Mario Cipollini was sentenced to three years in prison. The Italian former cyclist has been found guilty by a judge of assaulting and threatening his ex-wife.

“I’m happy, justice has been done. Times were tough, but now I see some light again,” Cipollini’s ex-wife Sabrina Landucci is quoted as saying in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

According to the judge, Cipollini, 55, abused, threatened and stalked his ex-wife for years. Among other things, he pressed a gun to her forehead. The two married in 2005 and separated in 2013.

In addition to the prison sentence, Cipollini has to pay a fine of 85,000 euros. The former driver was also found guilty of threatening his ex-wife’s new partner. The sentence is higher than the prosecutor’s demand of 2.5 years in prison.

eccentric

Cipollini, nicknamed “Handsome Mario”, is considered one of the best sprinters of all time. He achieved 191 victories in his career, including 12 stages at the Tour, 42 stages at the Giro and three at the Vuelta. In 2002 he became world champion on the road.

Outside of his performance, he was notable for his eccentric demeanor and style of dress. For example, in 1999 he appeared dressed as an emperor at the start of a stage of the Tour, referring to his other nickname, “The Emperor of the Sprint”.

In the video below from 2017 we looked back at Cipollini’s career.