider

Giro d'Italia; Azzurri d'Italia classification

Vuelta a Espana; stage two

Vuelta a Espana; stage four

Vuelta a Espana; stage seven

Vuelta a Espana; stage 13

Tirreno Adriatico; stage one

Tirreno Adriatico; stage two

Tirreno Adriatico; stage seven

Giro della Provincia di Lucca; stage

Tour of Aragon; stage

Tour of Holland; stage

2003

Tour de France; stage two

Tour de France; stage four

Tour de France; stage six

Tour de France; stage seven

Giro d'Italia; stage one

Giro d'Italia; stage five

Giro d'Italia; stage six

Giro d'Italia; stage 13

Giro d'Italia; stage 16

Giro d'Italia; stage 17

Vuelta a Espana; stage three

Vuelta a Espana; stage five

Vuelta a Espana; stage 12

Vuelta a Espana; stage 14

Vuelta a Espana; stage 21

Paris-Nice; stage one

Vuelta Valenciana; stage

Tour of Aragon; stage

Tour of Holland; stage

Trofeo Luis Puig

2002

Vuelta a Espana; stage 12

Paris-Nice; stage one

Paris-Nice; stage five

Settimana Coppi & Bartali; stage

Tour of the Mediterranean; stage

Vuelta Valenciana; stage

Regio Tour; stage

Tour of Holland; stage

2001

Settimana Coppi & Bartali; stage

Settimana Lombarda; stage

Euskal Bizikleta; stage

Tour of Poland; stage

2000

Vuelta a Espana; stage eight

Vuelta a Espana; stage 12

Giro della Provincia di Lucca; overall

Giro della Provincia di Lucca; stage

Tour de Luxembourg; stage

Route du Sud; stage

Regio Tour; stage

1998

Tour de Langkawi; stage

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Alessandro Petacchi: Rider Profile

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