Filippo Fiorelli is Sicilian through and through. He was born and raised in Palermo, the capital of the Italian island. The island means everything to him: his family, friends, and girlfriend all live there, and he has no intention of ever leaving. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his horse, which he bought two years ago. "After a long training session, I love to unwind and go for a walk together. My grandfather always comes along as well."

His horse regularly takes center stage in his TikTok videos, but cycling is also a recurring theme. Filippo was introduced to cycling at a young age by his father. "My father often went on long rides on his road bike and mountain bike, and that definitely sparked something in me", he says. "We used to watch the Giro d’Italia on television together, and since then my passion has only continued to grow."

That Filippo has a talent for cycling has been clear over the past six years with the Italian ProTeam Bardiani, where he claimed several podium finishes. His sporting highlight came in 2022, when he won the first stage of the Sibiu Cycling Tour. In total, he has competed in the Giro d'Italia six times, with his first appearance being the most memorable. "I will never forget my Giro debut in 2020. The start was very close to my home in Palermo. For both me and my family, that was incredibly special."

That he is now making the move to a WorldTour team at the age of 31 is a dream come true for him. "If someone had told me at the beginning of the year that I would be signing a contract with Team Visma | Lease a Bike, I would have said, ‘Are you crazy?’ Of course I hoped my performances would be noticed, but I never imagined a team of this caliber would be interested in me. In my eyes, Team Visma | Lease a Bike is the Real Madrid of cycling."

That comparison with Real Madrid was confirmed for him when he visited the High Performance Center in September. At the team’s headquarters in ’s-Hertogenbosch, he was left wide-eyed. "I was impressed by how big it is and how many people are actually involved with the team. When you move from the amateur ranks to the pros, everything feels new, but when you move from a ProTeam to a WorldTeam, that feeling is exactly the same. I’m really looking forward to taking the next step in my career."

The Italian will do everything he can to make his time with his new employer a success. He wants to help the team as much as possible by applying his strengths. "I'm quite explosive and can handle the shorter climbs well. I'm also good at moving around in a group. If a chaotic situation arises, I don't panic, but remain calm.“ Conversely, he believes he can learn a lot from his colleagues. "I've already learned so much about nutrition and training in my first few days at the training camp. I'm sure I still have a lot to learn."

What's your favorite sport besides cycling?
"I don't follow many sports other than cycling, except football."

Which race do you want to compete in? 
"Parijs-Roubaix, but I'd like to race the other monuments as well."

Who is your sports idol? 
"I used to look up to my compatriot Giovanni Visconti."

What's your favorite dish?
"Pizza and ice cream. I don't cook at home very often; my mother does that for me."