Filippo Pozzato is thinking about the end of his career. The Italian rider has explained that his current two-year contract with Southeast will be the last of his career. He will retire at the end of the 2017 season. Pozzato, who won the 2006 Milan–San Remo and stages in all three Grand Tours, told Cyclingnews about his decision to leave the professional peloton.

"I want only two years more, this year and next year. After my career, I want to try to become a team manager and to give to the riders what I didn’t have in another team. To give the possibility of being professional at the best time", he said. "First of all, I would like it to be Pro Continental and then after for sure I would love it to become a WorldTour team. For one year, I have already been in contact with sponsors, but it is difficult. I think for a WorldTour team you have to be working at it for two years only for this, and now I don’t have time, afterwards, maybe it is possible."

He has signed with the Southeast-Venezuela team. "For me it hasn’t changed too much because the programme has stayed the same. [The only difference is] the Tour de France, but normally I don’t want to ride at the Tour de France because I don’t like the race. It is too much stress all the time, now I’m old, and I don’t really want to take a risk every day. Last year, in the first 10 days I crashed eight times, I don’t like this. I prefer doing the Giro d’Italia."

"With Lampre, I had problems for the last two years and, for this reason, I didn’t get the results in the races. Because one time they will say that you race and then after they say that you don’t. I knew that I was doing the Tour de France just six days before. It is not normal for the planning. Now I want to look only forwards."

Pozzato turned professional in 2000 with Mapei–Quick-Step. He is a part of the famous group of emerging young riders born in 1981. He has worn also the jersey of a lot of teams : Fassa Bartolo, Quick Step, Liquigas, Katusha Team, Farnese Vini, Lampre Merida. He has finished 2nd and 6th at the Tour of Flanders, in 2012 and 2008 respectively . His best finish at the Paris–Roubaix was 2nd in 2009. At the Gent–Wevelgem, Pozzato finished 4th in 2006. In the Omloop Het Volk he has finished 6th (2003) and 1st (2007). Pozzato also won the 2006 Milan–San Remo.