Italy unveils World Championships men's squad without top favorites, but with some deadly underdogs
CyclingThursday, 17 September 2026 at 09:23
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Follow us on GoogleItaly is bringing a whole host of top-notch riders to the World Cycling Championships in Montréal, Canada. The Azzurri are fielding two team leaders who may not be among the top favorites right off the bat, but who certainly aren’t without a chance in the battle for the rainbow jersey. The same goes for the individual time trial.
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In their race against the clock, the elite men are setting their sights squarely on Filippo Ganna. The Italian’s last world time trial title dates back to 2021, when he was the best in Flanders. In the years that followed, he didn’t always compete, and Remco Evenepoel emerged as a seemingly unbeatable rival.
A new opportunity awaits in Montreal on Sunday, September 20, knowing that Ganna has devoted himself entirely to the World Championships since the Tour de France. His only other race was the Tour of Britain, where he won the points classification. Other than that, his focus has been solely on those 39.2 kilometers in Canada.
In addition to Ganna, Matteo Sobrero will also compete in the individual time trial. Ganna’s brother-in-law rides for Lidl-Trek and is normally capable of putting in a strong time trial performance. Neither rider will compete in a road race on September 27, allowing them to focus all their energy on this race on Sunday.
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Filippo Ganna
Ciccone and Pellizzari lead Italy at the World Championships
For the road race in Canada, Italy is counting on Giulio Ciccone and Giulio Pellizzari. The Lidl-Trek climber (Ciccone) recently finished second in the GP Québec and also put in a solid performance at the GP Montréal, finishing seventh.
Ciccone deliberately skipped the Vuelta a España to focus entirely on the World Championships, as did Pellizzari. The 22-year-old climber from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe won a stage at the Tour of Burgos and the Lidl Deutschland Tour before competing in three Italian fall races.
Pellizzari won the Giro della Toscana and also finished in the top ranks in two other races. He and Ciccone will be joined by a strong lineup that includes Christian Scaroni, Davide Piganzoli, Lorenzo Finn, Mattia Cattaneo, Alberto Bettiol, and road captain Matteo Trentin. Don’t count Scaroni and Piganzoli out for a top result.
Italy National Team - 2026 World Cycling Championships
Time Trial
- Filippo Ganna - Netcompany INEOS
- Matteo Sobrero - Lidl-Trek
Road Race
- Alberto Bettiol – XDS Astana
- Mattia Cattaneo – Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
- Giulio Ciccone – Lidl-Trek
- Lorenzo Finn – Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe Rookies
- Giulio Pellizzari – Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
- Davide Piganzoli – Team Visma | Lease a Bike
- Christian Scaroni – XDS Astana
- Matteo Trentin – Tudor
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Grande respeto por Gilbert, pero en este caso me parece demasiado crítico. Wellens hizo un trato con el equipo; palabra es palabra. Belgica aún tiene dos capos para ganar. Vamos a ver la carrera primero, no?velodromevirtuoso116-09-2026
- - Gilbert calling him “out of touch with reality” feels a bit harsh. Tim literally won Tour of Britain after a monster Tour de France — form management matters. Also, if Pogacar was racing Worlds (he’s not for Belgium, obviously), why would that factor into Tim’s national selection logic anyway? That line was weirdly framed.lindae16-09-2026
- - Quick question: If the Worlds course suits Remco and Wout so perfectly, what specific role would Wellens play? Is it as a late-race engine on the circuits, or covering dangerous moves in the mid-phase? I’m trying to understand why his skillset is seen as indispensable here.gearguru3316-09-2026
- - Not sure I get Gilbert here. Worlds is huge, yes, but UAE are decimated by crashes and he’s key in CRO Race/Wallonia prep. Also, Remco and Wout already have a stacked support cast — Benoot, Campenaerts, maybe Van Hooydonck-type roles filled. Does Tim actually change the outcome on that course?davidm16-09-2026
- - Thoughtful choice from Wellens. He promised UAE-XRG he’d cover the late-season races after Renewi, and he’s sticking to it. Loyalty cuts both ways — the team paid his wages through a brutal TdF and injuries. Can’t fault a rider for honoring a pact, even if it stings for Belgium.patriciaw16-09-2026
- - Grande artículo, pero una duda: if “you don’t have to be the strongest to win,” does that mean we’ll see more negative racing? Seems a bit defeatist, no?raceready715-09-2026
- - Pidcock managing his efforts will be key. He was too eager in Montreal; hold fire until the final lap and he’s dangerous. Also, no Pogačar = more tactical chaos. Brilliant.davidm15-09-2026
- - Can someone explain why the Worlds route is that much longer than Montreal GP but on a similar circuit? Is it just extra laps, or are there added climbs too?patriciaw15-09-2026
- - Not sure about naming Del Toro and Seixas as top favorites over MvdP and WVA. Feels a tad contrarian—class usually tells in a 270k attrition day.michael5415-09-2026
- - Love the honesty from Pidcock. Montreal GP as a dress rehearsal makes sense—those last two laps bite. If GB keeps numbers late, he’s got a real medal shout.julien15-09-2026
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