# Damiano Cunego

Damiano Cunego (born 19 September 1981) is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2002 and 2018 for the Saeco, Lampre–Merida and Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini teams.
Cunego's biggest wins were the 2004 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Amstel Gold Race, and the Giro di Lombardia in 2004, 2007 and 2008. He finished second in the UCI Road World Championships in 2008 and in the 2008 UCI ProTour. Primarily a climber, he improved his time-trialing and was characterized by great sprinting ability, unusual for a climber.

## Career
### Saeco–Longoni Sport (2002–04)

Born in Cerro Veronese, Veneto, Cunego began cycling as a teenager after being a successful cross-country runner. He was discovered by Giuseppe Martinelli who also worked closely with Marco Pantani. Cunego turned professional in 2002 at the age of 20 with Saeco–Longoni Sport, winning the Giro d'Oro and the Giro Medio Brenta in his first season. In 2003 he won the seventh stage and the overall classification of the Tour of Qinghai Lake.
He came to prominence in May 2004, winning the Giro d'Italia at the age of 22 with Saeco. Cunego's strength came as a blow to his captain Gilberto Simoni; relations between the two during the race were strained when Cunego sprinted away from Simoni to win the 18th stage after Simoni's solo breakaway. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that as Simoni passed by Cunego, who was surrounded by journalists, Simoni pointed his finger at Cunego and angrily said "You're a bastard...you are really stupid." During 2004 he won the Giro di Lombardia in October, his 13th victory of the season. He finished the season number one in the UCI Road World Cup, the youngest rider to achieve it, aged 23. He was also the last rider ranked first on the world ranking, because from 2005 the ranking was replaced by the UCI ProTour.

### Lampre (2005–14)

In the 2005 Giro d'Italia, Simoni and Cunego were co-captains of Lampre–Caffita, but Cunego posed no threat to Simoni, as he faltered during the first climb in the Dolomites, losing six minutes in the day and any prospect of winning. At the time his team attributed his loss to a "psychological crisis" and Cunego said "a great weight has been lifted from me by this defeat." After the race, he was found to have Epstein–Barr virus, and he did not enter the 2005 Tour de France.
In 2006, Cunego finished third in Liège–Bastogne–Liège losing to Alejandro Valverde and Paolo Bettini in a sprint finish. In the Tour de France Cunego was the winner of the young rider classification; he finished 2nd on stage 15 to Alpe d'Huez, after losing to Fränk Schleck, who broke away in the final 2 kilometres (1.2 miles). He also finished 3rd on stage 17, on the road to Morzine. In 2007 Cunego again won the Giro del Trentino and his second Giro di Lombardia.
In 2008 he won the Klasika Primavera and the Amstel Gold Race, with two powerful sprints against Valverde and Schleck, with victory in the latter propelling him to the top of the UCI Pro Tour rankings, as he also went on to finish second in the UCI Road World Championships. He was widely tipped to be victorious in the Tour de France, but he struggled and eventually dropped out before the finish. By the end of the year Cunego conquered for the third time at the Giro di Lombardia and then he ended the season with victory in the Japan Cup, confirming himself as one of the best Classics specialists in the world. In 2009 he won the Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali with victories in two stages; later he won two mountain stages at Vuelta a España, which made him one of the favourites for the road race at the UCI Road World Championships. He ultimately finished that race in eighth position. In July 2013, he was one of 27 former riders and officials linked to the Lampre–Merida team indicted for doping in an Italian court, with a hearing set for 10 December 2013. In early 2014 however, details emerged that indicated that Cunego might have been one of few Lampre riders to refuse treatment by Spanish doctor José Ibarguren Taus, who was linked to doping practices.

### Nippo–Vini Fantini (2015–18)

In October 2014, it was announced that Cunego was to leave Lampre–Merida to ride with Nippo–Vini Fantini in 2015.

## Post-career

In June 2020, Cunego was hospitalised due to ventriculitis, an infection of the cerebral ventricle.
In early 2020, Cunego was profiled in British magazine Cyclist. He was quoted as saying that believes that the increased media attention and sponsor obligations interfered with his training and mental focus, ultimately preventing him from achieving his full potential after his 2004 Giro victory and other initial successes. He also expressed concern about the state of 2020s Italian cycling, highlighting the lack of emerging talent compared to other nations.

