Franco Pellizotti
A cunning Italian climber, nicknamed 'The Dolphin,' whose elegant riding style and stage-hunting prowess defined a long career in the Grand Tours.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Italian cyclist·Birthday: January 15·Generation X
Biography
Franco Pellizotti rode with a distinctive, fluid grace that earned him the nickname 'Il Delfino'—The Dolphin. Unlike pure power climbers, he excelled in the long, steady ascents of the Grand Tours, often lying in wait before launching a perfectly timed attack to chase stage wins or the mountains jersey. His career peak came in the 2009 Giro d'Italia, where he wore the leader's pink jersey and won the coveted mountains classification, only to have the results later stripped due to a controversial biological passport violation—a two-year suspension that became a defining, contentious chapter. He returned to the peloton with undiminished passion, claiming a dramatic solo stage win at the 2012 Giro and continuing to animate races into his late thirties. Now a directeur sportif, he brings his deep tactical understanding from the saddle to guiding the next generation of riders.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Franco was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Franco Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Franco's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the mountains classification (King of the Mountains) at the 2009 Giro d'Italia, though the title was later vacated.
- Claimed two individual stage victories at the Giro d'Italia, in 2006 and 2012.
- Finished third overall in the 2009 Giro d'Italia, a result that was also later annulled.
- Rode in 14 Grand Tours over his professional career, completing 13 of them.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'Il Delfino' (The Dolphin), was given for his smooth, undulating pedaling style on climbs.
He served a two-year suspension from 2010 to 2012 for irregularities in his biological passport.
After retiring, he transitioned directly to a role as a directeur sportif for Team Bahrain Victorious.
“The mountain doesn't care about your plan; you must listen to it and respond.”
