"It would be really nice to bring home the Giro": Italy’s brightest young talent has a clear goal for the 2026 season

Lorenzo Finn is arguably the biggest Italian talent to emerge in recent years, a rider whose ascent has reignited hopes of a new "Golden Era" for Italian cycling. He had a breakthrough season in 2025, winning the U23 World Championships and amassing great results in almost every race he participated in.

The 19-year-old extended his contract with Red Bull - Bora - hansgrohe until 2028, although he will stay in the development team in 2026. He is currently getting ready for the upcoming season in Spain with his team, where he gave an interview in which he recapped bis brilliant 2025 season and outlined his ambitions for 2026.

“A truth be told, it’s the usual November and December stuff, a bit boring: gym work, long rides, easy sessions. Nothing exciting. There’s no race adrenaline,” Finn explained in an interview to bici.pro.

Training with superstars such as Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel is always exciting, especially for young upcoming riders like Finn. “We’re in Palma de Mallorca, at the December training camp with the team,” he added.

“We’re preparing for next year. On one side there’s Roglic, on the other there’s Remco. You look straight ahead and there’s Lipowitz, then you go for coffee with Martínez. It makes an impression, but this is the new reality now.”

Finn already has a clear picture of his main Under-23 objectives for the season. "I'm trying to enjoy the season and improve for next year. I don't know my entire calendar in detail yet, but I already know which races will be under 23: Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23, the Giro Next Gen, and the Tour de l'Avenir. These are my goals among the under 23s."

Those races will be complemented by certain professional events. "I'm supposed to do the Tour of the Alps, which is a really important event. Then, before the Giro Next Gen, there'll also be some altitude training."

Finn has also confirmed he has been intensely working in his time trial bike. “This week we did aerodynamic tests and I wanted to regain the feeling on the TT bike. I’ll also do a team time trial in Mallorca with the Tour squad, which is a nice opportunity. But above all, I want to prepare well for the time trials I’ll face during the season.”

Asked about his main objective for the year, Finn has a clear answer. "To do a good Giro Next Gen and the same at the Avenir. Looking to the future, I'd like to achieve these two big goals, not necessarily to win them (although I'd obviously like to), but to ride them well. To feel competitive in a long stage race. Then there are many other important races: I want to have my say among the pros too, if only to help the team, and I'm not forgetting the world championship at the end of the season."

Finally, when forced to choose between his two biggest ambitions, he doesn't hesitate. "I've already won the World Championship, so I'd say it would be really nice to bring home the Giro. I'm not saying I'm bitter about how things went last year [he finished in sixth place], but a pink jersey is always special. And besides, it's a home race."