Most in form rider in the peloton had to battle through COVID and the war in Ukraine to reach the WorldTour: "That has made me a lot stronger as a rider"
Cycling
Christian Scaroni’s remarkable rise in 2025 is quickly
becoming one of the biggest stories of the early cycling season. Just two
months in, the XDS Astana Team rider has emerged as one of the most in-form
cyclists in the peloton, delivering results that few would have predicted at
the start of the year. And boy have Astana benefited from his impressive form.
At 27 years old, the Italian from Brescia has long been
considered a talented but under-the-radar rider, yet his incredible
performances across multiple races this season suggest he has taken a huge step
forward over the winter. Speaking to In de Leiderstrui after Strade Bianche,
Scaroni reflected on his rapid development, the setbacks that nearly ended his
career, and his ambitions for the future.
Cristian Scaroni’s 2024 season hinted at his potential, as he was
regularly found in the top ten and proved himself to be one of the most
aggressive riders in the Giro d’Italia until fading in the final week. However,
his start to 2025 has been on another level entirely.
In just a few short weeks, he has delivered a series of
podium results, including 5th, 2nd, 2nd, and 3rd in Spain at the Challenge
Mallorca, before winning the Classic Var and claiming both stage and overall
victory in the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes. His momentum continued at Trofeo
Laigueglia, where only Juan Ayuso of UAE Team Emirates-XRG was able to beat
him.
By early March, Scaroni had accumulated more UCI points than
any other rider in 2025, making him one of the standout names in the peloton as
he lined up for his debut at Strade Bianche, something he could scarcely have
believed at the end of 2024. While expectations were high, the Italian remained
cautious about the challenges posed by Tuscany’s white roads.
"I am a rider who likes to climb from the saddle, but
in Strade Bianche that is not so easy because of the gravel. You have to apply
the pressure from the saddle, so I am a bit afraid of that."
Unfortunately, Scaroni’s race came to an early end, as he
crashed 81km from the finish, just before Tadej Pogacar and Tom Pidcock
launched their monster attacks. The good news, however, was that he avoided
fractures and only had to take three days off the bike. For a rider who has
been cycling since the age of six, that brief break felt like an eternity.
"That's when I started, because my uncle was a
professional cyclist. I grew up with racing and eventually became a
professional at Gazprom-RusVelo in 2020. I rode there for three years, but
without much luck. In 2020 we had to deal with Covid-19, in 2021 I broke my
arm, and in 2022 the team was excluded because of the war in Ukraine."
Scaroni’s career almost ended before it even truly began
when Gazprom-RusVelo was suddenly disbanded in March 2022. Left without a
contract, he found himself at a crossroads.
"That's not easy, because as a novice professional, you
have to make miles and gain experience. I had a really hard time mentally and
even thought about quitting, because Gazprom-RusVelo was excluded in the middle
of the season and there was no possibility of signing anywhere else. I didn't
feel like just sitting around waiting.
“Fortunately, the Italian Cycling Federation came to help,
so I never lost motivation. Three years later, I can therefore say that I am
very happy that I am still a cyclist."
The Italian Cycling Federation’s support proved to be
crucial. Scaroni and a few other Italian riders left without teams were given
the chance to race in national colours for the remainder of 2022. Two stage
wins at the Adriatica Ionica Race caught the attention of Astana, who signed
him for 2023.
"I only really turned pro there in 2023. Fortunately,
because I never thought about anything else other than cycling. I wouldn't know
what kind of work I would have done then. I love football and am a fan of AC
Milan, I like being with friends, but what kind of work... Fortunately, I can
continue to focus on cycling for years to come."
While Scaroni showed flashes of brilliance in 2024, he was
still lacking a major breakthrough victory. Over the winter, he and his coaching
team adjusted his training approach, shifting focus towards one-day races to
help Astana accumulate more UCI points in their bid for a WorldTour license for
2026-2028.
"That has made me a lot stronger as a rider. For
example, I train a little less, but when I do train, I also go all out. On the
days that I don't train, the focus is also really on recovery. That focus in
training on the one-day work has proven to be a good choice."
Scaroni is well aware that some critics have downplayed his
results, arguing that his early-season success has come in smaller races. But
he strongly disagrees.
"I showed that I can follow the best riders in the
world, even though people said I only did it in small races. But Santiago
Buitrago won in a strong Tour of Valencia, and I was able to keep up with Juan
Ayuso.”
Despite his rapid progress, Scaroni isn’t yet sure what type
of rider he will become.
"I might not really know what kind of rider I am until
after 2025. Until last year, I rode all kinds of races, but now I can really
focus on becoming the very best version of myself. My numbers are good, so we
expected that I would be able to do what I have done now. It's just not easy to
show it in the race, to show your full potential."
Read also
Astana’s continued belief in him played a major role in his
decision to extend his contract rather than move to another team.
"The team continued to believe in my qualities, which
is why I decided to stay after last year. I could sign elsewhere with an
expiring contract, but I like being with a slightly smaller team—that is better
for my growth. Here, I can really ride for my own chance. With another team,
you might be played out as a domestique more quickly."
As one of the most in-form riders of early 2025, Scaroni’s next
big objectives are fast approaching. He will race Milan-Turin on March 19,
followed by Coppi e Bartali, before heading to an altitude training camp in
Tenerife. From there, his focus shifts to the Ardennes Classics (Flèche
Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège) and then the Giro d’Italia, where a stage
win is his biggest goal.
"I like to ride in the attack, even if that sometimes
costs a bit more energy. I also like to be a leader, but I still have a lot to
learn in that, from Diego Ulissi for example. He is a fantastic person and has
a lot of experience."
While some riders dream of transitioning into Grand Tour
contenders, Scaroni is in no rush to focus on general classification ambitions.
"Let's see if I can be a good leader in the future, but
right now, that's not very important to me. I want to enjoy this role first.
That's also why I didn't want to do Tirreno-Adriatico—that would have been too
much. A rider also needs rest, I've already raced a lot."
Scaroni’s journey has been anything but straightforward, yet
his determination and persistence are paying off in 2025. With his best years
still ahead of him, the Italian climber and one day specialist looks set to
continue making waves in the peloton.
He is certainly one to keep an eye on in 2025.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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