The day after tomorrow, at the Franco-Belgian Circuit, 207 km from Tournai to Mont-de-l'Enclus, will be Filippo Conca's first race with the Jayco-AlUla jersey. "And so we can say that my fairy tale has had a happy ending," he said this morning to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Lecco native who surprisingly won the Italian championship in Gorizia on June 29, and who will be at the start of the Bretagne Classic in Plouay on August 31. "Then I'll race some races in Italy in September, like the Gp Industria e Artigianato in Larciano on the 7th, and the Giro della Toscana on the 10th. The Tour of Slovakia from the 17th to the 21st. I'll end the season with several races still in Italy, up to those in Veneto in mid-October," adds the 26-year-old from Lecco, who also has a degree in Economics.

After 2 years in the World Tour with Lotto and another 2 with Q36.5 (Professional), Filippo had been left unemployed and had raced the national championship with the Swatt Club, a team chaired by Carlo Beretta: now the dream of racing the Giro d'Italia for the first time. "The prospect of being able to race the Giro for the first time in 2026 - he explained to Ciro Scognamiglio - remains my dream...".

Then a reflection on the cycling system, which had not had time and patience to wait for him and now has decided to welcome him back, thanks to the opportunity offered by Brent Copeland. "I haven't had an easy path, for example, I refer to having caught Covid two or three times at the wrong moments, even before the 2022 Giro. Then, cycling is not just a passion but a job, and everyone has their role. Mine, in 4 years as a pro, was to help others, something I like to do. But, in the end, you help, and in some situations this is recognized and you renew your contract. In others, no. So you're not confirmed and other teams evaluate you not for your potential or because you've made yourself available, but only for the points made for the ranking. Let's say the system is now like this: the domestique, except in 2-3 big teams that make the race, is less valued".