View source for Gilberto Simoni

{{short description|Italian cyclist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox cyclist
| name = Gilberto Simoni
| image = Simoni Gilberto 2007.jpg
| caption = Simoni in 2007
| fullname = Gilberto Simoni
| nickname = Gibo
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1971|8|25}}
| birth_place = [[Giovo|Palù di Giovo]], [[Italy]]
| height = {{height|m=1.70}}
| weight = {{convert|62|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}
| currentteam = Retired
| discipline = [[Road bicycle racing|Road]]
| role = Rider
| ridertype = [[Climbing specialist]]
| proyears1 = 1994
| proteam1 = {{UCI team code|JOL|1994}}
| proyears2 = 1995&ndash;1996
| proteam2 = {{UCI team code|AKI|1995}}
| proyears3 = 1997
| proteam3 = {{UCI team code|RIS|1997}}
| proyears4 = 1998
| proteam4 = {{UCI team code|CTA|1998}}
| proyears5 = 1999
| proteam5 = {{UCI team code|ALB|1999}}
| proyears6 = 2000&ndash;2001
| proteam6 = {{UCI team code|LAM|2000}}
| proyears7 = 2002&ndash;2004
| proteam7 = {{UCI team code|SAE|2002}}
| proyears8 = 2005
| proteam8 = {{UCI team code|LAM|2005}}
| proyears9 = 2006&ndash;2007
| proteam9 = {{UCI team code|FUJ|2006}}
| proyears10 = 2008&ndash;2009
| proteam10 = {{UCI team code|SDA|2008}}
| proyears11 = 2010
| proteam11 = {{UCI team code|LAM|2010}}
| majorwins = '''[[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tours]]'''
:'''[[Tour de France]]'''
::1 individual stage ([[2003 Tour de France|2003]])
:'''[[Giro d'Italia]]'''
::'''[[General classification in the Giro d'Italia|General classification]]''' ([[2001 Giro d'Italia|2001]], [[2003 Giro d'Italia|2003]])
::[[Points classification in the Giro d'Italia|Points classification]] ([[2003 Giro d'Italia|2003]])
::8 individual stages ([[2000 Giro d'Italia|2000]]–[[2004 Giro d'Italia|2004]], [[2007 Giro d'Italia|2007]])
:'''[[Vuelta a España]]'''
::2 individual stages ([[2000 Vuelta a España|2000]], [[2001 Vuelta a España|2001]])
'''[[Race stage|Stage races]]'''
:[[Giro del Trentino]] ([[2003 Giro del Trentino|2003]])
'''[[Classic cycle races|One-day races and Classics]]'''
:[[Japan Cup (cycling)|Japan Cup]] (2001)
:[[Giro dell'Emilia]] (2000, 2005)
}}
'''Gilberto Simoni''' (born 25 August 1971) is an Italian former professional [[road bicycle racer]], most recently for {{UCI team code|LAM|2010}}. Simoni won the [[Giro d'Italia]] cycling race twice: once in [[2001 Giro d'Italia|2001]] and again in [[2003 Giro d'Italia|2003]]. In 2002 he tested positive for cocaine and was withdrawn from the race by his Saeco team; he was later cleared of any doping violation by the Italian Cycling Federation.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120731023520/http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22131086-23218,00.html Fox Sports]</ref> Aside from his withdrawal in 2002, he finished on the podium in every other Giro between [[1999 Giro d'Italia|1999]] and [[2006 Giro d'Italia|2006]].

Simoni is a native of Palu di Giovo, and was considered a [[climbing specialist]]. His final race as a professional road cyclist was the [[2010 Giro d'Italia]], which he finished in 69th place overall, 2:40:14 behind other two-time winner, [[Ivan Basso]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/05/road/2010-giro-ditalia-stage-20-results-2_114868|title=2010 Giro d'Italia, stage 21 results - VeloNews.com|date=30 May 2010|website=Competitor.com|access-date=20 January 2018|archive-date=9 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009172123/http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/05/road/2010-giro-ditalia-stage-20-results-2_114868|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Career==
===Early career===
Simoni was born in [[Giovo|Palù di Giovo]], in [[Trentino]], and began competing as an amateur with the goal of someday winning the [[Giro d'Italia]]. Simoni confirmed his potential in 1993, when he won both the amateur version of the Giro d'Italia (known as the [[Baby Giro]]) and the Italian Road Cycling Championship. Prior to his retirement in 2010, Simoni would reveal to the Italian newspaper ''La Gazzetta dello Sport'' that the Giro was the one race that attracted him to cycling and which motivated him as a professional. "It was the Giro that brought me to cycling when I was a child", he said. "It triggered my dreams."<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/sports/cycling/21iht-BIKE.html|title=Simoni Heeds Giro's Call and Races Once Again|first=Samuel|last=Abt|newspaper=The New York Times|date=20 May 2010|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref>

