Pogacar, Mohoric, and Aru honor 32-year-old Italian who will retire after the Tour of Lombardy

The 32-year-old Italian was in the spotlight during the recent Vuelta a España when he was knocked to the ground by a protester. “I understand this isn’t a pleasant situation, but yesterday I crashed because of a protest on the road. We’re only cyclists, just doing our job, but if this keeps happening, we feel in danger! We just want to race! Please!” he said afterward.

Now, just a week later, Petilli has decided to hang up his bike. “I did what I dreamed of as a child: I rode my bike around the world, raced against champions I used to watch on TV, and then tried to imitate them by pushing as hard as I could and climbing hills,” the Italian said in his farewell message.

“As a boy, turning pro was my goal, and I achieved it. Without even realizing it, I made my work my passion, learned so much, and lived experiences that very few ever get to have. More than ten years in which I met incredible people, learned a lot from them, and became who I am today!”

Petilli looks back in particular on his experiences in the Giro d’Italia. “The Giro that everyone watches on TV and that fills the days of all Italians every May. I had the honor of taking part five times, being one of the protagonists, dreaming of the Maglia Rosa, a stage win, or even just reaching the finish!”

He never won at the professional level, though as a U23 he did take the overall at the Ronde de l’Isard. “I wasn’t a champion, but I knew so many of them, and I learned something from each, which only deepened my respect for them!”

The life of a pro cyclist is what now leads Petilli to call it a day. “It means I know how to get back up after every crash, that I had to race in all conditions, in rain and cold, or in 40+ degree heat under the blazing sun…”

“Racing three weeks in a row, training every day, traveling under all conditions, weighing everything you eat, resting as best as possible and taking care of your body, but also stressing it every day and pushing it to the limit!” Still, the former UAE rider looks back with satisfaction. “I had a great time, I did everything I wanted—or almost everything!”

“I decided it was time to grow and look ahead,” explained the Italian. “The future looks just as interesting! Now it’s time to give back to cycling what it has given me. My last grand tour is over, but I’ll say goodbye at my home race: Il Lombardia. See you there!”

Finally, Petilli wanted to thank many people. “Thanks to everyone who supported me! And there were so many! Thanks to everyone I rode with, who was part of the staff, management, or otherwise in the cycling world! Thanks to my family! Thank you, cycling! If you’ve been a cyclist, you can achieve anything in life!”

The comments show just how many good friends the Italian made in cycling. World champion Tadej Pogacar replied: “Thank you Simone 🥹.” Teammate Gerben Thijssen wrote: “You’re a great one, thank you so much. 🔥”

Further messages came from Matej Mohoric (“Congrats on your career, now enjoy the part of life that may be a little less tiring”), Rui Costa (“Thanks for so much, Simone”), Arne Marit (“Loved being your teammate these last 3 years!! Always positive and good laughs! Good luck Simone”), and Fabio Aru (“Thank you Simone, congrats on everything”).