Giro d'Italia - Garzelli considers retiring after Giro snub
Stefano Garzelli has said he is considering retiring from cycling after his Acqua & Sapone team failed to secure a wildcard for this year's Giro d'Italia.
Winner of the Italian Grand Tour in 2000 and last year's classification winner, Garzelli slammed the UCI for its decision to overlook his team in favour of four others - Farnese Vini-Selle Italia, Colnago-CSF Inox, Androni Giocattoli and Team NetApp.
"I am saddened and disappointed by this news," Garzelli wrote on his
"When the money has the upper hand over sporting merit, and over someone who has been a protagonist for 15 years of joys, sweat and suffering, putting on a show for the fans, but also for the organizers, and none of this is taken into account - it means that it's time to stop neglecting my family.
"In a month my wife will make me a father for the fourth time and without important goals to be achieved, where can I find the motivation to train, go to camp and spend time away from them when, in the end, you find yourself without the possibility of trying to achieve those results for which you have made so many sacrifices?"
Garzelli said he had planned to contest one final Giro before hanging up his boots.
"I have known that for a few years I haven't been competitive in the general classification, but in recent editions I have always made a mark, winning an important stage as in 2010 or winning the two green jerseys in 2009 and 2011," he said.
"This has made me incredibly happy and proud because I think I've exceeded all expectations."
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Shame on UCI. Garzelli is amired professional by his peers in the peleton. He has the ability to win classfications/tour stages and gets shafted like this for other teams that have money and not much ability to show the public.
he is the best alr ounder there is and comes from old school stock. Hard trainer, hard rider. Good on classics, good on mountains, good sprinter. A complete cyclist in my opinion and one of the bets cyclists in the last 15-20 years. retire Stefano don't waste your time know, unless you get another offer from somewhere!
why is it that the good guys in sport always get the rough end of it all?.
Shame! Enjoy your retirement, Stefano.
Totally agree with Stefano. Sport requires animators not radio controlled followers.
I can't see him continuing and then what happens to his team? The UCI need to wake up.
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