2017 photographs of the year – part 4: Paolo Ciaberta

2017 photographs of the year – part 4: Paolo Ciaberta

As 2017 comes to a close, we’ve asked our regular photographers to pick their six favourite cycling images from this year


Paolo Ciaberta is the kind of photographer who’ll go the extra mile for a shot. Sometimes literally. His cycling portfolio is characterised by lots of views of the peloton from afar: the bunch often strung out and sometimes appearing little more than a stripe or a smudge on a mountainous landscape. 

Viewing his pictures on your phone is probably not to do them justice. Nor your tablet or laptop. (And we’re not just saying that to plug his prints). In fact we recently took down one of his pictures from the Rouleur homepage. It depicted the peloton going through the snowy mountains. But in thumbnail size the bunch was too easily mistaken for a strip of foreground fence wire.

Speaking of which, it was by clambering up the anti-avalanche fencing that the Italian was able to nab the above shot of the peloton descending the Passo del Tonal. His selection of this year’s best photos may all indeed come from his native Giro but, high wire acrobatics: that’s what we mean about going the extra mile for his photography.

Paolo Ciaberta“Giant inflatable bidons stand out on the lunar landscape of Mount Etna during the fourth stage of the Giro.”

Read: Giro d’Italia’s southern comfort 

Paolo Ciaberta

“Don’t try this at home. A rider drops into a tuck to maximise his speed while descending from the Stelvio during the 16th stage of the Giro.” 

Read: Chute! A brief history of crash photography

Paolo Ciaberta

“Without fans pro cycling is nothing. They put colours on the fatigue of the cyclists. This is the 18th stage of the Giro in the Dolomites.”

Paolo Ciaberta

“The peloton on the road to Tortolì during the second stage of this year’s Giro. It was the first time I’ve taken pictures from a helicopter.”

“Something a bit different. I love this picture. I think it includes a lot of Italy: sea, sun, Vincenzo Nibali, his father Salvatore. Plus intrusive fans with big tanned stomachs!”

Art prints banner

The post 2017 photographs of the year – part 4: Paolo Ciaberta appeared first on The world's finest cycling magazine.


READ MORE

‘We put on a good show’ - Mathieu van der Poel and the beauty of losing

‘We put on a good show’ - Mathieu van der Poel and the beauty of losing

The Dutch rider spent over 170 kilometres in the breakaway during stage nine of the Tour de France with his teammate, Jonas Rickaert, and was...

Leggi di più
Tour de France 2025 stage 10 preview: Hardest test yet

Tour de France 2025 stage 10 preview: Hardest test yet

The peloton faces almost 4,500m of climbing on challenging day in the Massif Central

Leggi di più
Tim Merlier at the Tour de France 2025

Tour de France 2025 standings: the results after stage nine

The latest results and standings from the Tour de France 2025

Leggi di più
‘Muriel Furrer, Gino Mäder – there have been so many wake-up calls’ - When will cycling have its safety revolution?

‘Muriel Furrer, Gino Mäder – there have been so many wake-up calls’ - When will cycling have its safety revolution?

A movement towards safer racing conditions is steadily gaining momentum in professional bike racing, but is it enough?

Leggi di più
Jonathan Milan

Lighter, stiller, stronger - The making of Jonathan Milan’s sprint

How Lidl-Trek have moulded the Italian rider into a Tour de France stage winner

Leggi di più

READ RIDE REPEAT

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Get closer to the sport than ever before.

Enjoy a digital subscription to Rouleur for just £4 per month and get access to our award-winning magazines.

SUBSCRIBE