Simoni turned professional in 1994 with the {{UCI team code|JOL|1994}} team, but suffered through an inauspicious rookie season, having to cope with the deaths of both his father and older brother. It was only three years later in 1997 that Simoni won his first professional race, a stage of the [[Giro del Trentino]], while riding for the {{UCI team code|RIS|1997}} team of sports director [[Giancarlo Ferretti]].

1998 was another disappointing season for Simoni, and his results sheet was barren after a year spent with the {{UCI team code|CTA|1998}} team.  He briefly quit cycling and worked as a [[bicycle mechanic]] for [[1984 Giro d'Italia]] winner [[Francesco Moser]].  However, a resurgent Simoni joined the {{UCI team code|ALB|1999}} team in 1999 and finished a surprising third on the [[general classification]] of [[1999 Giro d'Italia|that year's Giro d'Italia]]. In a race that saw another mercurial Italian climber thrown off the Giro for doping ([[Marco Pantani]]), Simoni was criticized in some sectors of the press for claiming a podium finish without having earned the placing. But he proved his critics wrong by winning a stage in the [[Tour de Suisse]] and again finishing on the final podium.

===First Giro d'Italia victory, 2001===
The 2000 season started well for Simoni:  he'd transferred to the top-ranked {{UCI team code|LAM|2000}} team of two-time Giro d'Italia winner [[Giuseppe Saronni]] and went on to again finish on the podium of the [[2000 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]].  Simoni cemented his reputation as a climbing specialist by winning the dramatic [[Alto de El Angliru]] stage of that year's [[Vuelta a España]].

Simoni started the [[2001 Giro d'Italia]] as Lampre's undisputed leader and hope for the general classification, which he won with a comfortable margin.{{Clarify|reason=vague|date=January 2018}}

===Second Giro d'Italia victory, 2003===
Following his Giro victory Simoni moved to the {{UCI team code|SAE|2002}} team with the goal of repeating his Giro success of the previous year.  However, traces of [[cocaine]] were found in his blood and he was disqualified despite his protestations of innocence.  It was later determined that the cocaine in his blood came from candies that his aunt had bought for him from [[Peru]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}}

In 2003, the Saeco team came to the Giro d'Italia with the sole purpose of supporting Simoni.  After competing with a resurgent [[Stefano Garzelli]], [[Yaroslav Popovych]] and [[Marco Pantani]] in the high mountains in a hailstorm, Simoni achieved his second Giro d'Italia victory.  His pursuit was documented in the film ''The Quest''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thequestfilm.com/|title=TheQuestFilm.com|website=www.TheQuestFilm.com|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref>

Following his successful performance in the Giro, he set his aims on the [[Tour de France]] and in several interviews challenged the incumbent [[Lance Armstrong]] to a battle in the mountains. His performance was lacking, although he was able to gain a stage win.

===Later career===
Simoni failed to defend his title in the [[2004 Giro d'Italia]] with the emergence of his teammate [[Damiano Cunego]].  After some public dispute, Simoni reconciled with Cunego and agreed to continue on the same team, which became {{UCI team code|LAM|2005}}.  In the [[2005 Giro d'Italia]] the team took advantage of the publicity and played up the rivalry between Simoni and Cunego, boasting their strength for the Giro.  The early part of the Giro saw Cunego lose significant time in the early mountain stages – he was later diagnosed with [[Epstein-Barr]] viral infection – firmly establishing Simoni as the team leader for the Giro.  However, Simoni failed to dislodge [[Paolo Savoldelli]] in the last mountain stage, even with an epic performance which saw him and [[Danilo Di Luca]] work together to gain time on Savoldelli.  Suffering from cramps, he also failed to win that stage.

