Meet Davide Piganzoli: Visma | Lease a Bike transfer target and Contador’s big GC hope for the Giro

Piganzoli is the next in line of top talents who (seem to) make an impression from the Italian cycling team to the WorldTour. Vincenzo Albanese now rides for EF Education-EasyPost, and Lorenzo Fortunato is employed by XDS-Astana. They secured impressive victories for Contador and co, just as Piganzoli did in 2024 when he claimed his first professional victories with stage and overall wins in the Tour of Antalya. But his potential was demonstrated in very different races.

When he made the transition from the development team of the then-EOLO-Kometa as a trainee to the pro-continental branch in 2021, he immediately caused a stir. However, together with the team management, it was decided to focus on U23 races in 2022. He finished fifth in the Tour de l'Avenir and became the Italian time trial champion in the U23 category. In 2023, it was time to move up to the next level.

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In his first full year as a pro, Piganzoli finished ninth in the Tour of Hungary and performed even better in the Tour de l'Avenir, finishing third overall. In the Italian fall, he boldly challenged the big boys several times. In 2024, he achieved his first victories in the Tour of Antalya, a top-ten finish in the Tour of the Alps, and his Giro d'Italia debut. Piganzoli immediately finished thirteenth, demonstrating his potential as a stage racer.

In October, his third place in the Giro dell'Emilia, behind Tadej Pogacar and Tom Pidcock, also impressed. With all his results, Piganzoli has established himself as an all-round rider. He climbs well but is also an excellent time trialist. He has a punch for the final, and his third week in the 2024 Giro was his best, demonstrating his ability to recover. Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates-XRG turned the Giro d'Italia into a brutal race.

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After finishing second in O Gran Camiño in 2025 and just outside the top ten in the Tour of the Alps, it is now time for the Giro d'Italia. Piganzoli aims to improve on his 13th place in 2024, so a top-10 finish is a realistic goal. "Before the Tour of the Alps, we trained hard for three weeks at altitude in Tenerife and I made a big step forward physically. Mentally, I also gained a year of experience, which is a lot in cycling when you're only 22 years old."

"Last year, I finished thirteenth, so this year, I'm going for the top 10. I'd also like to aim for a stage win," he confirms. Piganzoli realizes this is a bigger challenge with a smaller team, pointing to the time trial as an example. "My time trial is pretty good but not outstanding because of the team's equipment. We have normal equipment, but it is not the best of the best. Nevertheless, I've trained a lot, so I hope I've made some progress."

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The equipment may not be exceptional, but at Polti VisitMalta, the climbers on the team can count on the expertise of Contador and Basso. Piganzoli agrees that they are inspiring sports directors. "They teach us a lot, for example, how to best prepare for a grand tour and maintain your level for three weeks. Having two former top riders on the team is very important because they can explain everything to us."

It could be the difference between 11th and 10th place in May. Piganzoli is not hiding the fact that his legs are in good shape. "I already showed my potential in the Giro last year, and at the end of the year, my watts were truly impressive in some races. But this year, I started with the metrics I discussed at the end of last year. So I'm confident that I've really grown this winter in the run-up to the Giro. I have a lot of confidence in myself and in the team."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])