Elia Viviani Officially Says Goodbye to the Peloton

Elia Viviani has announced his retirement from the cycling world, but first, two farewell races still await. His farewell to road cycling will take place close to home, during the Giro del Veneto on October 15. Secondly, the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Santiago, Chile, are still ahead.

The 36-year-old Viviani leaves behind a strong legacy in cycling. For many years, he was one of the fastest sprinters in the peloton. As a road cyclist, Viviani achieved no less than 90 professional wins. He was successful in all the Grand Tours (five stage victories in the Giro, three stages in the Vuelta, and a stage in the Tour), won the Cyclassics Hamburg three times, and became European champion in Alkmaar in 2019.

The Italian was also highly successful on the track. In recent years, he decided to invest more time in this discipline, and with great success. Viviani became world champion in the elimination race in 2021 and 2022, and took Olympic silver in the Madison last year, after winning Olympic gold in the omnium in 2016.

““I started this final season with the desire to prove something,” said Viviani. “I wanted to decide myself when to stop, even though many people asked me in recent months if I was ready to retire. The merger of my team, Lotto, with another team convinced me that this would be my last year. I know I’m still at a good level, which is why I want to finish at the World Championships—maybe even with an attempt to take that rainbow jersey. You know it’s time to stop when you’re no longer as competitive as before, or when everything has to be perfect to keep up, whereas before it came naturally.”

A considered and serene decision, without regrets. “I would do it 100% again. I am incredibly happy with what I have achieved. Cycling taught me how to live; it shaped me both as an athlete and as a person. Thanks to this sport, I have seen the world. It has given me joy, discipline, and a purpose. It has always been a part of me.”

Viviani finds the Italian one-day race the ideal event to retire in. “Everything fell perfectly into place this year,” Viviani added. “With the Giro del Veneto finishing in Verona, this seemed like the perfect moment to ride my last road race, in my hometown, surrounded by fans, friends, and family.”