Do Italy have a new World Championships secret weapon? - Visma rider turns heads with statement-making performance before Montreal
CyclingSaturday, 19 September 2026 at 15:04
Italy may well have another serious card to play at next week's World Championships men's road race after one of their riders turned heads with a statement-making performance on Friday at the Tour de Luxembourg, proving that he's back in form at exactly the right time before Montreal.
Italy bring an exciting squad of riders, with several outside chances of denying the likes of Belgium, France and other favourite teams a rainbow jersey. Alberto Bettiol, Mattia Cattaneo, Giulio Ciccone, Lorenzo Finn, Giulio Pellizzari, Christian Scaroni and Matteo Trentin off a versatile arsenal of options for the nation.
However, the eight rider in their selection could be an ace up their sleeves. Visma | Lease a Bike rider Davide Piganzoli is also part of the line-up and has given national team coaches an insight into his level just over a week before the big race.
The climber, who has already ridden the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France as a mountains domestique, seems like he's once again hitting top form after recovering from his Grand Tour exertions - putting in a remarkable performance to finish in second place on stage 3 of the Tour de Luxembourg.
Breaking away from the peloton at the beginning of a punchy final 28 kilometers of the stage, Piganzoli went in search of victory and remarkably closed a 2:30 gap as he steadily caught up with the remnants of the day's 19-rider breakaway.
Piganzoli's remarkable Luxembourg display
A masterclass from Visma as their riders gradually dropped back from the breakaway to assist his solo effort, Piganzoli reached what was left of the break but missed out on victory by mere seconds behind Pepijn Reinderink - who had broken away from the front before Piganzoli had made it across.
“The victory was within reach, so it’s a little disappointing that I just missed out,” Piganzoli said afterwards on Visma's website.
“At the same time, I’m very happy with the leader’s jersey.”
Pepijn Reinderink won stage 3 of the Tour de Luxembourg
Piganzoli recovers well from Giro and Tour efforts
Mentioning the leader's jersey, Piganzoli's efforts mean he now goes into the final two stages in Luxembourg in the lead of the overall classification. His sports director, Gaëtan Pons, was quick to praise his strong recovery from two Grand Tour efforts over the summer.
“We know Davide can perform at this level,” Pons said.
“What is perhaps even more impressive is that after riding those two Grand Tours, he has been able to recover and perform at this level again."
After Luxembourg, Piganzoli will head across the Atlantic and bolster the Italian line-up. With all eyes on an in-form Lorenzo Finn in the selection, Piganzoli could prove to be a secret weapon for the Italian team as they look to upset the big guns in Canada.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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