OFFICIAL: First Visma | Lease a Bike signing for 2026 is a bet on home-grown talent

It's no secret that the Visma | Lease a Bike Development team is a top cycling academy with exciting prospects coming through its ranks year after year. And the 2026 season will be no exception as we learn the first name that will be promoted to the WorldTeam - Pietro Mattio.

That you are not familiar with the name? If you don't follow the under-23 racing, you may have missed the 20-year-old in the result sheets. Unlike his teammates who were promoted to WorldTour last year - Matthew Brennan and Jorgen Nordhagen, rumours of generational talent did not precede Mattio throughout the youth categories, and even after two a half seasons with Visma Dev Team, he's yet to win his first race.

Contrary, his progress has been steady, from a low-profile first season, through a second season with a handful of top-10 results, including two podiums, Mattio has really started to make a name for himself in 2025. His first steps seemed to point towards a career of climber, but the recent 5th place at U23 Paris-Roubaix indicates that the young rider might have much more untapped talent that we're yet to uncover.

Should we expect a sudden breakthough in 2026? Probably no, but it'll be interesting to follow the journey of Mattio who seems to love to attack - attitude that could bring a breathe of fresh air into Visma's struggling Classics team. He's given a two-year contract to prove his worth in WorldTour.

"When Pietro first joined us, he hardly spoke any English and was a very young, somewhat shy boy," says Head of Development Robbert de Groot in a press release. "I was still a kid," Mattio laughs. "But he has developed rapidly and impressively into a tactically strong, task-focused, and valuable rider. Pietro is now a true team player and a source of positive energy."

"Pietro has made a strong impression in our Development Team," continues Head of Racing Grischa Niermann. "Even in races where he competed alongside our WorldTeam, he held his own. We’re pleased to see another homegrown talent move up, and we believe he will continue his development in the WorldTour."