View source for Gerald Ciolek

{{short description|German road bicycle racer}}
{{Infobox cyclist
| name          = Gerald Ciolek
| image         = Gerald Ciolek-IMG 1865.jpg
| caption       = Ciolek at the [[2011 Tour de Romandie]]
| fullname      = Gerald Michael Ciolek
| nickname      = Gerry
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1986|9|19|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Cologne]], [[West Germany]]
| height        = {{height|m=1.79|precision=0}}
| weight        = {{convert|75|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| currentteam   = {{UCI team code|TDA}}
| discipline    = Road
| role          = {{unbulleted list|Rider (retired)|[[Directeur sportif]]}}
| ridertype     = Sprinter
| amateuryears1 = 2003–2004
| amateurteam1  = [[Pulheimer SC]]
| proyears1     = 2005–2006
| proteam1      = {{UCI team code|WIE|2005}}
| proyears2     = 2007–2008
| proteam2      = {{UCI team code|THR|2007a}}
| proyears3     = 2009–2010
| proteam3      = {{UCI team code|MRM|2009}}
| proyears4     = 2011–2012
| proteam4      = {{UCI team code|QST|2011}}
| proyears5     = 2013–2015
| proteam5      = {{UCI team code|MTN|2013}}
| proyears6     = 2016
| proteam6      = {{UCI team code|SSG|2016}}<ref name=CUL>{{cite web|url=http://www.cultenergyprocycling.com/theteam|title=Cult Energy Pro Cycling|access-date=26 February 2015}}</ref>
| manageyears1  = 2019–
| manageteam1   = {{UCI team code|TDA|2019}}
| majorwins     = '''[[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tours]]'''
: '''[[Vuelta a España]]'''
::1 individual stage ([[2009 Vuelta a España|2009]])
'''[[Classic cycle races|One-day races and Classics]]'''
:{{nowrap|[[German National Road Race Championships|National Road Race Championships]] (2005)}}
:[[Milan–San Remo]] ([[2013 Milan–San Remo|2013]])
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry| {{flagu|Germany}} }}
{{MedalSport | [[Road bicycle racing]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[UCI Road World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold |[[2006 UCI Road World Championships|2006 Salzburg]]|[[2006 UCI Road World Championships – Men's under-23 road race|Men's under-23 road race]]}}
}}
'''Gerald Michael Ciolek''' (born 19 September 1986) is a German former professional [[road bicycle racer]], who rode professionally between 2005 and 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gerald-ciolek-and-linus-gerdemann-announce-retirements/|title=Gerald Ciolek and Linus Gerdemann announce retirements|date=30 January 2017|access-date=30 March 2018|publisher=Cyclingnews}}</ref> He currently works as a [[directeur sportif]] for [[UCI Continental team]] {{UCI team code|TDA}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15865/1002128/276|title=Team Dauner &#124; Akkon|work=UCI.org|publisher=[[Union Cycliste Internationale]]|accessdate=9 March 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309221604/https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15865/1002128/276|archivedate=9 March 2021}}</ref>

