# Diego Ulissi

Diego Ulissi (born 15 July 1989) is an Italian road bicycle racer, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam XDS Astana Team.

## Career

Ulissi is a versatile, all-round cyclist who often wins stages and one-day races from breakaways and over hilly terrain.
Born in Cecina, Ulissi won the Junior World Road Race Championships in 2006 and 2007. He is the second cyclist ever – after Giuseppe Palumbo – to achieve two consecutive World Junior Road titles. He was awarded stage 17 of the 2011 Giro d'Italia after Giovanni Visconti was relegated for improper sprinting.

### Lampre–Farnese Vini (2010–present)

In June 2011, he recorded his first major professional victories. He won Stage 17 in his first appearance at the Giro d'Italia after Giovanni Visconti was relegated for improper sprinting. Ulissi and Visconti were part of a breakaway that survived to the end of the hilly stage, and Visconti shoved Ulissi during their sprint to the finish line. Ulissi later won the queen stage and the overall classification in that year's Tour of Slovenia.
During the 2012 season, Ulissi again raced the Giro d'Italia, placing fourth in the young rider competition.
Ulissi took his second World Tour-level win during the first stage of the 2013 Tour de Pologne, out-sprinting Darwin Atapuma and Rafał Majka from a breakaway group of 15 riders. He then won three Italian classic races in the fall. In Milano–Torino, Ulissi attacked away from a small group of favourites, including defending champion Alberto Contador, on the final climb to take victory. He won an uphill sprint in Coppa Sabatini a week later. Finally, days after, Ulissi again jumped away from the leading group in the closing metres of the Giro dell'Emilia to take victory.
Ulissi took more stage victories in 2014, despite underperforming during the spring classics. He won the second stage of the Tour Down Under, launching an early sprint to beat stage favourite Simon Gerrans. Ulissi won two stages in the Giro d'Italia. On Stage 5, he launched a late attack against a group of stage and general classification favourites, and he narrowly beat the Giro's overall contenders to the finish of the race's first major mountain stage.
After serving a doping-related suspension that ended in March 2015, Ulissi came back to win Stage 7 of the Giro d'Italia in Fiuggi. In 2016, Ulissi returned to the Giro d'Italia and won two stages. On Stage 4, Ulissi broke away from the leading group to beat Tom Dumoulin by five seconds. On Stage 11, he out-sprinted race leader Bob Jungels in the closing metres of the stage. Ulissi won the first individual time trial of his professional career on Stage 2 of the Tour of Slovenia, beating eventual general classification winner Rein Taaramäe over a short and hilly parcours. That August, Ulissi took the third stage and the overall classification at the Czech Cycling Tour.
In June 2017, he was named in the startlist for the Tour de France. He out-sprinted Jesús Herrada and Tom-Jelte Slagter to win the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, his first World Tour-level win in the 2017 season. Ulissi won the general classification in the Presidential Tour of Turkey, his first overall victory in a World Tour stage race. In that race, he took the leader's jersey in a solo hilltop stage victory on Stage 4.
Ulissi won Stage 5 of the 2018 Tour de Suisse, overpowering Enric Mas in a sprint to the line.
In 2019, Ulissi took victory in the Gran Premio di Lugano in Switzerland. He also won Stage 3 and the general classification in the Tour of Slovenia and the test event for the road race at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

## Doping

In June 2014 it was announced that Ulissi had failed a drug test on Stage 11 of that year's Giro d'Italia. He tested positive for the asthma drug salbutamol, which is found in Ventolin. Ulissi had received permission to use Ventolin to treat a bronchospasm. However, the test indicated that he had almost twice the permitted concentration of salbutamol in his urine. He had also received paracetamol from a race doctor after he was involved in a crash during the stage.
Both Ulissi and the Lampre–Merida team doctor denied using his inhaler to gain a competitive advantage, claiming that Ulissi had taken only two puffs before the start of the stage. Lampre–Merida and the head coach of Italy's national team, Davide Cassani, expressed support for Ulissi. Nevertheless, he was provisionally suspended from Lampre–Merida and did not attend the Italian national team's training camp after the positive test was announced.
Ulissi appealed to the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for a controlled excretion study, as he could face a two-year suspension from racing. After some delay, the UCI passed Ulissi's case to Swiss Cycling (Ulissi resides outside of Lugano) to conduct a disciplinary hearing. Ulissi argued that his crash during the Giro's Stage 11 could have caused higher-than-expected levels of salbutamol. After briefly suspending Ulissi when news of his positive test broke, Lampre–Merida announced that Ulissi could return to race in time for a string of Italian one-day races, including Tre Valli Varesine and Coppa Ugo Agostoni. But when Ulissi's case was passed to Swiss Cycling, the team backtracked, citing "internal sanitary rules of the team and the rules of the Mouvement pour un cyclisme crédible (MPCC)." The Swiss Olympic Association agreed with Ulissi's defence, that he used salbutamol negligently and not in order to cheat. He therefore received a reduced nine-month suspension, ending in March 2015.
The suspension created a potential conflict between Lampre–Merida and Ulissi over the rider's contract. The team was a member of the Mouvement pour un cyclisme crédible (MPCC), a voluntary association of teams working to promote clean cycling. MPCC rules prohibited a member team from signing a rider within two years of that rider serving a doping-related suspension of longer than six months. The rules could have prevented Lampre–Merida from allowing Ulissi to return to racing after his suspension; however, because Ulissi already had a contract with the team, he could sue if Lampre–Merida ended his contract early. The MPCC at first allowed Lampre–Merida to keep its contract with Ulissi to avoid legal difficulties, and Ulissi returned to racing for the Tour of the Basque Country. However, the MPCC and Lampre–Merida continued sparring over Ulissi's participation in races, prompting the team to withdraw from the MPCC in March 2015.

