Damiano Cunego Photo Gallery
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Major victories | Teams | Photo gallery
Damiano Cunego (born September 19, 1981) electrified the world when he showed up in the professional cycling world.
He turned pro at the ripe old age of twenty in 2002. The next year he won the Tour of Qinghai Lake stage race. But it was in 2004 (when he was just 22) that his extraordinary talent was made clear. In the 18th stage of the Giro d'Italia, with its mountaintop finish at Bormio 2000, he and his team captain Gilberto Simoni were part of an elite leading group of five riders nearing the finish.
As they came ever closer to the line Cunego kept looking back for Simoni to lead him out for the sprint. But Simoni couldn't answer the call, he just didn't have the suds that day.
Cunego finally gave up waiting and jumped away to win the stage and the GC lead. At that point Simoni, furious at Cunego for what he unfairly thought was a betrayal, was more than three minutes down. Cunego won that Giro and also won several other important races, including the Tour of Lombardy.
It was clear to everyone that an extraordinary rider had arrived and that he would win everything, everywhere for years.
But then fate knocked on the door. Cunego had an indifferent 2005. During the Giro d'Italia it turned out he had Epstein-Barr virus (the source of mononucleosis, among other troubles it can cause). He recovered and was still able to win the Japan Cup and the Trofeo Melinda. But this was not the Damiano Cunego of 2004.
By 2006 he could win big races again, and in 2008 he had some extraordinary successes.
2011 was his last good year. He has continued to race professionally and announced that 2018 would be his last year to race.
It has been an extraordinary career.
Major victories and high placings:
1999:
- Junior World Road Championships
2002:
- Giro d'Oro
- Giro del Medio Brenta
2003:
- Tour of Qinghai Lake
2004:
- Giro d'Italia, winning stages 2, 7, 16 & 18 along the way
- Giro del Trentino, winning stage 1 & 2
- Giro di Lombardia
- Giro dell'Appennino
- GP Industria & Artigianato
- GP Nobili Rubinetterie
- Memorial Marco Pantani
2005:
- GP Nobili Rubinetterie
- Trofeo Melinda
- Japan Cup
- 2nd place Tour de Romandie, winning stage 3
2006:
- Tour de France best young rider
- Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
- Giro del Trentino
- Giro d'Oro
- GP Industria & Artigianato
2007:
- Giro di Lombardia
- Giro del Trentino, winning stages 1 & 2
2008:
- Giro di Lombardia
- Amstel Gold Race
- Klasika Primavera
- Japan Cup
- 2nd place World Road Championships
2009:
- Vuelta a España, winning stages 8 & 14
- Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
2011:
- Giro dell'Appennino
- 2nd place Tour de Suisse
2013:
- 2nd place Settimana Internazione di Coppi e Bartali, winning the points classification and stage 3 along the way
- Tirreno-Adriatico mountains classification
2002-2004: Saeco
2005-2014: Lampre
2015-2018: Nippo-Vini Fantini
Nickname: The Little Prince (Il Piccolo Principe)
Photos: Pictures by Fotoreporter Sirotti
Damiano Cunego in the leader's pink jersey in the 2004 Giro d'Italia
Winning stage 18 of the 2004 Giro d'Italia
On the final podium with Gilberto Simoni
Cunego wins the 2004 Tour of Lombardy.
Descending in stage 10 of the the 2009 Vuelta a España. Sirotti photo.
Late in the 2009 Season. Cunego is on Ivan Basso's wheel.
Climbing in the 2010 Amstel Gold Race
Cunego (left) chasing on a wet, muddy day in the 2010 Giro d'Italia.
Climbing in stage 15 of the 2010 Giro.
Racing in the 2011 Tour of Sardinia
Climbing the white gravel roads of the 2011 Strade Bianche
Leading Cadel Evans in stage 6 of the 2011 Tirreno-Adriatico
On to the 2011 Tour de France, stage 12.
Cunego leads Frank Schleck on a descent in that 2011 Tour.
Cunego looks back after the finish of the second stage of the 2012 Giro del Trentino.
In the thick of things in the 2012 Liege-Bastogne-Liege
On a recon of the 2012 Giro d'Italia with the late Michele Scarponi
Cunego climbing in stage 20 of the 2012 Giro d'Italia
Winning stage 2 of the 2012 Tour of Switzerland
Climbing in stage 20 of the 2012 Vuelta a España
The 2012 Giro dell'Emilia
Stage 5 of the 2013 Tirreno-Adriatico
Cunego climbs in stage 9 of the 2013 Tour de France.
Cunego climbing in the 2014 Liege-Bastogne-Liege
Stage 6 was a wet day of racing in the 2014 Giro d'Italia.
Cunego looking perfect on the bike as he descends in stage 9 of the 2014 Giro d'Italia.
Cunego joined Nippo-Vini Fantini in 2015 and here he wears his new kit in stage 4 of the Coppo-Bartali race.
Ready to start stage 4 of the 2015 Giro del Trentino
Time trialing in stage 14 of the 2015 Giro d'Italia
Damiano Cunego climbing in the 2015 Tour of Lombardy
After the fifth stage of the 2016 Giro d'Italia Cunego found himself in the King of the Mountain's blue jersey.
Before the start of the 2016 Giro di Lombardia Cunego signs autographs for some young fans.
Damiano Cunego in a late-afternoon time trial at the 2018 Tour of Provence.