No one embodied Astana metamorphosis better than Scaroni, who is aiming higher than ever in 2026

XDS Astana went through a metamorphosis in 2025, and there is no rider who embodies the spirit of that transformation better than Christian Scaroni. He went from someone unknown by the audience to the number 18 on the UCI rankings. It was a great season for the Italian, but how did he manage to improve this much? IDL Pro Cycling got the chance to talk with the 28-year-old rising star, who has big plans for the new season.

A career can make a turn in rapid fashion. Just ask Scaroni: in 2022, he was riding for the Russian ProTour-team Gazprom-Rusvelo. The team disbanded after Russia invaded Ukraine. A disaster for many riders, and Scaroni even thought of retiring. Fortunately, he got a spot in the WorldTour with Astana. Three years later, he is one of their major stars, and his contract just got renewed all the way until the end of 2028.

He's more than happy to stay at the team. "For sure, it´s like a family," Scaroni says. "When I was without contract in 2022 - because Gazprom closed - the team took me in when nobody trusted in me. I’m really happy to be here another two years. I improve year by year, and I’m really happy to continue my story with the family that is XDS Astana."

The 28-year-old rider earned 561 UCI points in 2024: in 2025 he totaled 2274, more than stars such as Paul Magnier, Olav Kooij, Jonathan Milan and Simon Yates. "I know that this year was very important for me and the team, because we had to save our license. Last year, I was really close to winning some races, but it never arrived. This year, my goal was to come back with a victory - and I took five. I did not expect a season as great as this one. I finished the season the same way I started."

How is it that Scaroni has made such a jump forward? "We changed the performance plan. Normally, they made me race in the stage races. But from this year on, the team needed to score a lot of points, and they made me into a classics racer, scoring points in the one day races. There, I discovered that I perform better in the one day races than in the stage races. The secret was definitely in the plan of the team, they believe in me to do one day races."

In total, he won five times, but one was by far the best. "The stage win in the Giro was an incredible feeling, because we arrived together, me and Fortunato. That does not happen everyday. But the last one, in the Giro della Romagna, I felt really good, I did the last 40 kilometres alone. But the stage in the Giro was the best one."

On stage 16, Scaroni got into the breakaway with teammate Lorenzo Fortunato. They proved to be the best climbers of the bunch, climbed as one to the line. There, the victory was awarded to Scaro , who managed to win his first stage in his home race. Fortunato handed him that on a platter, but Diego Ulissi was also to thank for that.

"In every interview, I talk about Diego," Scaroni says. "Because I think he changed this team, the mentality changed a lot when he arrived here. He was my roommate in the Giro d’Italia. And every evening, before sleep, he explained to me what we could have done better, to win the race. With him, I do not only improve the performance with the legs, but also the head, the mentality. My season was also because of him."

It was a fantastic year for the XDS Astana man, who wants to continue his great performance in 2026. The goals are loud and clear. "Next year, I think the most important goal would be to do the best result in the Ardennes classics. First we do Basque country, to arrive in the top shape for the Classic races. We have everything here to do our best."

The famous Astana tactic will be applied once more: no pressure on a single leader, but strength in numbers for the team of Alexandre Vinokourov. "We want to get the best result ever. But on the team, other riders like Bettiol or Velasco will be able to do the same result. But for sure, I will be a leader of the team. We will see day by day, race by race who will be better."

Those who hadn't heard of Scaroni before, definitely knew his name after the European championships in France. There, he was able to compete with the very best, battling it out with Paul Seixas for bronze. The Italian ended up just outside of the podium with a fourth place, but it motivated him. Next year, the focus will be on the World championships in Canada.

"You just named both my goals for this season - The Ardennes and the Worlds,"Scaroni laughs. "The season will be long, so we have to think race by race. It will be important to start in a really good shape, from the first race in Spain. It will be really important for the mind as well. After that, we think about what races come after that."