Some leave to confirm their position, some to reap the benefits of growth, and some to finally explode. The second-year junior movement is quite heterogeneous: in the background there is the transition to the elite category or, in the best case scenario, the jump to the WorldTour.
The young Italian team arrives in 2025 bringing with it a good amount of metals won with the blue jersey on both road and track., among which stands out the precious world silver of pegolo In Kigali, a podium finish for juniors that hadn't been achieved since Bergen in 2017. While the cards are a bit more mixed up on the track, going back over the last twelve years, only on four occasions have our first-year athletes managed to secure a medal in the road and time trials at continental and world championship events. proving that it is the largest ones that shoulder the burdens and honours in international comparisons.
Therefore we asked Martha Bastianelli, the city's right-hand man Marco Velo, who in this season is ready to collect this legacy with leadership qualities or women's teams, taking into account an Italian calendar that could offer some qualitatively more challenging races.
How are we doing with the second-year juniors?
We're talking about a category where the senior roster always has to be rebuilt almost from scratch, as is the case for the first-year girls. Last year at the World Championships and the European Championships all the girls were second year athletes, except for two first year athletes in France.This year could be the same, we have profiles of very interesting athletes who have already had a great experience in 2025. Then they are also arrivinggreat satisfaction from the cross-country athletes who can do just as well on the roadWe still need to talk to Marco (Velo, ed.) calmly to decide on the junior program, but I'd say we have a good basis from the second year to start from.
Let's try to anticipate that moment by naming a few names. Which girl could be the captain?
I can't help but start from Matilde Rossignoli for several reasons. First of all because she is the reigning Italian junior champion, a title that wasn't won by chance. Then because she is the one we have had the opportunity to know best having had her in the national team training camps, where she trained and grew up alongside the greatest athletes. She competed in the European road championship (photo by Frantz Piva at the top). She also won numerous titles on the track, where she has already resumed training. He's fast and holds up well on mixed routes, but we believe and hope he can still improve a lot..
Agata Campana With six wins, she was the most successful in the entire junior category last year. What can you tell us about her?
Agata's is perhaps the other name I would have immediately mentioned among the girls who are second year students in 2026, if only for that one statistic that can't be overlooked. She's the world champion in the team sprint. Agata proved she was ready right from the start, managing to beat more experienced athletes in the sprint. She's very fast and defends herself on the climbs. I have to say I see a lot of myself in her..
Do you have any other athletes to include in this group?
There are many that I noticed and wrote down. I think about Alessia Bears that is coming up well, she has already won in 2025 and was a medalist with the quartet at the junior world championships. There is Eliza Bianchi, who is now getting results in crossShe wasn't seen much on the road last year, but she's also part of the Italian team on the track, where she's won a couple of silver medals in the team pursuit. She's got the numbers to stand out. We also have girls who are taking care of the time trial.
Who are you referring to?
Among the many, I would like to shed light on two girls we saw more closely. Maria Acuti, who competed in the European time trial last year, is another one from whom we expect a significant leap in time trials. And she could also be an asset on the track for the quartet and individual pursuit. Then there is Linda Rapporti who has shown good skills and she also won silver in the European junior individual pursuit.
There are also two daughters of artists who promise to take a further step. What's your opinion on them?
I think they both have great talent. Azzurra Ballan (daughter of Alexander, ed.) he ran an excellent Italian championship finishing sixth and will be able to exploit its margins for improvement this year. Georgia Pelizotti (Franco's daughter, ed.) he's doing very well in cyclocross now, winning the World Cup in Benidorm and before that the international one in Zonhoven. I know her father would like her to race more on the road where she has already won and we are happy. The list in general is long, however, and we are happy.
Will all sophomores be monitored?
It's a big and complex job, but we're happy to do it, at least for the verdicts the road will deliver, even on a tactical level. This year there could be... girls capable of setting up their own business, let's say, after a lot of obscure workFor example, Sofia Delle Fontane hasn't been seen much in action herself in 2025, but she's always worked hard for her teammates. She could reap some rewards. And there are many like her we're following in this growth process.
Have you already thought about how to set up the season?
As I said before, we still have to discuss this thoroughly with Marco. We need to evaluate whether to travel to international competitions or whether to aim for a good training camp in Livigno as in 2025 which has led to excellent results. I would rather ask a favor.
Please explain it to us.
This year too we know that we will have the World Cup in Canada and the European Championship in Slovenia, still with tough courses. In the first part of the season, also thanks to the school period, the circuit races will provide some benchmarks, but for those two events we'll have to come up with something new. So We would like the organizers of the races in the second part of the season to take these technical aspects into consideration. and perhaps think about more challenging altimetric routes.
Would he help you with the call-ups?
For us, these would become very indicative races to get more reliable feedback. This is not a complaint towards the organizers who already do a lot, let's be clear, as much as an appeal to open a dialogue for a possible change of their pathsA bit like what happens with the Italian championship when the organizer consults with the category manager. Whenever possible, because rather than lose a race on a path that could completely change everything, it's better to leave things as they are.
What does Marta Bastianelli want to say to the juniors?
Nothing special, to be honest. A few girls got to know me a little bit in the finale of last season after my pregnancy. I'll try to be available for everyone to chat. I hope in my simplicity to give good advice to girls, without wanting to override anyone's roleBut I'm convinced we'll do a good job.