Simoni was slated to join [[Giancarlo Ferretti]]'s Sony-Ericsson team, which was supposed to be the continuation of the [[Fassa Bortolo]] team.  However, it later turned out that Ferretti had fallen victim to a fraud, and the team did not in fact exist.  After a strong performance in which he finished second in the [[Giro di Lombardia]] (which was won by Cunego in the previous edition), Simoni signed a contract to join {{UCI team code|FUJ|2006}}.

[[File:Gilberto Simoni mtb.jpg|thumb|right|Gilberto Simoni during "La Prevostura 2007" Granfondo competition]]
On the urging of his frame sponsor, Scott USA, Simoni began competing in [[mountain bike marathon]] events during the 2006 off-season for road bicycle racing.  He quickly garnered impressive results by winning the Italian National Championship for Mountain Bike Marathon.

Simoni was embroiled in public row with fellow Italian [[Ivan Basso]] of {{UCI team code|SAX|2006}}. Simoni alleged that Basso offered him a stage win in the [[2006 Giro d'Italia]] into Aprica five kilometers from the finish after the two cyclists had broken away from the main field. Basso has denied any such offer, and went on to win the stage by 77 seconds. Simoni retracted his accusations several days later.

In dramatic fashion, with [[Leonardo Piepoli]]'s support he won the epic stage 17 to [[Monte Zoncolan]] in the [[2007 Giro d'Italia]].

After a lengthy search for a team for 2010, that included negotiations with his previous team {{UCI team code|SDA|2010}} as well as with {{UCI team code|AST|2010}} and {{UCI team code|RRC|2010}}, Simoni re-joined  his former Lampre ''squadra'', rechristened as {{UCI team code|LAM|2010}}. The 2010 Giro d'Italia was the final race of his career.<ref>{{cite web|author=Gregor Brown |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/simoni-to-ride-last-giro-ditalia-with-lampre |title=Simoni To Ride Last Giro D'Italia With Lampre |date=12 January 2010 |publisher=Cyclingnews.com |access-date=8 August 2012}}</ref> He finished 69th overall, 2:40:14 behind two-time winner and compatriot [[Ivan Basso]]. Simoni was characteristically frank about his last bid for glory, which poignantly saw him beaten in the sprint for the Cima Coppi KOM prize by the Swiss Johann Tschopp, at the summit of the [[Passo di Gavia]] in the penultimate Giro stage. Mobbed at the finish line by Italian media looking for one final quote from a rider who rarely hesitated to speak his mind, Simoni mused:

"Perhaps if I'd played more of a bluffing game, I might have had something left for the finish but never mind. That's bike racing. I'm just glad the Giro is over. I've had enough now."<ref name="cyclingnews1">{{cite web|author=Stephen Farrand |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/simoni-makes-one-final-attack-in-the-mountains |title=Simoni Makes One Final Attack In The Mountains |date=29 May 2010 |publisher=Cyclingnews.com |access-date=8 August 2012}}</ref>

The Trentinese explained that his curtain call did not go as planned, though he still claimed to have enjoyed closing-out his storied career by finishing a three-week Grand Tour, one of the most challenging events for an endurance road cyclist:

"I've known it was time to retire for awhile {{sic}} It's been on my mind for the last two years. I knew this Giro was my last race. I've been a professional for 17 years, and it really is time to quit. I honestly thought I'd go better than I did in this Giro. I knew I couldn't win it like in 2003 or 2007 (Monte Zoncolan stage), but I didn't expect to suffer so much and for so long during the three weeks. It's been a strange goodbye. I've ridden the Giro almost as an outsider, without the pressure to win and do well. It's hurt but I've been able to enjoy it. Before the finish today, the whole thing flashed before my eyes."<ref name="cyclingnews1"/>

==Retirement==
Cycling columnist Samuel Abt of the ''International Herald Tribune'' described Simoni as "an inspiration to all retirees who wonder what they will do now with so much time on their hands." He pointed out that "instead of taking up golf or lurking at home and watching television", the first thing Simoni did "after saying goodbye to the workplace [was] rejoin it."<ref name="nytimes1"/>

