Brazilian sprinter demoralised after bad luck, talks with Movistar didn’t work out
Just two years after beating Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank) and then-world champion Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) to win a stage of the Tour of California, the Brazilian sprinter Luciano Pagliarini has decided to call a halt to his career.
The 32 year old had unproductive talks about riding as part of the Movistar team in 2011, and has now decided to take up a role as coach with the Brazilian track team. It brings to a close a career which started in 2001 with the Lampre team, and netted him several important victories.
Pagliarini’s final season was spent with the Scott – Marcondes Cesar – Fadenp São José dos Campos squad, and earned him three stage wins in the Rutas de América. However the team stopped early due to financial issues and was, unsurprisingly, part of the reason for his decision.
“It was a situation that generated a lot of weariness and disappointment,” he told the Brazilian site Prologo. “I returned to Brazil with a good attitude and this was proven at the start of the season [when he took three stages in the Rutas de America]. Unfortunately things went astray and nothing materialized. It was a shame.
“It’s time to hang up the shoes now. I very much wanted to stay, but I lost focus for many reasons. The time is right, it is a transitional phase in my career, but I am calm.”
Two years after turning pro, performances such as three stage wins in the Tour de Langkawi plus first in the Clásica de Almería suggested that big things were in store for the friendly South American.
In 2004 he clocked up two more stages in the Tour de Langkawi and one in the Vuelta a Murcia; in 2005 he rode the Tour de France, placing fifth on stage two, then in 2007 the-then Saunier Duval rider took stages in the Tour of the Benelux and the Tour of Missouri. He then showed his speed when he grabbed stage six of the Tour of California in 2008, moving up from second place when Mark Cavendish was disqualified after holding onto a car. He was also second on a stage of the Tour of Poland.
However several incidences of bad luck were to follow. Kidney stones scuppered his chances of a strong Olympic road race performance, and then the TelTech H2O team he signed with prior to the 2009 season was refused a licence by the UCI. He stopped training for several months, then resumed with the Memorial Santos team. He then raced with Scott – Marcondes Cesar – Fadenp São José dos Campos this season but that collapsed this summer, further denting his morale.
There was a chance to join the Spanish team of Eusebio Unzue but that didn’t work out. “I received an invitation to return to Europe,” he confirmed. “Fausto Pinarello came to me and said there was interest from Movistar. They wanted a rider with my characteristics, but it [the talks] ended with no success.”
With his competitive career now over, he indicated that helping Brazilian riders qualify for the 2016 Games in Rio is a big motivation for him.