Elia Viviani not done yet? Italian sprinter eyes 100 career wins after Turkey triumph: “I still enjoy being a pro cyclist very much”
Cycling
Elia Viviani’s career is far from finished. The veteran
Italian sprinter may be 36 years old, but he’s riding with renewed purpose, and
his eyes firmly set on one more major milestone: 100 professional victories.
At the Tour of Turkey, Viviani took a crucial step toward
that target, sprinting to victory on Stage 7 to claim the 90th win of his
illustrious career. It was his first win in 18 months and a powerful reminder
that he still belongs in the high-speed chaos of the bunch sprint.
"It was a chaotic final because the lead-out train of
André Greipel crashed in the last corner, one guy attacked and I followed
him," Viviani told Cycling News after the finish.
The victory is all the more significant given the challenges
Viviani faced over the winter. After the end of his three-year contract with
INEOS Grenadiers, he found himself without a team.
“I was without a team this winter, it was not normal for
me,” he said. "Aged 36, it was not easy. I always said I wanted to do one
more year, maybe two if I’m still competitive and today I showed that I am.
Firstly I have to thank Lotto and the manager Stéphane Heulot for giving me
this chance. There were only one-day races on my programme and I told the team
I really needed a stage race to get into the rhythm."
That rhythm came at the Tour of Turkey, a race Viviani has a
soft spot for, "They proposed the Tour of Turkey and I have a very special
feeling with this race. The organisation is good, riders are treated well with
nice hotels and nice places on the seaside, I always enjoy being here."
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Despite ongoing discussions about his post-racing career,
Viviani made it clear he’s not yet ready to hang up the wheels.
"Nothing is set for my future as a coach, otherwise you
wouldn’t see me here on a bike," he said. “I still enjoy waking up at
home, doing the sacrifices you have to make as a pro rider. It’s even harder
for a sprinter if you don’t win races. I know that at 36 years old, the body
doesn’t respond anymore like when I was 20. But I still enjoy being a pro
cyclist very much."
Viviani also sees himself as more than just a race winner.
He’s embraced a mentorship role within the youthful Lotto Dstny team, hoping to
guide the next generation of riders through a sport that’s increasingly
demanding.
“I joined Lotto because they’re really young and they need
some references in the team and I’m here also to win races. In modern cycling,
we burn a lot of young riders because there aren’t steps anymore. They jumped
to the pro ranks and they pretend to be winners and leaders."
"I still believe there are some special guys, the names
everyone knows confirm that, they turn pro very young and they win Tour de
France and all the biggest races in the world… But unluckily, not all the
riders are like that."
"The biggest part of the peloton still needs to grow
step by step. This is what I want the young riders to know. My message to them
is: don’t miss some steps, do some smaller races as well."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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