Domenico Pozzovivo combines mentoring and leadership in his last Giro d'Italia: "It would be nice to reach the top 10"

Domenico Pozzovivo is slowly pulling down the curtain on his long and respectable career, however before he gives a farewell to the professional peloton for good there's still one big mission awaiting the 41-year-old. Returning to VF Group-Bardiani-CSF-Faizané where he rode his first Giro d'Italia, he'll now close the circle with number 18.

"First of all," Pozzovivo begins his interview for Bici.pro. "I would never have thought of racing 18 Giro d'Italia, it is an achievement that the more I think about it the more considerable it seems to me. But I will tackle it with the same attention and enthusiasm as the first, over the years I have maintained this mentality and I am happy about it. One of the reasons for wanting to race again in 2024 was the great desire that pushed me to do so."

"It would be nice to reach the top 10, a result that at my age would be a great pleasure. Furthermore, a presence in that part of the ranking would be a source of pride and visibility for the team. I will have many young teammates at my side, I think that during the three weeks I will be a point of reference for them. In particular, I think I can teach Pellizzari a lot."

"It's his first Giro d'Italia, but in a very different type of cycling compared to my debut in the Corsa Rosa. I had to worry about staying up and finishing the three weeks of the race. Pellizzari, on the other hand, arrives ready and with every possibility of aiming for a stage victory. Having me at his side will take some pressure off him and he will be able to pedal lighter."