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Franco Pellizotti

Pellizotti at the 2009 Giro d'Italia
Personal information
Full name	Franco Pellizotti
Nickname	Pello, Il Delfino
Date of birth	January 15, 1978 (1978-01-15) (age 32)
Country	Italy
Team information
Current team	Liquigas-Doimo
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Climber
Professional team(s)1
2001–2004 2005–	Alessio Liquigas-Bianchi
Major wins
Tour de France Combativity award (2009) Mountain classification (2009) Giro d'Italia, 3 stages Paris Nice, 1 Stage
Infobox last updated on:
July 24, 2009 1 Team names given are those prevailing at time of rider beginning association with that team.

Franco Pellizotti (born January 15, 1978 in Latisana, Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia) is an Italian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Liquigas-Doimo.

Pellizotti is known as a climbing specialist and won Stage 10 in the 2006 Giro d'Italia, Stage 16 in the 2008 Giro d'Italia and Stage 17 in the 2009 Giro d'Italia. After finishing third overall in the 2009 Giro, he won the polka dot jersey in Paris as the best climber of the 2009 Tour de France, as well as named the Most Combative (Aggressive) Rider on Stages 9 and 17. At the start of each race, Pellizotti can be seen making the sign of the cross and kissing a crucifix around his neck.

Notable results

Tour de France mountains classification winners 1933 Trueba • 1934 Vietto • 1935 Vervaecke • 1936 Berrendero • 1937 Vervaecke • 1938 Bartali • 1939 Maes • 1947 Brambilla • 1948 Bartali • 1949 Coppi • 1950 Bobet • 1951 Géminiani • 1952 Coppi • 1953 Loroño • 1954 Bahamontes • 1955–1956 Gaul • 1957 Nencini • 1958–1959 Bahamontes • 1960–1961 Massignan • 1962–1964 Bahamontes • 1965–1967 Jiménez • 1968 González • 1969–1970 Merckx • 1971–1972 Van Impe • 1973 Torres • 1974 Perurena • 1975 Van Impe • 1976 Bellini • 1977 Van Impe • 1978 Martínez • 1979 Battaglin • 1980 Martin • 1981 Van Impe • 1982 Vallet • 1983 Van Impe • 1984 Millar • 1985 Herrera • 1986 Hinault • 1987 Herrera • 1988 Rooks • 1989 Theunisse • 1990 Claveyrolat • 1991–1992 Chiappucci • 1993 Rominger • 1994–1997 Virenque • 1998 Rinero • 1999 Virenque • 2000 Botero • 2001–2002 Jalabert • 2003–2004 Virenque • 2005–2006 Rasmussen • 2007 Soler • 2008 None • 2009 Pellizotti

Tour de France Combativity award winners 1956 Darrigade • 1957 Barone • 1958 Bahamontes • 1959 Saint • 1960 Graczyk • 1961 Team West-Southwest • 1962 Pauwels • 1963 van Looy • 1964 Anglade • 1965 Gimondi • 1966 Altig • 1967 Letort • 1968 Pingeon • 1969–1970 Merckx • 1971 Ocaña • 1972 Guimard • 1973 Ocaña • 1974–1975 Merckx • 1976 Delisle • 1977 Knetemann • 1978 Wellens • 1979 Kuiper • 1980 Levavasseur • 1981 Hinault • 1982 Clère • 1983 Demierre • 1984 Hinault • 1985 Ducrot • 1986 Hinault • 1987 Delgado • 1988 Simon • 1989 Fignon • 1990 Chozas • 1991–1992 Chiappucci • 1993 Ghirotto • 1994 Poli • 1995 Buenahora • 1996–1997 Virenque • 1998–1999 Durand • 2000 Dekker • 2001–2002 Jalabert • 2003 Vinokourov • 2004 Virenque • 2005 Pereiro • 2006 de la Fuente • 2007 Txurruka • 2008 Chavanel • 2009 Pellizotti