‘We’ve battled a lot’ – Giulio Pellizzari ready to take on Isaac del Toro on home roads in Tirreno-Adriatico GC showdown

Italian cycling has been riding through a barren spell since Vincenzo Nibali’s retirement in 2022 but Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) seems destined to be the next great thing from cycling’s Bel Paese and will ride though his home region of Le Marche on Friday as the new leader of Tirreno-Adriatico.

Pellizzari is the first ‘Marchigiano’ rider to wear the leader’s jersey since the late Michele Scarponi in 2010. At 22, he is the youngest Italian to lead the race since Filippo Pozzato won in 2003. He appears to have the charisma, love for life and prodigious talents of both of them.