Franco Pellizotti

Franco Pellizotti
	Franco Pellizotti (2015)
To person
Date of birth	15th January 1978
nation	Italy
discipline	Street
To the team
Current team	Bahrain-McLaren
function	driver
Most important successes
	two stages of the Giro d'Italia
	Last updated: February 14, 2017

Franco Pellizotti (born January 15, 1978 in Latisana , Province of Udine ) is an Italian cyclist .

Career

Pellizotti began his professional career in 2001 with Team Alessio . His most successful year to date was 2002, when he was able to win a stage each at Tirreno-Adriatico , the Tour of Poland and the Tour of the Basque Country and the Giro del Friuli . In 2004 he won the Grand Prix Chiasso , in 2005 he was successful at the Settimana Ciclista Internazionale Coppi-Bartali as overall winner and winner of a stage. At Paris – Nice 2005, he finished sixth; at Milan – Sanremo 2005 he was ninth. His greatest success came with a stage win at the Giro d'Italia 2006 . Giro d'Italia 2008 Pellizotti led the overall standings for four days and wore the pink jersey . He finished the tour in fourth.

At the beginning of May 2010 Pellizotti was suspended by the World Cycling Federation Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) because of abnormal blood values in the "Biological Passport" and disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him. In October 2010 he was acquitted of the doping charge by the National Olympic Committee for Italy (CONI) due to a lack of evidence. Pellizotti then asked the UCI for damages of over 200,000 euros. On March 8, 2011, the International Court of Justice confirmed the two-year ban and also revoked all results from Pellizotti since May 17, 2009, including his second place at the Giro d'Italia as well as the stage win, the dotted jersey and the award for the most combative driver of the Tour de France . He also had to pay a fine of € 115,000.

Pellizotti then declared the end of his career, returned to cycling in 2012 as a member of the Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela and won the Italian road championship in 2012.