2009 Tour de France, Stage 3: Three champions departed from Marseilles for La Grande-Motte. (Credit: Cor Vos via Cyclowired.jp)

2007 Tour de France, Stage 5: Oscarito congratulated Pippo on his stage-winning performance in Autun as Big George Hincapie, complete with Stars helmet, hovered in the background. (Credit: Oliver Weiken/EPA via Newscom.com)

2007 Tour de France, Stage 6: Pippo could appear as smug as he pleased since he won yesterday so shut up. (Credit: Makoto Ayano via Cyclingtime.com)

2004 Tour de France, Stage 16: What, no helmet!?! Oh yeah, this was early in the Age of Carbon when such safety was not über-mandatory. At least on mountain stages. Especially on mountain time trials all the way up Alpe d’Huez—yikes! (Credit: Foto.hilgemann.com)

2009 Tour de France, Stage 21: Pippo wheelie-popped on the Champs-Élysées to demonstrate his bike handling skills…are better than Schlecks on descents? (Credit: CorVos via PezCycling)

2011 Tour de France Route Presentation: Ah, poor Pippo. He’s condemned to a Katusha-issued suit while—huh? *Rubs eyes* And Vino, Monsieur Astana, wore (and still wears) what ever the hell he wants because he’s Vino4Ever, no? (Credit: Thomas Vergouwen via Velowire.com)

2010 Tour de France Route Presentation: So how much hair product was required in the styling of that hair? (Credit: Getty Images via Funiverse.net)

2007 Tour de France, Stage 11: Back by (un)popular demand are shiny Sidi shoes for you hearters and haters of extreme cycling bling to enjoy so, er, enjoy. (Credit: Eric Gaillard/RTR via Newscom.com)

2004 Tour de France, Stage 7: Obviously—because how can you miss it?—Pippo was ecstatic to win his first Tour stage, especially as he was the youngest rider in the race. (Credit: Valery Hache/Getty Images via UniversalSports.com)