Rinaldo Nocentini has announced his retirement at the age of 42 after 20 years as a professional. The Italian spent the last four seasons of his career in the green and white uniform of Sporting Tavira in Portugal.

In 1998, Nocentini finished second behind Ivan Basso in the under-23 world championship road race in Valkenburg, and after turning pro the following year with Mapei, he moved on to Fassa Bortolo, Formaggio Pinzolo, and Acqua e Sapone, In 2006 he won the Giro della Appennino, Giro del Veneto and Coppa Placci.

Nocentini's greatest successes came in his nine years with AG2R La Mondiale, where he wore the yellow jersey for eight days at the 2009 Tour de France, arriving in Paris in 13th place overall. The following year, he won the overall at the Tour Méditerranée.

After leaving AG2R La Mondiale at the end of 2016, Nocentini chose to continue his career at the continental level with Sporting Tavira, finishing third behind Fabio Aru and Diego Ulissi in the 2017 Italian Championships in Ivrea, He brought a surprise. Nocentini's last professional victory came in early 2018 when he won two stages at La Tropicale Amissa Bongo. His last race as a professional came in July at the Trofeu Joaquim Agostinho.

"If I have continued to ride until I was 42, it was because I spent the last part of my career in Portugal, in a much calmer and more relaxed atmosphere than in traditional European cycling countries. Otherwise, I would have finished earlier," Nocentini told Tuttobiciweb (opens in new tab).

The Tuscan lamented some of the changes in cycling he witnessed during his 20 years in the peloton.

"Even in the hotels, people don't stay together and talk anymore. I like to stay in touch with everyone, but I can go a whole year without seeing some of my teammates even once.

"When I turned pro in Mapei in 1999, it was more of a family atmosphere. Now the riders are very stressed."

Nocentini will soon begin a new professional venture, opening a training, biomechanics, and nutrition center in Civitella, near Arezzo. In an interview last month with the Tuscan newspaper La Nazione (opens in new tab), he cited wearing the maillot jaune as the most important thing he has done in his career.

"It increased my popularity and my financial level, but above all it gave me great satisfaction," Nocentini said.

"July 10, 2009 will always be etched in my mind and in my memory. It was the summit finish in Andorra. I sacrificed the possibility of a stage win to get the yellow jersey, and for a few days (Alberto) Contador and (Lance) Armstrong were behind me on GC."