## Personal life

Ulissi was born in Cecina in 1989. He was named Diego Armando after Diego Maradona, his father's favourite football player. Ulissi's mother, Donatella, works at a winery, while his father was a mountain bike racer. His father encouraged his passion for cycling, and Ulissi entered his first race in 1996.
Ulissi lives outside of Lugano, Switzerland with his wife, Arianna, and daughters, Lia and Anna. He missed Anna's birth in March 2020 while in quarantine at the UAE Tour after four riders on UAE Team Emirates tested positive for COVID-19.

## Major results
### 2006

    1st Road race, UCI Junior World Championships
    2nd Overall Giro della Lunigiana
       1st Stage 3

### 2007

    1st Road race, UCI Junior World Championships
    3rd Time trial, National Junior Road Championships
    4th Overall Giro della Lunigiana
    8th Time trial, UEC European Junior Road Championships

### 2009

    3rd GP Capodarco

### 2010 (1 pro win)

    1st Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato
    4th Overall Brixia Tour
    9th Giro di Toscana

### 2011 (3)

    1st Overall Tour of Slovenia
       1st Stage 2
    1st Stage 17 Giro d'Italia
    2nd Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
       1st Young rider classification
    3rd Overall Brixia Tour

### 2012 (3)

    1st Gran Premio Industria e Commercio Artigianato Carnaghese
    2nd Milano–Torino
    3rd Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
       1st Points classification
       1st Young rider classification
       1st Stages 3 & 4
    6th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
    9th La Flèche Wallonne
    10th Clásica de San Sebastián

### 2013 (6)

    1st Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
       1st Stage 2
    1st Milano–Torino
    1st Coppa Sabatini
    1st Giro dell'Emilia
    1st Stage 1 Tour de Pologne
    2nd Gran Premio Città di Camaiore
    2nd Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi
    4th Trofeo Laigueglia
    6th Overall Bayern Rundfahrt
       1st Young rider classification
    7th Overall Paris–Nice

### 2014 (4)

    1st Gran Premio Città di Camaiore
    Giro d'Italia
       1st Stages 5 & 8
    3rd Overall Tour Down Under
       1st Stage 2
    3rd Gran Premio di Lugano
    5th Trofeo Laigueglia

### 2015 (2)

    1st Memorial Marco Pantani
    1st Stage 7 Giro d'Italia
    2nd Japan Cup
    3rd Road race, National Road Championships
    5th Overall Tour of Slovenia
    5th Overall Abu Dhabi Tour
    5th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
    6th Overall Tour de Pologne

### 2016 (6)

    1st Overall Czech Cycling Tour
       1st Stage 3
    1st Circuito de Getxo
    Giro d'Italia
       1st Stages 4 & 11
    1st Stage 3 (ITT) Tour of Slovenia
    2nd Coppa Ugo Agostoni
    2nd Gran Premio di Lugano
    2nd Tre Valli Varesine
    3rd Overall Tour du Haut Var
    3rd Overall Abu Dhabi Tour
    3rd Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi
    3rd Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
    5th Milano–Torino
    6th Trofeo Laigueglia
    7th Strade Bianche
    7th Amstel Gold Race
    7th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
    8th La Flèche Wallonne
    8th Giro dell'Emilia
    9th Road race, UEC European Road Championships

### 2017 (4)

    1st Overall Tour of Turkey
       1st Stage 4
    1st Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
    1st Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi
    2nd Road race, National Road Championships
    2nd Memorial Marco Pantani
    4th Coppa Sabatini
    4th Tre Valli Varesine
    5th Overall Tour Down Under
    7th Giro dell'Emilia
    10th La Flèche Wallonne

