There are so many thoughts that go through one's mind Filippo Zana in these days, spent on the other side of the Atlantic, at Maryland Cycling Classic first and then at the two WorldTour trials in Canada. The desire to re-emerge after a difficult 2025 combined with the desire to demonstrate that talent still thrives in his legs. Giving satisfaction to the Jayco AlUla but also the desire to demonstrate to the Soudal Quick Step who is the right man to invest in during this complete restyling phase.
It's late at night in our area when Filippo's phone rings, before bringing him back to this side of the ocean after the challenges in a completely different environment than usual, and his voice betrays the many thoughts racing through his mind, starting precisely with the assessment of the American trip.
«We worked well at the Quebec GP – he says – but We made a mistake in not closing the gap immediately, we should have put someone in, in the end those who had chosen the risk card arrivedBetter at the Montreal GP, where I always remained in the thick of the action, at least until pogacar and his team did not change gear (in the end victory for McNulty (a kind gift from the world champion, ed.). All in all, however, my responses were positive, as were those in Maryland."
You came from a fourteenth-place finish in the United States, which you then repeated in Montreal. What shape are you in right now?
I'm better now, and in fact, the results are gradually improving. It was a bit of a difficult year for me. I was already feeling bad before the Giro, then I did the Giro d'Italia and I still wasn't feeling well. Afterwards, I did all the tests and it turned out that... I was still suffering from mononucleosis and chickenpox. I had already had them and we thought they had been eradicated, but instead they had reawakened. I started a treatment that continued for two and a half months, now It seems like the worst is over, the feelings are betterI hope I can do something good between now and the end of the season.
Is facing this end of the year knowing what your future holds helpful for you psychologically?
I'm definitely more relaxed, so I think it's a good thing. But I'm not thinking about what's to come yet. My intention from now until the end of the season is to do something good also to thank the team for these three years, at least for me beautiful., where they helped me grow a lot and always had faith in me, so I would like to be able to repay that between now and the end of the calendar.
Compared to three years ago, who is Filippo Zana now?
When I got here In the first year I immediately had a real leap in qualityI saw that I could do well in important races, against the best of international cycling. I realized that when I'm in good shape, I can aspire to something important. The problem is that both last year and this year I had this mononucleosis It haunted me a bit, and I was never at my best. But I also learned to get through difficult times, where I think you have to always be clear-headed and have the strength to move forward. Now I just want to get back to who I know I can be.
Why did you switch to Soudal? What attracted you to that team?
I think it will be a new adventure, new challenges, it was just what I needed. It's a team that fascinated me, that has a long history. Even when I was in the lower categories my dream was to go with them, now I'm getting there and I hope to be able to give a lot to that teamI definitely think it's a team that can help me grow even more, allowing me to express all that I can give.
What's striking is that you're joining Soudal at a time of significant transition for the team, a team that wants to return to its past, to being a one-day race specialist. Do you identify with this approach?
Surely yes, there is a change, I understood that I can do well, aim for some stage wins in the Grand Tours. And so I think it's the right team to relaunch me. Yes, I think the new technical setup, no longer tied to stage races and grand tours, understood as chasing overall standings, is ideal for me.
Do you see yourself as a stage hunter, a hunter of partial successes, no longer someone who looks at the overall standings?
In the Grand Tours, I think this is what I can do best. Then maybe I'll still be able to have my say in the shorter stage races, but for me now it's all a discovery.We'll see how the situation evolves in the new team, what objectives will be set, what will be asked of me, and what I can contribute.
Three years on the current team, what was the best moment you had with them?
Well, I definitely think that stage win at the Giro d'Italia is something that will stay with me forever. Also because it was my first major victory. Things were going well, everything was going well, so it was definitely a great time. In the end, I found an amazing group on the team, both in terms of staff and riders, because I think I created a great relationship with everyone. I needed new motivation to get going again after an unlucky two years, but that's the only reason I chose to get away.
