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."
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🤩 Adding some extra pages to the scrapbook. Pietro Mattio steps up to the WorldTeam! pic.twitter.com/RdVsA0PiCc
— Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) May 30, 2025
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses 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.
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