But after finally calling it quits on a professional career that included nearly 600 classified results in UCI-sanctioned events,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureuruitslagenfiche.php?coureurid=6252 |title=Archived copy |website=www.cyclingarchives.com |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917070944/http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureuruitslagenfiche.php?coureurid=6252 |archive-date=17 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Simoni was vague concerning his plans for his life after cycling, though he hinted at not being in a rush or under any economic or psychological pressure to immediately engage in a new venture. Prior to the 2010 Giro's final stage, Simoni declared his intention to slow down the pace of decision-making in his life: "I don't want to think about my future just yet," he said. "I won't need to rush things anymore. I won't need to race against time. I can take my time and enjoy the rest of my life."<ref name="cyclingnews1"/>

==Career achievements==
===Major results===
{{div col}}
;1989
: 1st [[Giro della Lunigiana]]
;1991
: 1st [[Giro della Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia]]
: 1st [[Trofeo Alcide Degasperi]]
: 3rd [[Gran Premio Palio del Recioto]]
;1992
: 2nd [[Piccolo Giro di Lombardia]]
;1993
: 1st [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px]] Overall [[Girobio]]
: 1st [[Giro della Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia]]
;1994
: 10th [[Subida a Urkiola]]
;1995
: 4th [[Subida a Urkiola]]
;1997
: 7th Overall [[1997 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
::1st Stage 1 
: 8th Overall [[1997 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]]
;1998
: 6th [[1998 Giro di Lombardia|Giro di Lombardia]]
;1999
: 2nd Overall [[1999 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
: 3rd Overall [[1999 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
: 3rd Overall [[1999 Tour de Suisse|Tour de Suisse]]
::1st Stage 4 
: 6th [[Giro di Toscana]]
: 6th [[Coppa Placci]]
;2000
: 1st [[Giro dell'Emilia]]
: 1st Stage 16 [[2000 Vuelta a España|Vuelta a España]]
: 2nd [[Italian National Road Race Championships|Road race]], National Road Championships
: 2nd [[Polynormande]]
: 3rd Overall [[2000 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
::1st Stage 14
: 6th Overall [[2000 Tour de Suisse|Tour de Suisse]]
: 7th Overall [[2000 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
: 9th [[Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato]]
;2001
: 1st [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px]] Overall [[2001 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
::1st Stage 20
: 1st [[Japan Cup (cycling)|Japan Cup]]
: 1st Stage 20 [[2001 Vuelta a España|Vuelta a España]]
: 2nd Overall [[2001 Tour de Suisse|Tour de Suisse]]
: 4th Overall [[2001 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
: 5th Overall [[2001 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]]
::1st Stage 4 
: 9th [[LuK Challenge Chrono|EnBW Grand Prix]] (with [[Oscar Camenzind]])
;2002
: 1st Stage 11 [[2002 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
: 3rd Overall [[2002 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
: 3rd [[Giro del Friuli]]
: 3rd [[Gran Premio de Llodio]]
: 10th Overall [[2002 Vuelta a España|Vuelta a España]]
: 10th Overall [[Vuelta a Burgos]]
: 10th [[Trofeo Melinda]]
;2003
: 1st [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px]] Overall [[2003 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
::1st [[File:Jersey violet.svg|20px]] [[Points classification in the Giro d'Italia|Points classification]]
::1st [[Azzurri d'Italia classification]]
::1st Stages 12, 14 & 19
: 1st [[File:Jersey violet.svg|20px]] Overall [[2003 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
::1st Stage 2
: 1st [[Giro dell'Appennino]]
: 1st Stage 14 [[2003 Tour de France|Tour de France]]
: 2nd Overall [[Vuelta a Aragón]] 
;2004
: 1st [[Giro del Veneto]]
: 2nd [[Giro del Lazio]]
: 3rd Overall [[2004 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
::1st Stage 3
: 3rd Overall [[2004 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
: 5th [[Giro dell'Appennino]]
: 7th [[Klasika Primavera]]
;2005
: 1st [[Giro dell'Emilia]]
: 1st [[Giro dell'Appennino]]
: 1st [[Memorial Marco Pantani]]
: 1st Stage 5 [[2005 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]]
: 2nd Overall [[2005 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
: 2nd [[2005 Giro di Lombardia|Giro di Lombardia]]
;2006
: 1st [[File:MaillotItalia.svg|20px]] National MTB Marathon Championships
: 3rd Overall [[2006 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
: 8th Overall [[2006 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
;2007
: 4th Overall [[2007 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
::1st Stage 17
: 6th [[Trofeo Melinda]]
;2008
: 10th Overall [[2008 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
;2009
: 1st Stage 3 [[Vuelta Mexico Telmex]]
: 6th Overall [[2009 Giro del Trentino|Giro del Trentino]]
: 10th Overall [[2009 Vuelta a Andalucía|Vuelta a Andalucía]]
{{div col end}}

