Wout van Aert and Matthew Brennan's new leadout - Italian Fiorelli on his role at Visma

Team Visma | Lease a Bike don't have the deep pockets of UAE Team Emirates - XRG or Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, and so this winter they have had to play their cards differently. They have signed a few unexpected riders, amongst them Filippo Fiorelli, a rider who turned pro at age 25 and has spent his entire career leading the Italian Bardiani team. Now, he is set to become a leadout man for Wout van Aert and Matthew Brennan.

Fiorelli's rise in the cycling world is one that is very uncommon nowadays. He became a pro rider at a very old age when comparing to current standards, only in 2020 at age 25 when he signed a contract with VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè. He proved to be a good bet for the Italian team, beginning to achieve interesting results right away and finishing on the Top10 of Giro d'Italia stages two times on what was his first year as a pro and Grand Tour debut.

But a World Tour contract for the 30-year old (turning 31 in just over a week) never seemed to be on the cards when this season started. "Honestly, no. I was hoping for it, but I'd almost given up. Then, thanks to a positive first half of the season, something started to happen, and finally, Visma called," Fiorelli explained in an interview with OA Sport. "I signed a two-year contract: it's a dream come true."

Fiorelli only has one pro win to his name but his real power comes in the form of versatility. On paper a sprinter, but the Italian is a quality puncheur and has shown several glimpses of being a quality climber. In 2021 he was close to winning a summit finish at the Giro in Sestola; In 2023 he was also third on the final sprint stage of the Giro in Rome won by Mark Cavendish.

But at the Giro d'Abbruzo this April things really changed, as he finished second on the first two stages, and then seventh on the queen stage to Roccaraso. He finished fifth and won the points classification in the four-day race, but his display of power in the sprints, small and long climbs really proved to be the perfect showcase of his abilities. After three more Top10 results at the Giro, Visma's interest was very strong.

"The team explained it clearly to me. They contacted me the week after the Giro d'Italia, presenting me with a project built around me," he reveals. "Among the aspects they evaluated were my ability to ride the bike and avoid falls: there was even a slide dedicated to this in the project. Having an injury-free season really makes a difference."

Fiorelli is going to be a leadout man and perhaps Matthew Brennan's closest figure for the sprints. Although he has to adapt to that new role, having been a head sprinter for years now. "They told me I'll be the last man for Brennan and van Aert, but I'll also have some personal opportunities. Since I'm a fast rider, they'll leave me room to play my cards when the opportunity arises".

And with Visma, a team several levels above Bardiani, it is also possible that we will see the 30-year old's level increase exponentially. "I have to say it's a top-notch organisation, without taking anything away from Bardiani, who have always done a great job for Italian cycling and beyond. With Visma, however, you can sense the quality and professionalism of one of the best teams in the world."