== Career ==
Ciolek started racing at senior events in May 2005,<ref>[http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2005/jun05/jun27news2 www.cyclingnews.com&nbsp;– the world centre of cycling<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> with {{UCI team code|WIE|2005}}, where he had a very successful season. He won the [[German National Road Race Championships]] aged 18, the youngest ever rider to do so.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ciolek-to-univest-grand-prix|title=Ciolek to Univest Grand Prix|website=[[Cycling News]]|date=9 September 2005|access-date=19 March 2013|first1=Anthony|last1=Tan|first2=Jeff|last2=Jones}}</ref> Ciolek was able to overcome seasoned sprinters [[Erik Zabel]] and [[Robert Förster]] without help from any teammates, ending the twelve-year domination of T-Mobile.<ref>[http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2005/jun05/germany05/germany052 www.cyclingnews.com&nbsp;– the world centre of cycling<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Besides winning the national championship, he secured three stage victories and the points competition at the [[Tour de Hongrie]],<ref>[http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2005/aug05/hungary05/hungary058 www.cyclingnews.com&nbsp;– the world centre of cycling<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and a stage victory at the Mainfranken Tour.<ref>[http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2005/jun05/mainfranken05/mainfranken053 www.cyclingnews.com&nbsp;– the world centre of cycling<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In 2006, Ciolek completed his training at the [[Ford Motor Company]] and was able to turn professional and devote his career to cycling.<ref>[http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2006/feb06/feb22news www.cyclingnews.com&nbsp;– the world centre of cycling<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Through the season, he rode strongly and secured a number of high placings in important races to prove he could challenge, and beat, the strongest sprinters in [[UCI ProTour]] teams. Ciolek had an excellent second placing at the [[Eschborn–Frankfurt|Rund um den Henninger Turm]], where he once again beat Erik Zabel.<ref>[http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2006/may06/henninger06 www.cyclingnews.com&nbsp;– the world centre of cycling<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Since Ciolek's AKUD Arnolds Sicherheit team merged with Team Wiesenhof at the beginning of the season<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wiesenhof-akud.de/index.jsp?rubrik=team&sub=geschichte3 |title=Team WIESENHOF-AKUD |access-date=2006-09-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061010082343/http://www.wiesenhof-akud.de/index.jsp?rubrik=team&sub=geschichte3 |archive-date=2006-10-10 }}</ref> to be the strongest German team outside of the UCI ProTour, they were able to secure wild card entries to a number of ProTour events where Ciolek shone even more. At the [[2006 Vattenfall Cyclassics|Vattenfall Cyclassics]], Ciolek secured fifth place.<ref>[http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/jul06/vattenfall06/?id=results www.cyclingnews.com presents the Vattenfall Cyclassics<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A few weeks later, Ciolek won his first UCI ProTour event at the [[2006 Deutschland Tour|Tour of Germany]], where he won stage three.<ref>[http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/sport_sto938086.shtml Eurosport Splash<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On 23 September he won U23 Road Race World Championship in [[Salzburg]].<ref>[http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/worlds06/?id=results/worlds065 www.cyclingnews.com presents the 2006 UCI Road World Championships, Salzburg, Austria<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

For the 2007 season, Ciolek left Wiesenhof for the UCI ProTour with {{UCI team code|THR|2007a}}. After a relatively quiet early season, he came from behind to win the Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt in May. He then caught fire in August, when he took three stages of the [[2007 Deutschland Tour|Deutschland Tour]] and was a fast-charging third in the [[2007 Vattenfall Cyclassics|Vattenfall Cyclassics]].

In the 2008 season, Ciolek raced for {{UCI team code|THR|2008a}}. During 2008, he was a stage winner in Sparkassencup Schwenningen, and won two stages in the [[2008 Bayern Rundfahrt|Bayern Rundfahrt]]. In the [[2008 Tour de France|Tour de France]], Ciolek was an instrumental figure in all four of [[Mark Cavendish]]'s stage wins. On the final stage on the Champs-Élysées Ciolek managed to finish second to [[Gert Steegmans]]. He participated in the Olympic Games Road Race but had to abandon due to the effect the extreme conditions had on him. However, in September, he was able to bounce back and claim the fifth stage of the [[2008 Deutschland Tour|Deutschland Tour]] in an uphill sprint finish.

