A New Major Challenge for Filippo Ganna

After a brilliant run at the Road World Championships in Montreal, Filippo Ganna is ready to refocus on track racing. The star rider from Verbania will be one of the main contenders at the Elite Track World Championships, scheduled for October 14–18 in Shanghai, China—the first major event leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Ganna heads into the world championships on the strength of his excellent results in Canada. In Montreal, the Italian champion won the silver medal in the individual time trial and then contributed to Italy’s victory in the mixed relay, which he won alongside Mattia Cattaneo, Matteo Sobrero, Vittoria Guazzini (who will also be competing on the track in Shanghai), Elisa Longo Borghini, and Monica Trinca Colonel.

For the Netcompany-Ineos rider, this will mark a highly anticipated return to the velodrome. After a period focused primarily on road racing, Ganna will rejoin the national track team alongside Jonathan Milan. The two will be called upon to lead a group that combines experience with young talent and aims to reaffirm its status as one of the world’s top teams.

Among the men, in addition to Ganna and Milan, the following have been selected: Matteo Bianchi, Simone Consonni, Filippo Cusumano, Fabio Del Medico, Matteo Fiorin, Niccolò Galli, Etienne Grimod, Francesco Lamon, Alessio Magagnotti, Stefano Antonio Minuta, Mattia Predomo, and Davide Stella. On the women’s side, in addition to Guazzini, the roster includes Martina Alzini, Elisa Balsamo, Rachele Barbieri, Matilde Cenci, Chiara Consonni, Martina Fidanza, and Miriam Vece.

The presence of Simone Consonni and Francesco Lamon alongside Ganna brings to mind the quartet that won Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020 and went on to claim a podium finish at Paris 2024 as well. Italy will seek to capitalize on this wealth of experience in an event that will award valuable points in the long road to Olympic qualification.

Expectations surrounding Ganna naturally remain extremely high. After once again demonstrating his competitiveness in road time trials, the Italian champion is now called upon to immediately regain his best form on the track as well—the arena where he has built much of his international success. Shanghai represents a real opportunity to add a new chapter to a career that continues to thrive at the very highest level.