"He possesses both a powerful sprint and excellent climbing skills" - Visma Development team sign another wonderkid

Visma | Lease a Bike development team continues to recruit international talent for its future generation of stars. The project that served as a foothold for the supertalents Matthew Brennan and Jorgen Nordhagen has announced a new talent coming in for 2026 season.

Previously, we have learnt that the biggest talent of 2007 class - American Classics specialist Ashlin Barry (whom we spoke to last year) and British junior track star Henry Hobbs would be both strenghtening the Dutch under-23 squad from next season onwards. Now a third name has been confirmed on-board the project. 11th rider on the lineup is Italian all-rounder Fabio Segatta.

The Italian junior scene can give off a bit of a chaotic impression, for one because of limited result information, secondly because the races themselves tend to be a free-for-all battle. And among this anarchy, the name of Segatta is clearly emerging as one of the best on the domestic scene.

Throughout 2025, the 17-year-old has rarely fell out of the top-10, finishing fourth at Coppa Montes, 6th at Trofeo Emozione as well as the Eroica Juniores - a race that visits parts of the Strade Bianche. With a hard final climb, it's a clear evidence of Segatta's climbing aptitude. Next to that, the young rider has also demonstrated to have fast legs - appearing to be a complete package.

"Our team always takes a broad approach when scouting potential talent for our development program. With Fabio, we’re gaining a rider with a highly promising profile. One that combines explosiveness with strong climbing abilities. That combination is rare and makes Fabio a very interesting addition for us," says Head of Development Robbert de Groot.

"In Italy, junior races often take place on demanding courses with numerous climbs and technical sections," De Groot added. "The data shows that Fabio performs very well under these conditions. He possesses both a powerful sprint and excellent climbing skills. Based on this, we were eager to work with him and explore how we can help him grow over the next two years."

"I can’t wait to become part of the development team," Fabio Segatta said enthusiastically. "I hope to strengthen the squad next year and contribute by supporting my teammates wherever I can."

Looking ahead with confidence, Fabio isn’t afraid to dream big: "My strength definitely lies in climbing, although I feel comfortable on various terrains. I particularly enjoy races with lots of elevation. My dream is to one day represent the team in the Giro d’Italia Next Gen."