Ciolek parted ways with {{UCI team code|OPQ|2012|nolink=yes}} at the end of the 2012 season, and joined the {{UCI team code|MTN|2013}} squad for the 2013 season.<ref name="MTN">{{cite news|url=http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/12860/Ciolek-adds-firepower-to-MTN-Qhubeka-lineup-for-next-season.aspx|title=Ciolek adds firepower to MTN-Qhubeka lineup for next season|work=VeloNation|date=14 September 2012|access-date=15 September 2012|first=Shane|last=Stokes}}</ref> In his first year with the team, Ciolek won [[2013 Milan–San Remo|Milan–San Remo]], in a time of 5 hours, 37 minutes and 20 seconds, holding off favourites [[Peter Sagan]] ({{UCI team code|LIQ|2013}}) and [[Fabian Cancellara]] ({{UCI team code|RLT|2013}}) in the sprint finish.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bull|first=Nick|title=Gerald Ciolek sprints to surprise Milan–San Remo win|url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/537433/gerald-ciolek-sprints-to-surprise-milan-san-remo-win.html|work=Cycling Weekly|publisher=IPC Media Limited|access-date=18 March 2013|date=17 March 2013}}</ref>

==Major results==
[[File:Henninger Turm 2006 - Gerald Ciolek.jpg|thumb|Ciolek as champion of Germany at the 2006 [[Eschborn–Frankfurt|Rund um den Henninger Turm]], where he finished second]]
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
;2004
: [[Saarland Trofeo|Trofeo Karlsberg]]
::1st Stages 2 & 4
: 9th Overall [[Niedersachsen Rundfahrt]] Juniors
::1st Stage 1
;2005
: 1st [[File:MaillotAllemania.svg|20px]] [[German National Road Race Championships|Road race]], National Road Championships
: [[2005 Tour de Hongrie|Tour de Hongrie]]
::1st [[File:Jersey green.svg|20px]] Points classification
::1st Stages 3, 7 & 8
: 1st Stage 3 [[Mainfranken-Tour]]
: 8th [[Grand Prix de Waregem]]
;2006
: 1st [[File:Jersey rainbow.svg|20px]] [[2006 UCI Road World Championships – Men's under-23 road race|Road race]], [[2006 UCI Road World Championships|UCI Under-23 Road World Championships]]
: 1st [[Rund um die Nürnberger Altstadt]]
: 1st Stage 3 [[2006 Deutschland Tour|Deutschland Tour]]
: 2nd [[Eschborn–Frankfurt|Rund um den Henninger Turm]]
: 5th [[2006 Vattenfall Cyclassics|Vattenfall Cyclassics]]
: 6th Overall [[Istrian Spring Trophy]]
::1st Stage 3
: 8th Overall [[Niedersachsen Rundfahrt]]
::1st [[File:Jersey white.svg|20px]] Young rider classification
: 8th [[Neuseen Classics]]
;2007
: 1st [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Overall [[Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt]]
::1st [[File:Jersey green.svg|20px]] Sprints classification
::1st [[File:Jersey white.svg|20px]] Young rider classification
: [[2007 Deutschland Tour|Deutschland Tour]]
::1st Stages 6, 7 & 9
: [[Tour of Austria]]
::1st Points classification
::1st Stages 2 & 8
: 1st Stage 1 [[3-Länder-Tour]]
: 2nd [[Münsterland Giro]]
: 3rd Overall [[Niedersachsen Rundfahrt]]
::1st Stage 3
: 3rd [[2007 Vattenfall Cyclassics|Vattenfall Cyclassics]]
: 8th Overall [[Ster ZLM Toer|Ster Elektrotoer]]
;2008
: 1st Stage 5 [[2008 Deutschland Tour|Deutschland Tour]]
: 3rd [[German National Road Race Championships|Road race]], National Road Championships
: 5th Overall [[2008 Bayern Rundfahrt|Bayern Rundfahrt]]
::1st Stages 1 & 3
;2009
: [[Vuelta a Mallorca]]
::1st Trofeo Calvià
::5th Trofeo Pollença
: 1st Stage 2 [[2009 Vuelta a España|Vuelta a España]]
: 2nd [[Sparkassen Giro Bochum]]
: 3rd [[2009 Vattenfall Cyclassics|Vattenfall Cyclassics]]
: 9th [[Neuseen Classics]]
;2010
: 1st Stage 3 [[2010 Bayern Rundfahrt|Bayern Rundfahrt]]
: 5th Overall [[Four Days of Dunkirk]]
: 5th [[Binche–Chimay–Binche|Binche–Tournai–Binche]]
: 6th Overall [[Tour de l'Eurométropole|Circuit Franco-Belge]]
;2011
: 2nd [[German National Road Race Championships|Road race]], National Road Championships
: 2nd [[2011 Vattenfall Cyclassics|Vattenfall Cyclassics]]
: 9th [[2011 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec|Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec]]
;2012
: 1st Stage 4 [[2012 Volta ao Algarve|Volta ao Algarve]]
: 1st Stage 2b ([[Team time trial|TTT]]) [[Tour de l'Ain]]
: 9th [[2012 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec|Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec]]
: 10th [[Vuelta a Mallorca|Trofeo Deià]]
;2013
: 1st [[2013 Milan–San Remo|Milan–San Remo]]
: 1st Stage 2 [[Dwars door West-Vlaanderen|Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen]]
: 1st Stage 2 [[2013 Tour of Britain|Tour of Britain]]
: 1st Stage 6 [[2013 Tour of Austria|Tour of Austria]]
: 2nd [[German National Road Race Championships|Road race]], National Road Championships
: 5th [[Trofeo Laigueglia]]
: 5th [[Eschborn–Frankfurt|Eschborn–Frankfurt City Loop]]
: 6th [[Brussels Cycling Classic]]
: 10th Overall [[2013 Bayern Rundfahrt|Bayern Rundfahrt]]
::1st Stage 3
: 10th [[Schaal Sels]]
;2014
: 1st Stage 3 [[2014 Vuelta a Andalucía|Vuelta a Andalucía]]
: 3rd [[Rund um Köln]]
: 5th Overall [[2014 Tour of Norway|Tour of Norway]]
: 8th [[Le Samyn]]
: 9th [[2014 Milan–San Remo|Milan–San Remo]]
;2015
: 6th [[Velothon Berlin]]
;2016
: 5th [[German National Road Race Championships|Road race]], National Road Championships
: 6th [[Rund um Köln]]
{{div col end}}

