Main Italian athletes

Marco Pantani

Pantani was an Italian road racing cyclist, from Romagna, and he is widely considered as the best “climbers” of all time. His nickname was “Il Pirata” (The Pirate), because of his famous bandana and he is well known for being the winner of Tour de France, Tour de Suisse, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Murcia. He died tragically in a hotel room due to a drug abuse, after being sentenced for doping.

Valentino Rossi

Rossi is an Italian motorcyclist and he is the only rider in the history of the World Championship to have won the World Championship in four different classes: 125, 250, 500 and MotoGP, for a total amount of 9 Tournaments won.

Marco Simoncelli

Simoncelli was an Italian professional motorcycle racer, he won 125 and 250 classes and he took part of MotoGp class for 2 seasons. He died because of a fatally accident during the Malaysia Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit, on 23 October 2011.

Francesco Totti

He is a director of Rome football club, renowned for playing 25 seasons in the same club as a football player. He collected 786 appearances and 307 goals in Rome, and 58 appearances and 9 goals with the National Team, with which won a World Tournament on 2006.

Alessandro Del Piero

Del Piero is an italian football pundit, well known for being an emblem of Juventus F.C., with which played for 19 years, collecting 750 appearances and 290 goals. He also played 91 games and scored 27 goals with the National Team, crowned as champion of the world in 2006.

Filippo Inzaghi

He is a soccer coach, famous for his achievements as football player, in particular in Juventus, Milan and Italy National Team. He won twice the Uefa Champions League and graduated champion of the world in 2006.

Enzo Ferrari

He was a racing driver but he was extremely famous for being the founder of Ferrari, both as a car producer and as a racing team. He is considered as a symbol of Italy and of the Italian entrepreneurs, for his genius and his mechanical intuitions.

Pietro Mennea

He was a runner and a politician, well known in particular for his achievements in 200 metres race. He set a record that was undefeated for almost 17 years – the longest duration in the event history – and is still listed as the European Record.

Gianluigi Buffon

Known as “Gigi”, he is an italian football player, specifically a goalkeeper, and he played for Parma, Juventus and currently in Paris Saint German. He is considered, according to a lot of experts, one of the best goalkeepers of all time.

Alex Zanardi

Zanardi is a paralytic athlete, in particular a paracyclist (handcycling) and a racing driver. He is considered as a flag of paralympic sport, because he was able to adapt himself on a new lifestyle after a Fourmula One accident in 2001 that led to the amputation of his legs.

Alberto Tomba

Tomba was a “slalom” and “giant slalom” ski categories champion, in 80s and 90s. His nickname was “Tomba la bomba” (Tomba the bomb), and with his powerful body (1.82 metres x 90 kg), he was in contrast with the common stereotype of the thin and short skier. This celebrated athlete won three Olympic gold medals, two World Championships, and nine World Cup season titles.

Roberto Baggio

He is a former soccer player, capable of playing in different positions and, moreover, is the former president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation. He played for Juventus, Bologna, Milan, Inter, Fiorentina, Brescia and the Italian National Team, deserving to be one of the best player of the whole football history and winning a FIFA World Player of the Year in 1993.

Carlo Ancelotti

Ancelotti is a football coach, currently in Naples team, and a former professional footballer, he played for Parma, Roma, and Milan. Nicknamed “Carletto”, he is regarded as one of the best and most successful managers of all time, winning 3 Uefa Champions League.

Carolina Kostner

Carolina Kostner is the most decorated singles skater in the history of this competition. She comes from a family full of champions and athletes in winter sports, in Bolzano, in the North of Italy, bordering the Austrian territory. She won the World Figure Skating Championships, the grand prix final and, moreover, she is a five-time European champion.

Federica Pellegrini

Pellegrini is one of the best italian swimmer of all time and she is holding the women's 200 m freestyle world record, from 2008. She gained 162 podiums, of which 117 are gold medals and she is the only swimmer to have won seven medals in a row in the same event at the World Championships.