Luciano Pagliarini announces retirement
The 32-year-old Brazilian cyclist Luciano Pagliarini has announced his retirement from competition, citing his loss of interest after talks with team Movistar failed to reach an agreement.
“It’s time to hang up my wheels,” said Pagliarini to Prologo. “I very much wanted to stay on but I lost focus for many reasons. It’s the right time. It’s a transitional phase in my career but I am calm.”
The rider spent most of his career in Europe, including stints at Lampre and Liquigas, which saw him taking stage wins at the Eneco Tour, the Tour of California and the Tour of Murcia. More recently he has been riding with Brazilian
team Scott-Marcondes Cesar-São José dos Campos, which was suspended by the UCI in August after Pagliarini and other riders called attention to the team's failure to pay its riders through the summer.
“It was a situation that caused me a lot of weariness and disappointment,” said Pagliarini. “I returned to Brazil with great form, and this was demonstrated at the start of the season. Unfortunately, things lost their way and nothing concrete materialised.
It was a shame.”
The cyclist had refused his invitation to the Brazilian championships in June due to the fact that he hadn’t been paid his full salary. When the team’s collapse became apparent, Fausto Pinarello of Movistar expressed interest in the
riders.
“Even before all the speculation, I received an invitation to return to Europe,” said Pagiliarini. “They wanted a rider with my characteristics but that didn’t work out. I’m very calm and happy. I spent a lot of time in Europe, away from my wife, my daughter
and my parents. It wasn’t easy.”
The cyclist has instead taken a job as a track coach for the Brazilian Cycling Federation, where he can take part in the development of a national team in preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
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