"They showed me what they’ve done with other riders": Italian talent Piganzoli on his move to Visma | Lease a Bike

Piganzoli's transfer was leaked to the Italian media during the season. “Contact with Visma was established between the end of January and the beginning of February. It was the period when the races started; I had the Gran Camino and then the Tirreno-Adriatico on my schedule,” recalls the number fourteen of the most recent Giro d'Italia.

“Despite everything, we managed to find a day for a video call, and they presented the project to me. I was immediately enthusiastic about the idea that Visma presented and thought about it for a while, as many other teams were also interested. In the end, it was this team's project that impressed me the most,” said Piganzoli.

The Dutch team gave a few examples. “They talked to me about growth and showed me what they had done with other riders. We talked about the materials the team has at its disposal and the planning of each step we want to take. In short, all things that really impressed me, and I think it was that little bit extra that made me choose this organization.”

Piganzoli wants to develop steadily with the team. “In the beginning, I will definitely have to help and learn, but the focus will also be on growing and developing myself further as a classification rider,” explains the Italian, who finished third in the Tour de l'Avenir in 2023. “They have certainly seen that I am good at long climbs. They have seen how I have trained so far and think that I can still improve a lot.”

“They have also seen that I am strong in time trials and that I have shown that I perform well,” he points out. "Cervélo has excellent equipment, and I know they are working hard on this discipline, so I think I can make improvements here too. From a Grand Tour perspective, it's an important step; nowadays, everything depends on every second. Visma is studying this aspect thoroughly, and I think it's a good move."

All in all, he is looking forward to his transfer to the WorldTour after several years in the Italian pro-continental circuit. “I have three years of experience with Polit VisitMalta, so now it's time to change direction and take a leap. It will be a significant step; I'm going to join one of the top WorldTour teams. I think this will further motivate me to understand who I am and where I can go.”