Pro cycling is damn tough. Salvatore Puccio has spent his career helping others cross the line first. On his 36th birthday, the Sicilian rider announced he would retire after 14 years with Team Sky and Ineos Grenadiers — a decision he made on his own terms.
“I decided it was time to put a full stop,” Puccio said to Tuttobici. “After so many years, I felt the need to say enough. Training brings some nostalgia, but during races I feel the fatigue — I know I made the right choice.”
Since turning professional in 2011, Puccio has worn the same team jersey, aside from Italy’s national kitwith Elia Viviani when they won the European championship in 2019. The dude is legit. Over 17 Grand Tours and 29 Classics, he became a trusted teammate for riders including Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas, Egan Bernal, Filippo Ganna, and others.
“Wearing the pink jersey at my first Giro d’Italia was a wonderful surprise,” he said. “Every victory my teammates achieved felt like mine. For a domestique, if the captain doesn’t win, your work means nothing.”
Puccio is, well…candid about the dangers of modern racing. “It’s extremely dangerous and exhausting,” he said. “We’re some of the few still able to brake. If you slow down even for a moment, you can drop 40 places instantly. The crashes you see on TV are only a fraction of what really happens. In the peloton it’s constant: shoving, levers brushing — from the first km. On a recent descent I hit 84 km/h and I was genuinely scared. It’s only going to get faster.”
After his final races in Italy, including the Giro dell’Emilia, Tre Valli Varesine, and Il Lombardia, Puccio plans to pursue a career as a directeur sportif. “I’d like to stay in the team car, perhaps with another squad. Matteo Tosatto inspired me with energy and motivation, Dario Cioni with calm — I hope to be a mix of both.”
Asked if he has any regrets, Puccio was pretty clear. “None. I’m happy with my career. I’d do it all over again.”