## Major results
### 1998

    1st Overall Giro della Lunigiana

### 1999

    1st Road race, UCI Junior Road World Championships
    2nd Road race, National Junior Road Championships

### 2000

    3rd Giro del Belvedere
    8th Gran Premio Palio del Recioto

### 2001

    2nd Gran Premio Palio del Recioto
    6th Gran Premio di Poggiana

### 2002

    1st Giro d'Oro
    1st Giro del Medio Brenta

### 2003

    1st Overall Tour of Qinghai Lake
       1st Stage 7
    4th Overall Brixia Tour
    4th Giro dell'Appennino
    6th Japan Cup

### 2004 (13 pro wins)

    1st Overall Giro d'Italia
       1st Stages 2, 7, 16 & 18
       Held after Stages 2 & 3
       Held after Stages 7–10 & 18
    1st Overall Giro del Trentino
       1st Stages 1 & 2
    1st Giro di Lombardia
    1st Giro dell'Appennino
    1st GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
    1st Memorial Marco Pantani
    1st Gran Premio Nobili Rubinetterie
    1st Gran Premio Fred Mengoni
    2nd Japan Cup
    4th Giro del Veneto
    6th Klasika Primavera
    9th Road race, UCI Road World Championships
    9th Giro di Toscana

### 2005 (4)

    1st Trofeo Melinda
    1st Gran Premio Nobili Rubinetterie
    1st Japan Cup
    2nd Overall Tour de Romandie
       1st Stage 3
    2nd Klasika Primavera
    3rd Overall Vuelta a Murcia
    3rd Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
    3rd Tre Valli Varesine
    5th Overall Brixia Tour
    7th Giro del Veneto
    8th Gran Premio Città di Camaiore
    9th Overall Tour of the Basque Country
    9th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
    9th Giro dell'Emilia

### 2006 (6)

    1st Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
       1st Stage 3
    1st Overall Giro del Trentino
       1st Stage 2
    1st Giro d'Oro
    1st GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
    1st Young rider classification, Tour de France
    2nd Giro del Lazio
    2nd Klasika Primavera
    3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
    4th Overall Giro d'Italia
    8th Overall Vuelta a Murcia
    8th Clásica de Almería

### 2007 (6)

    1st Overall Giro del Trentino
       1st Stages 1 & 2
    1st Giro di Lombardia
    1st Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli
    1st Stage 4 Deutschland Tour
    4th Overall Tour of the Basque Country
    5th Overall Giro d'Italia
    5th Overall Tour de Suisse
    5th Giro dell'Emilia
    7th Overall Critérium International
    7th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
    9th Overall Vuelta a Murcia

### 2008 (5)

    1st Giro di Lombardia
    1st Amstel Gold Race
    1st Klasika Primavera
    1st Japan Cup
    2nd Road race, UCI Road World Championships
    2nd Memorial Marco Pantani
    3rd Overall Tour of the Basque Country
       1st Points classification
       1st Stage 5
    3rd La Flèche Wallonne
    3rd Tre Valli Varesine
    4th Overall Tour de Suisse
    6th Giro del Lazio
    10th Overall Critérium International

### 2009 (5)

    1st Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
       1st Points classification
       1st Stages 2 & 3
    Vuelta a España
       1st Stages 8 & 14
    2nd Road race, National Road Championships
    3rd La Flèche Wallonne
    5th Amstel Gold Race
    6th Overall Tour de Suisse
    6th Overall Tour of the Basque Country
    6th Klasika Primavera
    7th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
    8th Road race, UCI Road World Championships
    9th Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli

### 2010

    5th La Flèche Wallonne
    5th Tre Valli Varesine
    6th Amstel Gold Race
    10th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec

### 2011 (3)

    1st Giro dell'Appennino
    1st Stage 2 Tour de Romandie
    2nd Overall Tour de Suisse
    3rd Overall Giro di Sardegna
       1st Stage 2
    3rd Montepaschi Strade Bianche
    4th Japan Cup
    6th Overall Tour de France
    8th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico

