# Pavel Tonkov

Pavel Sergeyevich Tonkov (Павел Сергеевич Тонков; born 9 February 1969) is a former professional road racing cyclist from Russia. His talents were first showcased when winning the world junior title as part of the Soviet Union team in 1987. This alerted the world to his talents, and he turned pro in 1992 with the RUSS-Baïkal team.

## Professional career

His biggest success was the overall win in the 1996 Giro d'Italia. He went on to place 2nd in the following two editions of the Italian race and all total he placed in the top 5 of the Giro on seven occasions. He also had two top 5 performances in the Vuelta and while he entered the Tour de France on three occasions he never completed one.
He won the 1995 Tour de Suisse and the 1997 Tour de Romandie. He placed 3rd overall in the 2000 Vuelta a España.
Throughout much of his career, he was a client of the controversial Michele Ferrari.
He retired in 2005.

## Personal life

He lives in Córdoba, Spain, where he manages a hotel.

## Career achievements
### Major results
#### 1987

    1st Road race, UCI Junior Road World Championships

#### 1989

    1st Overall Tour du Poitou-Charentes et de la Vienne
       1st Stage 2 (ITT)
    1st Overall Okolo Slovenska
       1st Stage 7

#### 1990

    1st Stage 7a Peace Race

#### 1992

    7th Overall Giro d'Italia
       1st Young rider classification
    10th Giro dell'Emilia

#### 1993

    5th Overall Giro d'Italia
       1st Young rider classification
    5th Overall Tour de Suisse
       1st Stage 4
    9th Overall Tour de Romandie

#### 1994

    2nd Overall Grand Prix du Midi Libre
       1st Stage 1
    4th Overall Giro d'Italia
    8th Overall Tour de Romandie
    9th Overall Vuelta a Murcia
    10th Trofeo Pantalica

#### 1995

    1st Overall Tour de Suisse
       1st Combination classification
       1st Stage 7
    4th Overall Giro del Trentino
    6th Overall Giro d'Italia
    6th Chrono des Nations
    9th Overall Tour de Romandie

#### 1996

    1st Overall Giro d'Italia
       1st Stage 13
    1st Stage 1 Tour de Romandie
    2nd Giro dell'Appennino
    9th Overall Escalada a Montjuïc

#### 1997

    1st Overall Tour de Romandie
       1st Stage 4
    1st Giro dell'Appennino
    Vuelta a España
       1st Stages 13 & 15
    2nd Overall Giro d'Italia
       1st Stages 3 (ITT), 5 & 21
    2nd Overall Giro del Trentino
    5th Overall Volta a Catalunya
    7th Trofeo dello Scalatore
    8th Overall Tour of Galicia

#### 1998

    1st Giro dell'Appennino
    2nd Overall Giro d'Italia
       1st Stage 18
    9th Overall Tour de Romandie

#### 1999

    1st Luk-Cup Bühl
    2nd Giro dell'Appennino
    4th Overall Vuelta a España
    9th Tre Valli Varesine
    10th Overall Tour de Romandie

#### 2000

    2nd Road race, National Road Championships
    3rd Overall Vuelta a España
    5th Overall Giro d'Italia
    6th Luk-Cup Bühl
    9th Overall Tour of Galicia
    10th Overall Volta a Catalunya

#### 2001

    1st Mountains classification, Tour of the Basque Country
    2nd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné
       1st Combination classification
    3rd Classique des Alpes
    5th Overall Euskal Bizikleta

#### 2002

    5th Overall Giro d'Italia
       1st Stage 17
    6th Overall Tour de Suisse

#### 2003

    3rd Giro dell'Appennino

#### 2004

    1st Stage 17 Giro d'Italia
    5th Overall Giro del Trentino
    8th Giro dell'Appennino

#### 2005

    1st Overall Clasica Alcobendas
       1st Mountains classification
       1st Stage 1
    8th Subida al Naranco
    9th Giro dell'Appennino

### Grand Tour general classification results timeline

| Grand Tour | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| Giro d'Italia | 7 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 5 | — | 5 | DNF | 13 |
| Tour de France | — | — | DNF | DNF | — | — | — | DNF | — | — | — | — | — |
| Vuelta a España | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | — | 4 | 3 | — | 67 | — | DNF |
Legend :
| — | Did not compete |
| DNF | Did not finish |

#### Notes

* ↑ Tonkov did not start Stage 17 due to a death in his family.