### 2018 (1)

    4th Overall Tour Down Under
    4th Overall Tour of Turkey
    4th Gran Premio di Lugano
    7th Overall Abu Dhabi Tour
    7th Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
    9th Overall Tour de Suisse
       1st Stage 5
    10th Giro della Toscana

### 2019 (3)

    1st Overall Tour of Slovenia
       1st Stage 3
    1st Gran Premio di Lugano
    1st Tokyo 2020 Test Event
    2nd Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
    3rd Overall Tour de Pologne
    3rd La Flèche Wallonne
    4th Road race, National Road Championships
    4th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
    5th Overall Deutschland Tour
    6th Giro dell'Emilia
    9th Overall Tour Down Under

### 2020 (5)

    1st Overall Tour de Luxembourg
       1st Points classification
       1st Stages 1 & 4
    Giro d'Italia
       1st Stages 2 & 13
       Held after Stages 2–3
    2nd Overall Tour Down Under
    2nd Gran Piemonte
    3rd Giro dell'Emilia
    4th Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
    5th Overall Tour de Pologne
    8th Giro di Lombardia
    9th Overall UAE Tour

### 2021 (4)

    1st Overall Settimana Ciclistica Italiana
       1st Stages 1 & 4
    2nd Overall Tour of Slovenia
       1st Stage 4
    3rd Giro della Toscana
    4th Overall Tour de Pologne
    5th Gran Premio di Lugano
    6th Veneto Classic
    7th Milano–Torino
    7th Giro dell'Appennino
    8th Giro dell'Emilia

### 2022 (2)

    1st GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
    2nd Overall Tour du Limousin
       1st Stage 3
    6th Overall Étoile de Bessèges
    6th Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
    6th Giro del Veneto
    7th Trofeo Laigueglia
    8th Grand Prix La Marseillaise
    9th Overall Tour de Pologne
    9th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
    10th Grand Prix of Aargau Canton
    10th Veneto Classic

### 2023 (1)

    3rd Overall Tour of Slovenia
    5th Overall Tour de Luxembourg
    5th Overall Tour of Oman
       1st Stage 4
    5th GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
    6th Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia
    6th Muscat Classic
    6th Coppa Agostoni
    9th Trofeo Laigueglia
    9th Circuito de Getxo

### 2024 (3)

    1st Overall Tour of Austria
       1st Points classification
       1st Stage 3
    2nd Overall Tour de Pologne
       1st Sprints classification
    2nd Overall Czech Tour
    3rd Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
       1st Stage 2
    3rd GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
    3rd Giro dell'Appennino
    4th Overall Tour of Oman
    4th Overall Tour de Hongrie
    4th Milano–Torino
    6th Overall Giro d'Abruzzo
    8th Giro della Toscana

### 2025

    4th Muscat Classic
    7th Trofeo Serra Tramuntana

### Grand Tour general classification results timeline

| Grand Tour | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| Giro d'Italia | 41 | 21 | — | DNF | 64 | 21 | — | 28 | 42 | 38 | 17 | 37 | 28 |
| Tour de France | — | — | — | — | — | — | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Vuelta a España | — | — | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |

### Classics results timeline

| Monument | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Milan–San Remo | — | 140 | DNF | DNF | DNF | — | 58 | 40 | 103 | 72 | — | — | 24 | 72 | — |
| Tour of Flanders | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career |
| Paris–Roubaix | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career | Has not contested during his career |
| Liège–Bastogne–Liège | — | 76 | 78 | 20 | 66 | DNF | 55 | 30 | 28 | 39 | — | — | 22 | — | DNF |
| Giro di Lombardia | DNF | DNF | 41 | 28 | — | 74 | 22 | 21 | — | 60 | 8 | 23 | 26 | 41 | |
| Classic | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Strade Bianche | DNF | — | — | — | 21 | — | 7 | — | 44 | — | 16 | — | 23 | 14 | — |
| Milano–Torino | Not held | Not held | 2 | 1 | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 46 | — | 4 |
| Amstel Gold Race | — | DNF | DNF | 25 | 34 | 49 | 7 | 27 | 50 | 22 | NH | — | — | — | — |
| La Flèche Wallonne | — | DNF | 9 | 13 | 17 | 50 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 3 | — | DNS | 29 | 71 | DNF |
| Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec | 70 | — | 6 | — | — | 5 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 4 | Not held | Not held | 9 | 18 | |
| Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal | 58 | — | 67 | — | — | DNF | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2 | Not held | Not held | 17 | DNF | |
Legend :
| — | Did not compete |
| DNF | Did not finish |
| DNS | Did not start |
| NH | Not held |