### 2012 (1)

    2nd Overall Giro del Trentino
       1st Stage 2
    2nd Gran Premio di Lugano
    4th Overall Tour of the Basque Country
    6th Overall Giro d'Italia
    6th Overall Volta a Catalunya

### 2013 (1)

    1st Mountains classification, Tirreno–Adriatico
    2nd Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
       1st Points classification
       1st Stage 3
    3rd Japan Cup

### 2014

    4th Strade Bianche
    4th Gran Premio di Lugano

### 2015

    3rd Giro dell'Appennino
    4th Giro dell'Emilia
    5th Overall Giro del Trentino
    6th Milano–Torino
    8th Tre Valli Varesine
    9th Volta Limburg Classic
    10th Gran Premio di Lugano

### 2016

    6th Gran Premio di Lugano
    Giro d'Italia
       Held after Stages 4–6 & 10–19

### 2017 (1)

    6th Overall Tour of Qinghai Lake
       1st Stage 6

### Grand Tour general classification results timeline

Grand Tour general classification results :
| Grand Tour | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Giro d'Italia | — | 34 | 1 | 18 | 4 | 5 | — | 17 | 11 | — | 6 | — | 19 | DNF | 44 | — | — |
| Tour de France | — | — | — | — | 11 | — | DNF | — | 29 | 6 | — | 55 | — | — | — | — | — |
| / Vuelta a España | — | — | 15 | — | — | DNF | DNF | DNF | — | — | 33 | — | 76 | — | — | — | — |
| Major stage race general classification results ||||||||||||||||||
| Race | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| / Paris–Nice | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | — | 48 | — | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| / Tirreno–Adriatico | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | 32 | 27 | — | — | — | 117 |
| Volta a Catalunya | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tour of the Basque Country | — | 16 | 16 | 9 | — | 4 | 4 | 6 | DNF | DNF | 4 | 16 | 11 | — | — | — | — |
| / Tour de Romandie | 70 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | 27 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Critérium du Dauphiné | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | 72 | — | — | — | — |
| Tour de Suisse | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 6 | — | 2 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | 124 |

### Classics results timeline

| Monument | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Milan–San Remo | — | — | — | — | 62 | — | — | — | 34 | — | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tour of Flanders | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career |
| Paris–Roubaix | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career | Did not contest during his career |
| Liège–Bastogne–Liège | 124 | — | — | 9 | 3 | 7 | 30 | 7 | 20 | 16 | 35 | 30 | 13 | — | — | — | — |
| Giro di Lombardia | — | — | 1 | 29 | — | 1 | 1 | 14 | — | 27 | 13 | DNF | — | 23 | 33 | 93 | — |
| Classic | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Strade Bianche | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 16 | 4 | 16 | DNF | — | — |
| Amstel Gold Race | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 31 | 43 | 50 | 40 | DNF | — | DNF |
| La Flèche Wallonne | 122 | — | — | 14 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 5 | 60 | — | 28 | 69 | — | — | — | — |
| Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | 10 | — | — | 53 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | Race did not exist | 27 | — | — | 39 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tre Valli Varesine | — | — | — | 3 | 27 | — | 3 | — | 5 | 52 | — | 23 | DNF | 8 | 64 | 88 | — |
| Giro dell'Emilia | — | 28 | — | 9 | — | 5 | 13 | 14 | — | — | 15 | 18 | DNF | 4 | 53 | 33 | — |
| Milano–Torino | — | 55 | 32 | — | — | — | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 26 | 38 | — | 6 | 20 | 72 | — |

### Major championship results timeline

| | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Olympic Games | Not held | Not held | — | Not held | Not held | Not held | — | Not held | Not held | Not held | — | Not held | Not held | Not held | — | Not held | Not held |
| World Championships | — | — | 9 | — | — | 50 | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| National Championships | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 12 | 2 | 16 | DNF | DNF | 28 | — | — | DNF | DNF | DNF |
Legend :
| — | Did not compete |
| DNF | Did not finish |