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

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | [[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tour]]
! scope="col" | 2008
! scope="col" | 2009
! scope="col" | 2010
! scope="col" | 2011
! scope="col" | 2012
! scope="col" | 2013
! scope="col" | 2014
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px|link=|alt=A pink jersey]] [[General classification in the Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
|—
|—
|—
| [[2011 Giro d'Italia|DNF]]
|—
|—
|—
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px|link=|alt=A yellow jersey]] [[General classification in the Tour de France|Tour de France]]
| [[2008 Tour de France|106]]
| [[2009 Tour de France|126]]
| [[2010 Tour de France|133]]
| [[2011 Tour de France|150]]
|—
|—
|—
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | [[File:Jersey red.svg|20px|link=|alt=A red jersey]] [[List of Vuelta a España general classification winners|Vuelta a España]]
|—
| [[2009 Vuelta a España|DNF]]
|—
|—
|—
|—
| [[2014 Vuelta a España|139]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Legend
|-
! scope="row" | —
| Did not compete
|-
! scope="row" | DNF
| [[Did not finish]]
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Gerald Ciolek|Category:Gerald Ciolek}}
*{{Procyclingstats}}
*{{Cycling Archives|17722}}
*[http://www.cyclingbase.com/palcoureurs.php?id=5111&idtitle=1 Gerald Ciolek's profile on Cycling Base] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305113755/http://cyclingbase.com/palcoureurs.php?id=5111&idtitle=1 |date=2016-03-05 }}

{{UCI Road World Champions – Men's under-23 road race}}
{{Milan–San Remo winners}}
{{German National Road Race Championships (men)}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ciolek, Gerald}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:German male cyclists]]
[[Category:German Vuelta a España stage winners]]
[[Category:German cycling road race champions]]
[[Category:Cyclists from Cologne]]
[[Category:Cyclists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic cyclists for Germany]]
[[Category:21st-century German sportsmen]]