Sylwester Szmyd

Professional career

In 2009, Szmyd scored the first victory of his career when he crossed the finish line atop the Mont Ventoux during the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. He had broken away with Alejandro Valverde and the pair finished together. Szmyd said afterward that he was so used to sacrifice himself as a domestique for his captains that his legs almost buckled in the last corner when he realized he would win.

In the 2012 Giro del Trentino, Szmyd was allowed to race for himself and placed well on the final two stages of the race, which were mountainous. In stage 3, he came in second place after tackling a very steep climb, the Punta Veleno ( at an average 15% gradient). The finish line was situated after the summit. On the last stage to the Pordoi Pass, Szmyd finished in fourth position at the altitude finish, securing his third place in the overall classification. Snow was falling as he, race winner Domenico Pozzovivo and Damiano Cunego were accepting their awards on the podium.

He participated in the Giro d'Italia a couple of weeks later, riding in support of his leader Ivan Basso. He set the pace for the lead group numerous times in the hilly stages and managed a 28th general classification spot.

Szmyd left his team of four years at the end of the 2012 season, and joined the on a two-year contract, from the 2013 season onwards. In December 2014 Szmyd announced he was joining the Polish team on a one-year deal for 2015, after expressing dissatisfaction about his time at Movistar, where he was only selected for a Grand Tour once during his two years with the team.

Major results

1999 4th Overall Ronde de l'Isard 2000 2nd GP Capodarco 2001 6th Overall Tour de Pologne 9th Gran Premio de Llodio 2002 3rd Gran Premio Fred Mengoni 6th Schynberg-Rundfahrt 2003 8th Overall Giro del Trentino 2004 2nd GP Triberg-Schwarzwald 4th Japan Cup 2005 7th GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano 2006 5th Japan Cup 6th Overall Giro del Trentino 9th Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali 10th Overall Tour de Romandie 2007 2nd Overall Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda 7th Giro dell'Emilia 9th Overall Tour de Romandie 2008 5th Giro dell'Appennino 8th Overall Giro del Trentino 8th Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré 9th Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali 2009 1st Stage 5 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré 7th Overall Tour de Pologne 2010 1st Stage 4 (TTT) Giro d'Italia 6th Overall Tour de Pologne 10th Overall Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 3rd Overall Giro del Trentino 7th Overall Tour de Romandie 2013 9th Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid 2014 3rd Overall Vuelta a Castilla y León 2015 3rd Overall Tour of Croatia

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

+ Legend — Did not compete DNF Did not finish