Italy's Pistol Petacchi

Eurosport | Petacchi on the rise

Eurosport has a fairly lengthy interview with Alessandro Petacchi, “eyeing the top prize at the Milan-San Remo super classic.”

In a sprint there is no more fearsome competitor than Petacchi. Fluid and powerful, Petacchi's sprint jumps are colossal, humiliating the rest of cycling's best into a race for second place.

But unlike the dangerous bumper-car tactics of many sprint demons - where thrown elbows and sketchy sprint trajectories are the norm - Petacchi is squeaky clean, earning the 30-year-old the nickname of 'The Gentleman.'

"I have no idea where the name comes from," he says.

"Maybe some journalist created it. I can't remember who used it for me for the first time, but it corresponds to me. I am a correct person, and this nickname fits me well."