They are the current champions and have all the credentials to confirm their title. The UAE Team Emirates Gen Z will be at the starting line of the eighty-sixth Giro del Belvedere, scheduled for Monday, April 21st in Villa di Cordignano (TV). The Emiratis are set to be the team to beat in the Easter Monday Classic, bolstered by last year's victory by Slovenian rider Gal Glivar and the awareness of having some of the most brilliant talents in world cycling on their roster.

The objective of the athletes led by former pro Jan Polanc is clear: win and above all convince, to dream of a future in the senior team alongside the world's strongest rider, Tadej Pogačar, and other internationally proven athletes like Spanish rider Juan Ayuso. It's no coincidence that both Pogačar and Ayuso passed through the Giro del Belvedere roads years ago, and this time the Slovenian ace doesn't start with an advantage, given that unlike Ayuso, he has never managed to raise his arms in victory on the slightly uphill straight of Villa di Cordignano.

If victorious, UAE Gen Z could be the only team in the last decade to win two consecutive editions of the Giro del Belvedere. The last to achieve this was the legendary Zalf with Andreetta and Vendrame in the 2014-2015 two-year period. The Emiratis will start with very young riders (all born in 2005 or 2006) but who already boast considerable international experience.

Among the five athletes announced at the start, there are two Italians: Bologna's Elia Sambinello and Ligurian Luca Giaimi, who is studying to become a pursuer and time trial specialist in the footsteps of Filippo Ganna. In the past season, Sambinello emerged as one of Italy's strongest Juniors, to the point that in 2025 he has already made his professional debut, contributing to Juan Ayuso's success at the Trofeo Laigueglia. For Giaimi, the Giro del Belvedere is not a novelty: in 2024 he participated in the Easter Monday Classic during his U23 apprenticeship, and on the upcoming April 21st he has all the credentials to achieve a significant result.

Alongside Sambinello and Giaimi will be the anticipated Belgian Duarte Marivoet, already a winner this year in Rwanda and in the youth classification of the Tour of Sharjah, French rider Ugo Fabries, and Slovak gem Matthias Schwarzbacher. The latter comes from a very positive 2024, with a second and fourth place in the Elite National Championships (in time trial and road race respectively), and the U23 National Time Trial title. In 2025, he has already secured his first victory in a sprint at the UMAG Classic, and two top-15 finishes among professionals (8th at Ses Salines and 15th at Clásica Jaén).

The Belvedere route, since 2024 even more challenging with two extra passages on the Piai della Vigna climb (500 meters at 9% with a peak at 15%), which adds to the historic difficulties of Conche and Montaner, will once again test the champions of tomorrow. One thing is certain: as the honor roll demonstrates, which just looking at recent editions includes names like Ayuso and Grégoire, to raise your arms to the sky you must demonstrate class and maturity, combined with an extraordinary leg. Worth noting, among the participating teams, the withdrawal of Zappi Racing Team, replaced by Trentino Cycling Team U23.