Paolo Savoldelli

Paolo Savoldelli (born 7 May 1973 in Clusone, province of Bergamo) is a former Italian 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 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 his name was tied to evidence in the 2012 USADA Report as "Rider 1," and he is said to have set up and used EPO doping in the 2006 Giro d'Italia.

Major results

 * 1996
 * 10th Overall Volta a Catalunya


 * 1997
 * 1st Stage 4 Hofbrau Cup


 * 1998
 * 1st Jersey violet.svg Overall Giro del Trentino
 * 1st Stage 2
 * 9th Overall Giro d'Italia
 * 10th Overall Tour de Romandie


 * 1999
 * 1st Jersey violet.svg Overall Giro del Trentino
 * 1st Stage 1
 * 1st Trofeo Laigueglia
 * 2nd Overall Giro d'Italia
 * 1st Stage 14
 * 4th Overall Tour de Romandie


 * 2000
 * 1st Jersey green.svg Overall Tour de Romandie
 * 1st Prologue
 * 3rd Overall Giro del Trentino
 * 1st Stage 3


 * 2001
 * Tour de Romandie
 * 1st Prologue & Stage 2
 * 4th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico


 * 2002
 * 1st Jersey pink.svg Overall Giro d'Italia
 * 7th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico


 * 2004
 * 6th Overall Tour of Britain
 * 9th Tre Valli Varesine


 * 2005
 * 1st Jersey pink.svg Overall Giro d'Italia
 * 1st Stage 11
 * 1st Stage 17 Tour de France
 * 9th Klasika Primavera


 * 2006
 * 1st Prologue Tour de Romandie
 * 4th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
 * 5th Overall Giro d'Italia
 * 1st jersey blue.svg Combination classification
 * 1st Prologue


 * 2007
 * 1st Stage 20 Giro d'Italia
 * 2nd Overall Tour de Romandie
 * 1st Prologue


 * 2008
 * 2nd Overall Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda

Grand Tour general classification results timeline
DNF = Did not finish