After a GC shot at the Giro, Filippo Zana will switch into breakaway mode at Vuelta: "I would love to try and take a stage victory"
Cycling
For a long time, it seemed like Filippo Zana would land in the final top-10 at this year's Giro d'Italia, however the penultimate stage with double ascent of Monte Grappa didn't find the former Italian champion in a good shape as he lost almost ten minutes on the day and eventually settled for 11th spot overall. At the upcoming Vuelta a Espana, Team Jayco AlUla plans to play their cards in breakaways and Zana seems to have found a liking in this attackive mentality.
Zana showed great form and resilience at the Giro d’Italia earlier this year and is looking for another Grand Tour stage win to add to his palmarés after a Giro stage victory from 2023. Last year was also when Zana made a debut at the Vuelta, however his Spanish adventure was quickly terminated with an illness in fifth stage.
"I am looking forward to the Vuelta very much," Zana admits in a press release. "After the Giro I had two months of good training and I am feeling in good shape ahead of the race. It will only be my second time at the Vuelta and I would love to try and take a stage victory."
"The team we have has many climbers and riders to go for results from the breakaway. Aggressive racing will suit us well. It will be very hard, there’s a lot of good riders but we will fight everyday and try to make the most out of this opportunity," he concludes.
Along with Zana, also climbers Eddie Dunbar and Chris Harper make the trip for Gran Salida in Lisboa this Saturday. Whether any of them has plans for GC in the back of their head, we should find out rather quickly. Maybe in the opening 12-kilometer time trial already. None of the favourite would like to lose extensive amount of time there.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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