===Grand Tour general classification results timeline===

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | [[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tour]]
! scope="col" | 1995
! scope="col" | 1996
! scope="col" | 1997
! scope="col" | 1998
! scope="col" | 1999
! scope="col" | 2000
! scope="col" | 2001
! scope="col" | 2002
! scope="col" | 2003
! scope="col" | 2004
! scope="col" | 2005
! scope="col" | 2006
! scope="col" | 2007
! scope="col" | 2008
! scope="col" | 2009
! scope="col" | 2010
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="text-align:left; background:#efefef;"| [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px|link=|alt=A pink jersey]]  [[Giro d'Italia]]
| [[1995 Giro d'Italia|DNF]]
| [[1996 Giro d'Italia|DNF]]
| [[1997 Giro d'Italia|DNF]]
| [[1998 Giro d'Italia|58]]
| style="background:#ddf;" |[[1999 Giro d'Italia|'''3''']]
| style="background:#ddf;" |[[2000 Giro d'Italia|'''3''']]
| style="background:pink;" |[[2001 Giro d'Italia|'''1''']]
| [[2002 Giro d'Italia|DNF]]
| style="background:pink;" |[[2003 Giro d'Italia|'''1''']]
| style="background:#ddf;" |[[2004 Giro d'Italia|'''3''']]
| style="background:#ddf;" |[[2005 Giro d'Italia|'''2''']]
| style="background:#ddf;" |[[2006 Giro d'Italia|'''3''']]
| style="background:#ddf;" |[[2007 Giro d'Italia|4]]
| style="background:#ddf;" |[[2008 Giro d'Italia|10]]
| [[2009 Giro d'Italia|24]]
| [[2010 Giro d'Italia|69]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="text-align:left; background:#efefef;"|[[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px|link=|alt=A yellow jersey]]  [[Tour de France]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[1995 Tour de France|DNF]]
|—
| style="text-align:center;"|[[1997 Tour de France|116]]
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
| style="text-align:center;"|[[2003 Tour de France|84]]
| style="text-align:center;"|[[2004 Tour de France|17]]
| style="text-align:center;"|[[2005 Tour de France|—]]
| style="text-align:center;"|[[2006 Tour de France|60]]
|—
|—
|—
|—
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="text-align:left; background:#efefef;"|[[File:Jersey gold.svg|20px|link=|alt=Gold jersey]]/[[File:Jersey red.svg|20px|link=]] [[Vuelta a España]]
|—
|—
|—
| style="text-align:center;"|[[1998 Vuelta a España|19]]
|—
| style="text-align:center;"|[[2000 Vuelta a España|29]]
| style="text-align:center;"|[[2001 Vuelta a España|36]]
| style="background:#ddf;" |[[2002 Vuelta a España|10]]
|—
|—
| style="text-align:center;"|[[2005 Vuelta a España|50]]
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Legend
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|DSQ || Disqualified
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|DNF || Did not finish
|}

{{maglia rosa}}
{{Giro d'Italia Points winner}}

==See also==
* [[List of doping cases in cycling]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.simonigilberto.it Official Site]
* {{cycling archives|6252}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simoni, Gilberto}}
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Giovo]]
[[Category:Giro d'Italia winners]]
[[Category:Italian male cyclists]]
[[Category:Italian Tour de France stage winners]]
[[Category:Italian Vuelta a España stage winners]]
[[Category:Italian Giro d'Italia stage winners]]
[[Category:Doping cases in cycling]]
[[Category:Tour de Suisse stage winners]]
[[Category:Cyclists from Trentino]]