XDS Astana close in on one of cycling's most exciting young Italian talents after breakthrough 2026 season

Tommaso Dati may still be racing for Continental team Team UKYO, but not for much longer if the latest transfer rumours are to be believed. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Ciro Scognamiglio, the young Italian is close to securing a WorldTour contract with XDS Astana Team for the 2027 season.

Born in Camaiore in 2002, Dati came through the Italian amateur ranks before spending two years at Continental level with Biesse-Carrera, including a stagiaire stint with Cofidis in 2025.

This season, racing for the Japanese Continental outfit Team UKYO, he has been one of the most eye-catching riders in the peloton regardless of category.

His first professional win came at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali in March, where he outpaced WorldTour riders Mauro Schmid and Diego Ulissi to take stage three. It was the kind of result that immediately put his name on the radar of bigger teams. Dati emerged as the surprise winner in Iseo to give Team UKYO a big stage success against stronger on-paper teams.

But he did not stop there. At the Tour of the Alps, he won stage one in a sprint finish that included Tom Pidcock among those he beat to the line, also claimed second on another stage and took the points classification. Then last week, he won three stages at the Tour of Japan, bringing his 2026 tally to an impressive five victories.

The interest from XDS Astana is perhaps no coincidence. The Kazakh team already have eleven Italian riders on their roster and have built a clear identity around Italian talent in recent years. Among them, the most prominent names have been delivering results all season. At the Giro d'Italia, the team went in with a clear goal of winning stages and the Italians led the way.

Davide Ballerini won stage 6 in Naples after navigating a chaotic final kilometre on slippery cobbles, while Alberto Bettiol attacked from the breakaway on stage 13 and rode solo to victory in Verbania. Diego Ulissi, a veteran with eight Giro stage wins across his career, also contributed a third place on another stage.

Five out of the 11 Italian riders have already been confirmed for 2027 (Bettiol, Fortunato, Malucelli, Scaroni and Velasco), and Dati could soon join them. The team has long shown a willingness to invest in promising young Italians and give them room to develop, which makes the potential move a logical one for both parties.