Gilberto Simoni information

Biografy:

Gilberto Simoni was one of the exponents of a great Italian generation. Competing with current stars like Marco Pantani and Wladimir Belli.In 1993 he won the Baby-Giro (Giro d'Italia for amatures) and the Italian Championship for amatures. In 1994 he signed his first pro-contract for Jolly Componibili. But Giby didn' came off well in his first years in the peloton. First his father died and short after that his brother. The young rider had a big break down. It took him three years to win his first race. Riding for M&G Technogym managed by Giancarlo Feretti he won a stage in his home town-race the Giro del Trentino.

name: Gilberto Simoni born: 25 august 1971, Palú di Giovo (Trentino, Italy) professional since: 1994 teams: Jolly Componibili, Aki-Gipiemme, M&G Technogym, Cantina Tollo, Ballan, Lampre, Saeco first victory: stage in Giro del Trentino ('97) first tour won: Giro d'Italia ('01) first one-day race won: Giro dell Emilia ('00) (For the complete resultslist of Gilberto Simoni look at my Statistics page) Interviews: 2002 start of the season (cyclingnews.com)

After that Simoni moved to Cantina Tollo in 1998, where he stayed for one year. In this year the results wouldn't come and the sensitive Gilberto Simoni quitted cycling for a while. He asked his team to stop paying him and started working in a bike-store of Francesco Moser for a living. The love for the sport drove him back and in 1999 He was riding for Ballan where he would break true as he ranked third in the Giro d'Italia final ranking. Many pointed their finger at Pantani who left the Giro because of a health-test in which he was found positive and said Simoni didn' belong on the stage. But a few weeks later he proved they were wrong as he won a stage in the Tour of Suisse and took the leaders-jersey with that. He would rank third in the final rankings again.

With his good performance in 1999 he earned a contract at the first division-team Lampre-Daikin. A team in which he had a better chance to do well in the Giro d'Italia. It was a very succesful season and he won his first Giro-stage, ranked third in the final ranking of the giro once again. he also was the runner-up Italian Champion behind Michele Bartoli. And to complete the successtory of 2000 he won the Vuelta-stage to the Alto Angliru (a -allready after 2 years legendary- mountain with parts of 23% upwarts climbing.). At the World Championship road-race he escaped at the last hill but was caught just in time by Andre Tchmil. After a marvellous season for both Simoni and his team Lampre he stood twelfth in the UCI-ranking.

2001 was a great year for Gibi. In this year he finally won the race he wanted most: the Giro d'Italia. He won the Giro with the highest time-difference ( 7m.31) with the number 2 since Eddy Merckx in 1972. Plus a stage in the Giro. In the last stage to Milan he and his team-mate painted their hair pink and blue in the team-colors to celebrate his victory. In this year he also won a stage in the Vuelta à España, one in the Tour de Romandie and the Japan Cup. In the Tour de Suisse he was one of the best riders but without a victory he ranked second after Armstrong with 3 second places in stages. In the world Championships on the road he almost won the title if his Italian 'teammate' Lanfranchi from Mapei didn't brought the group back to Simoni who escaped alone. If Simoni would have been a Mapei-rider he would probably have won the World Championships. And personal highlight for Gilberto this year was his wedding with his Arianna, a neice of Francesco Moser. The couple got married in his home-town Palú di Giovo the first of december 2001. The wedding was a result of his Giro-victory. As Gilberto said he didn't want to get married before wiining the Giro d'Italia at least once.

In the new year 2002 Gilberto signed a contract for two years for Saeco. Formally the red Armada of sprinter Mario Cipollini. However the Giro turned out as a big deception. Giby was tested positive on cocaine. He was not only thrown out of the Giro, but Saeco was also denied in the Tour. Read more about the cocaine-tragedy here.

2003 started off well. Arianna gave birth to Giby's daughter Sofia. On the road Gilberto performs better than ever. He started the season early in february. Where he started in the Tour de Qatar. He allready showed his early form in Paris-Nice (11th) and the Setmana Catalana (15th). He won his home-townrace the Giro del Trentino for the first time. He also won the Giro dell'Apenino. In the Giro d'Italia he was allmighty. He won the Giro and three stages. For the Tour de France Giby's expectations were very high. As he promised to make Armstrong suffer. Due illness and heavy fever he couldn't furfill his promise. But 'Big mouth' Simoni did win a stage.