# Sonny Colbrelli

Sonny Colbrelli (born 17 May 1990) is an Italian former road bicycle racer, who competed as a professional from 2012 to 2022.

## Career

Born in Desenzano del Garda, Colbrelli has competed as a professional since the start of the 2012 season, joining Colnago–CSF Bardiani as a neo-pro, from the Zalf–Désirée–Fior amateur squad. Colbrelli had previously competed for the team in two stagiaire spells at the end of the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Colbrelli made his Grand Tour début at the 2012 Giro d'Italia, where he was earmarked as a lead-out man for the team's sprinter, Sacha Modolo; Colbrelli took his first top ten placing on stage 13, when he finished ninth having led out Modolo to a fourth-place finish.

### Bahrain–Merida (2017–2022)

On 12 April 2017, Colbrelli won Brabantse Pijl, riding for Bahrain–Merida. In June 2017, he was named in the startlist for the Tour de France.

#### 2021 season

After three top-ten finishes in one-day races during the opening quarter of the year, Colbrelli took stage victories at the Tour de Romandie and the Critérium du Dauphiné, winning the points classification at both races. He then won the Italian National Road Race Championships for the first time, outsprinting Fausto Masnada, after both riders attacked on the final lap of a hilly course in and around Imola. He took three top-five stage finishes at the Tour de France, as he finished third in the points classification, behind Mark Cavendish and Michael Matthews. He next started at the Benelux Tour, where he won the sixth stage after a 25-kilometre (16-mile) solo attack into Houffalize. Assuming the race leader's blue jersey for the final stage, which included three ascents of the Muur van Geraardsbergen, Colbrelli finished second on the stage behind teammate Matej Mohorič, but Mohorič did not gain enough time to take the overall victory.
The following weekend, Colbrelli formed part of an eight-man Italian team for the road race at the UEC European Road Championships, held in Trento. On the third of eight laps of a 13-kilometre (8.1-mile) finishing circuit, Colbrelli joined compatriot Matteo Trentin as part of a ten-rider lead group; he, and France's Benoît Cosnefroy, later followed an attack by Belgium's Remco Evenepoel on the penultimate lap. Once Cosnefroy was dropped, Colbrelli tactically sat on Evenepoel's wheel and refused to relay with him; at the finish, Colbrelli led into the final corner and pulled clear of Evenepoel to win the gold medal. Ahead of the UCI Road World Championships, Colbrelli finished second to Michael Valgren at the Coppa Sabatini, and he won the Memorial Marco Pantani.
As one of the leaders for the Italian team at the World Championships, Colbrelli was unable to follow the attacks in the closing laps, and ultimately finished tenth in the road race. Colbrelli's next start came at Paris–Roubaix, which had been delayed from April to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France, and was held in wet conditions that made some of the cobbled sectors muddy and slippery. Colbrelli attacked several times with around 85–95 kilometres (53–59 miles) remaining, before forming a group with Mathieu van der Poel and Guillaume Boivin. This trio later caught Florian Vermeersch and Tom Van Asbroeck from the original breakaway, leaving just Gianni Moscon clear with 30 kilometres (19 miles) remaining. Moscon suffered a mechanical and a crash in the next few kilometres, which ultimately led to him being caught on the Carrefour de l'Arbre cobbled sector by Colbrelli, van der Poel and Vermeersch. Once Moscon was dropped, the remaining trio contested the sprint at Roubaix Velodrome. As the finish approached the three mud-covered riders slowed to almost half speed and watched one another; Vermeersch was first to launch the sprint, however Colbrelli went round the outside of him in the closing metres to take the victory. Upon crossing the line he came to a stop, hoisted his bike in the air like a trophy, collapsed and wept as van der Poel, who finished 3rd, collapsed on the infield grass. As a result, Colbrelli became the first Italian rider to win the race since Andrea Tafi in 1999, and the third rider to win in his first start in the race.

#### 2022 season

Colbrelli began his season by finishing second in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. However, he was forced to withdraw from Paris–Nice after suffering from bronchitis, which also prevented him from competing in Milan–San Remo.

##### Cardiac arrest

He made his return to racing at the Volta a Catalunya on 21 March 2022 (two days after Milan–San Remo), sprinting to second place on the opening stage. However, after the stage, he collapsed, fell unconscious, and required emergency medical treatment before being transferred to a Josep Trueta Hospital in a conscious and stable condition for further assessments. It was later revealed that Colbrelli suffered a cardiac arrhythmia that lead to cardiac arrest and has paused his training and competition to recover.
In 1 April 2022, Colbrelli received a subcutaneous implantable defibrillator (ICD) to reset his heart rhythm in case he suffers another cardiac arrest, thus making him unfit to participate in high intensity, competitive sports due to Italian Cardiological Guidelines for Competitive Sports Eligibility for athletes with heart disease (COCIS). As a result of his hiatus, Colbrelli was unable to defend his Paris-Roubaix title.
The incident drew comparisons to Christian Eriksen, a professional footballer who also suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed during physical activity.
In October 2022, Colbrelli announced his retirement from the sport due to heart problems.

