Filippo Ganna: After the “Seventh Wonder,” a message for his unlucky colleague

For the seventh time in his career—and the fifth in a row—Filippo Ganna was crowned Italian time trial champion. The Verbania native, riding for Netcompany Ineos, dominated the 2026 national time trial championship held on the route from Vicoforte to Barolo—a challenging course that did not prevent him from winning by a clear margin and becoming the all-time record holder in the discipline, surpassing Marco Pinotti.

Ganna completed the 40-kilometer course on his home roads in 47’39”, finishing 2’06” ahead of Luca Giaimi and 2’36” ahead of Mattia Cattaneo, confirming a dominance that was never in doubt from the very first intermediate time check. At the end of the race, the 29-year-old champion took a moment to think of Edoardo Affini, who crashed on a descent and was taken to the hospital: “I hope he’s okay and that he can make a full recovery ahead of an important event like the Tour de France,” he said.

The Piedmont native then emphasized the value of racing on roads he considers home: “There were lots of people lining the road, the atmosphere was warm, and it was great to see so many young people along the route. I’d also like to congratulate Luca Giaimi, who’s been a pro for just a few months: he’s improved tremendously and is already demonstrating the qualities he showed on the track.

Ganna finally confirmed that he won’t be at the start of Saturday’s Italian national road race, preferring to focus on his upcoming seasonal goals. “I’ve had good results in road races this season, but I prefer to manage my schedule differently as I look ahead to the second half of the year,” he explained.