"I want to chase a stage win there": Davide Ballerini targets Tour de France after heartbreaking Giro exit

Davide Ballerini’s 2026 Giro d'Italia was an emotional rollercoaster. In a span of just a few days, the 31-year-old XDS Astana Team rider soared to the highest of highs in stage 6 by becoming the first Italian stage winner of this edition in Naples, only to be brought crashing down to earth on stage 11 to Chiavari. Forced to abandon the Corsa Rosa while in peak form, Ballerini is already aiming for a rapid recovery with an eye on the Tour de France.

Before his race came to a sudden halt, Ballerini was flying. His victory on stage 6 marked his first win in a Grand Tour. “I had a bit of luck, but also great legs," Ballerini admitted in a recent interview regarding his sprint victory against Jasper Stuyven after a crash affected the rest of the peloton. "You have to earn luck, and without muscle, it's nothing.”

Unfortunately, that momentum shattered during stage 11. Ballerini lost control in a corner, striking a concrete curb with his hand and leg, resulting in a broken phalanx in his right thumb and a severe contusion to his right vastus medialis thigh muscle.

“It's a real shame, because everything was going great, especially my legs," Ballerini lamented. "My teammates and I were getting along perfectly, we were having fun, and that's important. I had pain in my right hand and couldn't walk.”

The seed for Ballerini's blistering Giro form was planted earlier this spring. After a solid showing in the Belgian opening classics, XDS-Astana management adjusted his calendar to include the Presidential Tour of Türkiye as a final high-speed preparation block. And that was a move that paid off instantly.

“The victory in Antalya boosted my morale," he explained. "I hadn't won since the Coppa Bernocchi on October 3, 2022. I knew from the beginning of the year that I would participate in the Giro d'Italia, but the Turkey race wasn't initially on my agenda. I did well in the Belgian classics, so they offered me the Turkey race as a bridge to the Giro d'Italia. I accepted, and it was the perfect choice. The combination of the cobbled classics plus Turkey has really put my preparation in order.”

Now back home, the Italian is carefully monitoring his condition. A visit to the physiotherapist brought excellent news regarding his leg, allowing him to focus on a structured timeline for his hand. “I've been to the physiotherapist: he assured me that the leg muscles haven't suffered any injuries, which makes the recovery phase easier," Ballerini said. "I'm working meticulously to fix my leg, and as for my right hand, there's a technical time limit to respect.”

XDS-Astana's performance staff is already mapping out a return to competition, with Ballerini expected to test his form in the north before building up to major national goals. “I might return to racing in Denmark and then participate in the Italian championship in Piedmont," Ballerini revealed. "I'd like to recover quickly to participate in the Tour de France.”

Targeting both the Giro and the Tour in a single season is not thaat common in the modern era, but Ballerini has successfully pulled off the double before and is eager to do it again.

“I've already competed in the Giro and the Tour in the same season when I was with Soudal-Quick-Step," he explained. "Then too, in the spring after a knee injury, I competed in the Tour of Turkey. Then everything went well in France. I'm really looking forward to competing in this year's Tour de France to chase a stage win."

And with his contract expiring this December,Astana fans won't have to worry about him leaving the Kazakh squad for 2027. “The relationship with the staff is excellent, they've already offered me a stay," Ballerini confirmed. "I think I'll still be wearing the XDS Astana jersey next year.”