"He is a boy who we have raised for three years" - Bardiani react with pride to Giulio Pellizzari's breakthrough Giro d'Italia performance

Whilst Tadej Pogacar dominated the headlines at the 2024 Giro d'Italia, in the third week, VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè's Giulio Pellizzari put in some breakthrough performances. 

The 20-year-old Italian, who was the young rider in the Grand Tour, starred with his performances, firstly on stage 16 where he came second to the Maglia Rosa, Tadej Pogacar. Although the stage win eluded him on that day, the prospect didn't leave the stage empty handed after securing the sunglasses and stage-worn Maglia Rosa of the UAE Team Emirates leader in the tent afterwards.

The duo first met all the way back at Strade Bianche back in 2019 with Pogacar a hero of Pellizzari as he made his way up the youth ranks whilst the Slovenian was starring with back-to-back Tour de France wins. On stage 20, Pogacar was again the man to thwart Pellizzari's hopes of a stage win and in the process deny the young Italian the King of the Mountains jersey too. With Pogacar wearing pink on the final stage in Rome though, Pellizzari was still able to roll into his nation's capital in the Maglia Azzurra. 

“We couldn't ask for more from this Giro d'Italia, all we lacked was victory, but we always asserted ourselves and studied each stage down to the smallest detail," reflected VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè's team boss Roberto Reverberi in his post-Giro recap to the team's official website. "I can say that I am proud of our riders and what they showed in this Giro. In the case of Giulio Pellizzari, the satisfaction is double, because he is a boy who we have raised for three years and whom we have accompanied towards a big stage like that of the Giro d'Italia. I also want to thank the sports directors who supported me and all the members of the team, medical staff, mechanics and masseurs."