"The first two weeks give you room to play": Uruguayan Thomas Silva aims to be the breakout rider of 2026 Giro d’Italia
Cycling
Uruguayan cycling has found in Thomas Silva its new standard-bearer in the international peloton. At 24, the XDS Astana Team rider has launched a spectacular start to the season, consolidating his progress after his spell at Caja Rural - Seguros RGA generated great interest among WorldTour teams.
The recent victory by the Uruguayan at the Tour of Hainan, where he sealed the overall win and grabbed two stages, was no fluke but the payoff from a hard winter of work alongside a rapid adaptation to the top tier.
Silva, who already knows the demands of a Grand Tour after having competed at the Vuelta a España last year, now faces his next major challenge: the Giro d’Italia. Backed by full confidence from his team, the Uruguayan underlines the importance of this step forward in his career and his gratitude for the opportunities the Kazakh outfit has given him.
"From the first contact with the team I felt very comfortable. It’s true I worked very hard over the winter. At the start I had to help my teammates, work that often goes unseen, but little by little the chances to race for results came," he says in an interview with Luis Pasamontes on El Corte Bueno, stressing what he has learned alongside riders like Diego Ulissi and Alberto Bettiol.
Swapped the ball for the bike
Raised in a family with deep cycling roots, Silva returned to competition at 15 after a brief flirtation with football, which he left when he realised his true passion was on two wheels.
The Uruguayan rider embraces technology and training data without losing sight of an attacking style, so characteristic of a team like XDS Astana. He also defines himself as a versatile rider, fond of rolling, leg-sapping races with uphill drags to the line, and able to perform in extreme weather.
Astana’s resurgence was one of the headline stories of 2025
Impressed by Tadej Pogacar
For the South American, nutrition and meticulous effort control have transformed the peloton. So has sharing the road with today’s dominant figures, such as Tadej Pogacar, whose level he finds astonishing, especially in the run-in to the climbs.
"The one who impresses most today is Pogacar. In Sanremo he crashed a few kilometres before the Cipressa and hit the first kilometre already full gas; we were already on the limit there and this guy was flying," he says with admiration.
Looking at TV coverage, the Uruguayan wants broadcasts to better convey the speeds in the peloton and highlight the risk riders face inside the race. He points to the finale of "La Classicissima."
What separates an amateur from a WorldTour rider
Thomas Silva’s breakout in the WorldTour is the result of a maturation that began on Uruguayan roads, moved through the demanding Spanish amateur calendar, and culminated in his rise to the international peloton.
His victory at the Tour of Hainan confirms that development and the work from the youth ranks. Step by step from CC Maldonado to Caja Rural, and then to XDS Astana. Beyond personal success, Silva highlights that what has impressed him most in his current setup is the close touch and technical attention to detail with which the team looks after its riders.
"The biggest difference is how many people each team moves and the infrastructure. There’s a person for everything, that’s what strikes you most. We’re months into the season and I’m still meeting team staff," Silva explains.
For the Uruguayan, mechanics and soigneurs play a fundamental role in the team’s daily performance. A WorldTour budget lets him focus solely on pedalling and following the protocols of a sport that leaves nothing to chance.
XDS Astana Team
Set for his Giro d’Italia debut
For his Giro d’Italia build-up, Silva has chosen a fully tailored calendar, alternating altitude camps with targeted racing blocks.
Unlike teammates who bet on the Ardennes classics, he sharpened his form after his Asian trip. He is convinced by this year’s Corsa Rosa route, which offers plenty of opportunities in the first two weeks for fast-finishing, crafty riders.
"I’ve taken a look at the route and it’s a Giro where you can play a lot in the first two weeks, so let’s see what comes," he says with ambition. His ability to perform in both heat and the "traditional" spring weather in Italy should help him stand out early on.
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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- Yeh, but he didn't and RE beat Pog & Del T 👍
leedorney06-11-2026 - Just my opinionleedorney06-11-2026
- Great win.However will the world champions jersey be simply a domestic for the season which will some what tarnish the jersey. I hope he is given free rein to try and win some races.paultryan200206-11-2026
- Gretsky wow how old are you lol. Classy sportman though.🤣🤣🤣🤣 Hope it is a good as the one they made on Mark Cavendish.paultryan200206-11-2026
- Literally the perfect RedBull athlete.anonymouscyclist06-11-2026
- And well understood in the CX community.anonymouscyclist06-11-2026
- "Anatomy of a G.O.A.T." OK, that's great!!! I've been saying all along: Tadej Pogačar-Pogi is the G.O.A.T... period. Not only in cycling... but he's the greatest sportsman that ever lived !!! But let's take a look of what real foolishness is. We have many many fools, also on this site, saying that Pogi is "boring,"... he's making cycling "boring"??? I can't believe what's comming out of their deteriorating bad breath mouths. So I guess Merckx, Hinault, Indurain, Fasto Coppi and Anquetil were also boring at their time!?!? I guess Michael Jordan, Le Bron, Gretzky, Messi, Ronaldo, Shumacher, Novak Džoković, Federer, Rossi, Marquez, Phelps, Michaela Shiffrin, Venus Williams, Bolt, Lewis Hamilton... etc. were all boring. PS: Many cycling fans that think that way, have to get a brain scan. Ad acta!!!PogiSloFans06-11-2026
- ridiculous. a normal racing incident. how lame do you have to be to complain about that?Ketterechts06-11-2026
- Rubbing is racing.
santiagobenites06-11-2026 - Throws an elbow, but crashes afterwards and he's upset.
Front24206-11-2026
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