## Major results
### 2008

    2nd Trofeo Città di Ivrea
    3rd Trofeo Emilio Paganessi

### 2009

    2nd Giro del Veneto

### 2010

    1st Trofeo Alcide Degasperi
    6th Road race, UCI Under-23 Road World Championships
    7th Circuito del Porto

### 2011

    2nd Trofeo Zsšdi
    2nd Trofeo Banca Popolare di Vicenza
    3rd Trofeo Franco Balestra
    3rd Gran Premio della Liberazione
    10th Overall Coupe des nations Ville Saguenay

### 2012

    1st Stage 1b (TTT) Giro di Padania
    2nd Coppa Bernocchi
    9th Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli

### 2013

    2nd Volta Limburg Classic
    2nd Tour of Almaty
    5th Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli
    7th Ronde van Drenthe
    8th Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato

### 2014 (5 pro wins)

    1st Overall Italian Cup
    1st Giro dell'Appennino
    1st Memorial Marco Pantani
    1st Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato
    1st Coppa Sabatini
    1st Stage 2 Tour of Slovenia
    2nd Gran Premio di Lugano
    2nd Volta Limburg Classic
    2nd Tre Valli Varesine
    3rd Roma Maxima
    4th Trofeo Laigueglia
    5th Gran Premio Città di Camaiore
    5th Grand Prix Pino Cerami
    6th Milan–San Remo

### 2015 (3)

    1st Overall Italian Cup
    1st Overall Tour du Limousin
       1st Young rider classification
       1st Stage 1
    1st Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli
    3rd Gran Piemonte
    5th Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi
    5th Coppa Ugo Agostoni
    6th Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato
    6th Coppa Sabatini
    10th Coppa Bernocchi

### 2016 (7)

    1st Overall Italian Cup
    1st Gran Premio di Lugano
    1st Coppa Ugo Agostoni
    1st Coppa Sabatini
    1st Tre Valli Varesine
    1st Stage 5 Tour du Poitou-Charentes
    2nd Overall Tour du Limousin
       1st Stages 3 & 4
    2nd Overall Giro di Toscana
    2nd Trofeo Laigueglia
    2nd Volta Limburg Classic
    3rd Amstel Gold Race
    4th Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli
    5th Gran Piemonte
    6th Brabantse Pijl
    9th Milan–San Remo

### 2017 (3)

    1st Brabantse Pijl
    1st Coppa Bernocchi
    1st Stage 2 Paris–Nice
    2nd Coppa Sabatini
    2nd Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli
    3rd Bretagne Classic
    5th Memorial Marco Pantani
    7th E3 Harelbeke
    9th Amstel Gold Race
    10th Tour of Flanders
    10th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec

### 2018 (4)

    1st Gran Piemonte
    1st Coppa Bernocchi
    1st Stage 3 Tour de Suisse
    1st Stage 1 (TTT) Hammer Sportzone Limburg
    2nd Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
    2nd Brabantse Pijl
    2nd Coppa Sabatini
    3rd Overall Dubai Tour
       1st Stage 4
    3rd Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
    8th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
    9th Milan–San Remo

### 2019 (3)

    1st Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli
    1st Stage 4 Tour of Oman
    2nd Road race, National Road Championships
    2nd Overall Deutschland Tour
       1st Points classification
       1st Stage 4
    2nd Coppa Sabatini
    5th Memorial Marco Pantani
    8th Trofeo Matteotti
    9th EuroEyes Cyclassics

### 2020 (1)

    1st Stage 2 Route d'Occitanie
    3rd Road race, National Road Championships
    4th Brabantse Pijl
    6th Overall BinckBank Tour
    7th Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne

### 2021 (8)

    1st Road race, UEC European Road Championships
    1st Road race, National Road Championships
    1st Overall Benelux Tour
       1st Stage 6
    1st Overall Italian Cup
    1st Paris–Roubaix
    1st Memorial Marco Pantani
    Tour de Romandie
       1st Points classification
       1st Stage 2
    Critérium du Dauphiné
       1st Points classification
       1st Stage 3
    2nd Coppa Sabatini
    4th Gent–Wevelgem
    6th Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
    8th Milan–San Remo
    10th Road race, UCI Road World Championships

### 2022

    2nd Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

### Grand Tour general classification results timeline

| Grand Tour | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Giro d'Italia | 100 | 89 | 94 | 100 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tour de France | — | — | — | — | — | 122 | 109 | 85 | 93 | 52 |
| Vuelta a España | 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 |

### Classics results timeline

| Monument | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Milan–San Remo | — | 12 | 6 | 18 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 43 | 63 | 8 | — |
| Tour of Flanders | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 23 | 30 | 47 | 55 | — |
| Paris–Roubaix | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NH | 1 | — |
| Liège–Bastogne–Liège | 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 |
| Giro di Lombardia | DNF | — | — | DNF | DNF | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Classic | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | — | — | — | — | — | 35 | 8 | 38 | 50 | DNF | 2 |
| Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne | — | NH | — | — | — | 52 | 3 | DNF | 7 | 6 | 75 |
| E3 Harelbeke | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 49 | 13 | NH | 57 | — |
| Gent–Wevelgem | — | — | — | — | DNF | 13 | 124 | DNF | DNF | 4 | — |
| Brabantse Pijl | — | — | DNF | DNF | 6 | 1 | 2 | 49 | 4 | 64 | — |
| Amstel Gold Race | — | — | DNF | 107 | 3 | 9 | 74 | 72 | NH | 72 | — |
| Hamburg Cyclassics | — | — | — | — | — | 85 | 67 | 9 | Not held | Not held | — |
| Bretagne Classic | — | — | 72 | — | 43 | 3 | 20 | — | — | — | — |
| Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 115 | 37 | Not held | Not held | — |
| Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | 2 | DNF | Not held | Not held | — |

### Major championships timeline

| Event | Event | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
| World Championships | Road race | 13 | — | DNF | 59 | — | 11 | — | 10 |
| European Championships | Road race | Did not exist | Did not exist | 29 | — | 14 | — | — | 1 |
| National Championships | Road race | DNF | DNF | — | 8 | 66 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Legend :
| — | Did not compete |
| DNF | Did not finish |
| NH | Not held |