Tour of the Alps stage 4 press conference: Pellizzari spreads joy like the Pogačar of old

In today's cycling, there are plenty of young riders winning — and those same riders tend to win often. Which means we see the sport's top talents and dominant forces regularly behind the microphone in mixed zones and at press conferences. At some point, that starts to wear on them. But not yet for Giulio Pellizzari.

The 22-year-old Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe rider has been a professional for a while now, but 2025 was really when he made the step up — to the point where he now belongs among the best in the world. He acknowledged as much himself after winning stage two of the Tour of the Alps and taking the race lead. Mentally, Pellizzari has made the switch — from contender to winner.

Because he finished sixth at both the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España in 2025, won a stage at the Vuelta, and was already competing for stage wins at the 2024 Giro for Bardiani, it's easy to forget that stage two of the Tour of the Alps was only his second professional victory. Spending the whole week of a five-day stage race in the leader's jersey — navigating mixed zones and press conferences — is therefore still relatively new territory for him.

Those who have spoken to Pellizzari in recent years have always been greeted by a wide grin. The Italian takes time for the media and genuinely seems to enjoy it — an attitude not unlike the one Tadej Pogačar brought to the sport when he first arrived as a fresh-faced youngster. The Slovenian made an equally strong impression with his media appearances back then.

That warmth is still very much part of Pogačar in 2026, but no one would blame him for the occasional deep sigh in a press conference when the same question comes around again. When he spent almost three weeks in pink during his winning 2024 Giro, Pogačar frequently let slip that it was all a lot, and that things could sometimes move a little faster.

We should be absolutely clear: Pogačar was completely right about that — especially during that Giro — and it is entirely logical that he now manages his media commitments carefully.

His interviews are well structured by UAE, and not everything is as freely accessible as it once was. That is precisely why Pellizzari's media moments feel like such a throwback to that carefree young Pogačar of years gone by.

When Pellizzari was confronted with the media side of being a cycling star after stage four of the Tour of the Alps, he was philosophical about it. "So far I actually quite enjoy it. Winning is always good, and around a ceremony or at a press conference you can relax a little and let off some steam. You also get to talk to people you don't normally spend any time with."

The 22-year-old did, however, seem to recognise that his view could change — if, like Pogačar, he finds himself winning more and more, or spending extended spells in a leader's jersey. "Maybe I enjoy it because I'm not used to it yet, and I'll hate it in a month. But for now I like being here, haha."

For now, then, enjoy the Pellizzari era — a rider who sat patiently at the press conference for a full 25 minutes, smiling and listening to quotes from stage winner Lennart Jasch, even as the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe press officer had already signalled several times that things had gone on long enough.

Pellizzari took time to congratulate Jasch on his surprise queen stage victory. "You're very lucky with the weather this year — I think it's been ten years since the Tour of the Alps had five sunny days," the Italian joked. "I'm happy for you. You won a very hard stage and you deserved it."

The two then made the final stretch of the press conference genuinely entertaining when, after nearly half an hour, they were asked who would win Sunday's Tour of the Alps overall. "I hope someone from our team wins — and while I think you're great, Giulio, I don't think you're going to win on Sunday," said Jasch. The race leader's response: "Michael Storer is going to win. I never say my own name — sorry!"