Intermarché-Wanty invests in the future with the arrival of three young Italian talents among the most promising of their generation: Simone Gualdi (Intermarché-Wanty), Brandon Fedrizzi and Mattia Proietti Gagliardoni (Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz).

Current member of the Continental development team led by Kévin Van Melsen, Simone Gualdi (19 years old) will be promoted to the World Team in January 2026, while the young talents Mattia Proietti (17 years old) and Brandon Fedrizzi (16 years old) will join the Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz team in 2026 and 2027 respectively.

SIMONE GUALDI. Former Italian junior champion, Simone Gualdi continues to impress since his arrival in the Intermarché-Wanty structure in 2024, both with the World Team jersey and with the Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz youth squad.

With the professionals, he supported his leaders until the final stages of difficult races like the Circuit of Wallonia (10th), Famenne Ardenne Classic (11th), Volta Limburg (16th), Figueira Champions Classic, Faun Drôme Classic, Trofeo Laigueglia and Milano-Torino.

Under the guidance of Kévin Van Melsen, the young Lombard puncheur developed an offensive attitude and achieved excellent placements in the most prestigious U23 category races: second in the Ardennes Trilogy behind teammate Wouter Toussaint, fourth in the U23 Italian Championships, ninth in the Tour of Valle d'Aosta and fourteenth in the prestigious Tour de l'Avenir.

At the beginning of 2025, Gualdi demonstrated a further step forward, confirming his ability to obtain results, with a tenth place at the Trofeo Laigueglia against professionals, a constant presence in the lead group at the Faun Drôme Classic and Tour des Alpes-Maritimes, as well as a second place at GP de Lillers on a course not suited to his characteristics, a sign of his qualities.

By signing his first professional contract with Intermarché-Wanty for the next two seasons, Simone Gualdi becomes the fifth talent promoted to the World Team from Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz, following in the footsteps of his compatriot Francesco Busatto, Roel van Sintmaartensdijk, Alexy Faure-Prost and Huub Artz.

Here are his words: "My transition to the U23 category with Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz was fundamental for me in 2024. Coming from a small Italian club and without international experience, I faced several challenges, such as the language barrier, but I overcame them quickly thanks to my immediate integration. My first season in the structure offered me a varied race program. Every race was a learning experience. I remember, for example, my first time in the echelons at the Youngster Coast Challenge, an experience from which I learned important lessons for my development. The opportunity to race with the World Team has enormously accelerated my growth and was a crucial learning phase. I noticed significant improvements in positioning, race reading and tactical management. I trust the Performance Cell's plans and follow them with great motivation to achieve my goals. For my last season among U23, I will focus on races like the Giro Next Gen, the Italian Championship, which has a special value for me since my junior days, as well as the European and World Championships. Thanks to training camps and competitions, I have already had the chance to understand how the professional team works and I can't wait to face my first World Tour races to test myself at the highest level. In the long term, I dream of fulfilling my childhood desire: participating in the Tour of Lombardy, a race on my home roads, and climbing the Passo Ganda under my family's gaze. Like every Italian cyclist, the Giro d'Italia also represents a great aspiration."

MATTIA PROIETTI GAGLIARDONI & BRANDON FEDRIZZI. Invited to a training camp with the Intermarché-Wanty structure this winter, Mattia Proietti and Brandon Fedrizzi are among the most promising Italian talents who, following the example of Busatto and Gualdi, have chosen the guidance of Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz to build their future at the highest levels of cycling.

A versatile talent, Mattia Proietti Gagliardoni (17 years old) is the Italian road vice-champion among Juniors, ranked eleventh in the Eroica Nations Cup and fourth in the Giro d'Abruzzo, all while discovering the category in 2024 with the Franco Ballerini Team, a squad that has produced talents like Antonio Tiberi and Martin Svrček. He also distinguished himself in cyclocross, winning the Italian title among Cadets and obtaining excellent placements last winter, including a second place in Termonde.

From Bolzano, Brandon Fedrizzi (16 years old) holds the Italian record for victories in the last fifteen years, with 23 wins among Cadets in 2024. A record that includes two prestigious category titles: the Italian Championship and the Coppa d'Oro. A winning series that continues in 2025 with an explosive debut among Juniors, including a triumph at the Piccola Liegi delle Bregonze last Sunday.

Mattia Proietti: "Since entering the Junior category, I started thinking about my future, determined to join a development squad for the U23 category. When I had the opportunity to do a training camp with Intermarché-Wanty, I didn't hesitate for a second. I immediately noticed the efforts made by the staff and the support structure that allows us to grow in the best conditions, all in a familiar environment. In the end, choosing Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz was the most natural path for my future. It was therefore an obvious step to tie my future to the Intermarché-Wanty structure!"

Brandon Fedrizzi: "I had the opportunity to participate in two training camps with Intermarché-Wanty last winter and I immediately felt at home. I was warmly welcomed, well followed and supported, and I can count on their experience for my training program. I am very happy to tie my future to Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz and to trace my path towards professional cycling. I am very motivated to continue working hard and winning races in the Junior category, to arrive with confidence and ambition in the U23 category with the colors of Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz."