“I'm Sicilian, I don’t need much time to understand things”: One of Vingegaard's domestiques silences doubts with rapid rise at Visma Lease a Bike

Filippo Fiorelli believes his move to Team Visma | Lease a Bike has already taken him to another level. After adapting quickly to life inside one of cycling's strongest teams, the Italian heads into a busy late-season schedule full of confidence, convinced the work completed during altitude training has made him a more complete rider than ever before.

Fresh from an altitude camp in Tignes, Fiorelli is preparing for a block of races including the Tour de Pologne, Hamburg Classic, Deutschland Tour and GP Plouay, where he hopes to continue building on a strong first season with the Dutch squad.

Although some within the team reportedly had concerns about how he would adapt, Fiorelli says those doubts disappeared almost immediately.

"They told me that after I signed, some of the sports directors were a little worried about how I'd fit into the system," Fiorelli explained in words to bici.pro. "But they didn't realize I'm Sicilian. I don't need much time to understand things. I'm someone who adapts quickly. Put me anywhere and I'll figure out how to behave."

Language was initially his biggest concern. "I got on the plane and went there without anyone speaking Italian. At first I managed to make myself understood however I could. Now I understand everything, I can explain myself and have proper conversations with my teammates. That was the only thing that could have caused me problems, but I handled it well and started my growth."

The biggest change, according to Fiorelli, has been his physical development. He credits the altitude training programme and the team's endurance-focused approach for dramatically improving his resistance over long races.

"I feel so much improved," he said. "Some of my teammates tell me I look like anything but a sprinter now. And they're right because I've improved a lot in terms of endurance."

He explained that he can now sustain his power output even after hours in the saddle. "After four or five hours I can still produce the same watts that I do when I'm fresh. At altitude I did a lot of endurance work in Zone 2 and then some VO2Max efforts on the descents."

Comparing the new approach with his previous training, Fiorelli believes the difference has been enormous. "When I trained alone on Mount Etna, I always finished altitude camps completely exhausted and arrived at races already tired. Even though I'm still a diesel engine, I don't suffer the same drop in performance over the distance anymore."

Despite not riding a Grand Tour this season, Fiorelli insists he completely understands the team's decision. He remains on the Vuelta a España reserve list but is not expected to race, something he accepts after seeing the benefits of a different calendar.

"It doesn't bother me that much because the team proved they were right not to send me to the Giro. There were other races that suited me better."

He also acknowledged the difference between racing for a smaller team and one built around Grand Tour leaders. "When I was at Bardiani, apart from the time trials, every day was an opportunity. Here, those chances are much fewer, and when they come you also need to have the perfect legs. If we're talking about the Giro or Tour with Jonas, there might not be any opportunities at all."

Skipping the Vuelta should also give Fiorelli more chances to ride for himself later this summer. With Matthew Brennan and Wout van Aert expected to race in Spain, and Axel Zingle sidelined after surgery, Fiorelli has been told he will get sprint opportunities in several upcoming races.

"The team told me that since I'm not going to the Vuelta, where Brennan and Van Aert will be, I'll be the one doing the sprints. I won't be contesting huge bunch sprints because I won't have a full lead-out train, but I'll definitely try a few. The rest of the time I'll support my teammates."

Compared to previous years, Fiorelli believes he is arriving in much better condition. "I'm feeling really good compared to last year, so I'm expecting a strong finish to the season. After twenty days at altitude and all those climbs I had to do, I think I deserve a good ending to the year."