Piller Cottrer's first relevant success in the cross-country skiing world cup came in 1997, when he won the 50 km race at the
Holmenkollen Ski Festival. In the same year he won the bronze medal with the Italian relay at the
1997 World Championships in
Trondheim. Thanks to Piller Cottrer's presence, the Italian relay confirmed as one of the best in the world winning silver medal in the
2002 Winter Olympics and, better, to gold medal in the home Olympics of Turin. He also won an Olympic bronze medal in the 15 + 15 km pursuit. His successes include a World Championship gold medal in the 15 km freestyle pursuit at the
2005 World Championships, and a total of seven victories in the World Cup. The latest in Vancouver 2009. Piller Cottrer won a bronze medal in the 15 km + 15 km double pursuit at the
2007 World Championships in
Sapporo. At the
2010 Winter Olympics in
Vancouver Piller Cottrer skied a 34:00.9 in the 15 km freestyle event and won the silver medal. In February 2013, Piller Cottrer announced his retirement. ==Cross-country skiing results==