“An incredibly emotional day... I couldn’t have closed in a better way” – Italian sprint legend brings down curtain on iconic career

Elia Viviani has bid farewell to the road in the only way he knows how — by attacking. The 36-year-old Lotto sprinter rolled out from Vicenza for the Giro del Veneto 2025 wearing the number one bib, visibly emotional yet fully engaged in the action.

After around an hour raced at a relentless pace, he surged into the day’s breakaway, determined to show himself on his final appearance on home roads between Vicenza and Verona — the city where his professional journey began fifteen years ago.

“It’s been an incredibly emotional day,” Viviani told the mass of media assembled for him at the start of the day. “Since I announced my decision, I’ve received so many wonderful messages from fans, friends, family, even rivals. I’ll try to enjoy every kilometre of this race 100%, right up until this evening. I’m really happy to end a career that I couldn’t have closed in a better way. I hope I’ve given a lot back to Italian cycling.”

Viviani retires as one of Italy’s most successful and versatile riders of the modern era — 90 road victories, multiple Grand Tour stage wins, and an influence that extended far beyond the sprint finishes where he made his name.

His rise began with Liquigas–Doimo in 2010, where his speed and consistency quickly earned him a reputation as Italy’s next great finisseur. A first Giro d’Italia stage win came in 2015 with Team Sky, followed by a career-defining transfer to Quick-Step Floors in 2018. That two-year spell remains the high point of his road career: five Giro stage victories, the Maglia Ciclamino, the European road title in Alkmaar, and a Tour de France stage win to complete his Grand Tour collection.

Off the road, Viviani was equally influential on the track, spearheading the rebirth of Italy’s endurance squad. His gold medal in the Omnium at Rio 2016 proved transformative, unlocking a belief that fuelled success both on the boards and the tarmac. Two further Olympic medals — bronze in Tokyo and silver in Paris — added to a palmarès that bridged two disciplines with rare harmony.

“When you win Olympic gold, it unlocks something inside you,” he reflected. “My biggest road victories came after that moment. That win in Rio gave me the freedom to achieve everything that followed.”

Although the Giro del Veneto marked the end of his road career, Viviani’s competitive spirit remains intact. He will now turn his attention to the Track World Championships in Chile, where he hopes to add one last medal — and perhaps even another rainbow jersey — to his glittering record.

From the track in Rio to the roads of Verona, Viviani’s legacy is one of longevity, professionalism, and a deep connection to his sport. In an era defined by aerodynamic marginal gains and increasingly specialised riders, his versatility stands out: a sprinter who conquered three Grand Tours, and an Olympian who helped revive Italian track cycling’s golden age.