Contrary to what one might think, Francesco Dell'Olio was never pushed to dedicate himself to cycling. "It all started by chance when I was 5 years old," Francesco recounts. "I discovered bikes by following a team from my town, and after a free trial, I became passionate and asked the Ludobike of Bisceglie to register me".

Dell'Olio currently races Cyclocross with Fas Airport Services Premac Guerciotti, the Italian reference team for off-road activities. So far, he has collected a second, a third, and a fifth place in our national races, and most importantly, he has competed in two Junior World Cup events, finishing 13th in Tabor and 14th last Sunday in Flamanville.
"I consider myself a multi-discipline cyclist. I like Cross and it helps me in winter preparation. I used to do mountain bike but stopped three years ago to focus more carefully on the road. I'm a versatile rider. I'm fast in sprints but also gritty on flat terrain and can climb well".

The young Pugliese from Bisceglie has left behind a 2025 rich with successes (nine on the road) in which he highlighted his potential and his margins for improvement with the team Il Pirata Cosmetall Sama Ricambi. Among his best performances are victories in the Coppa Dino Diddi and Udine-Subit (TuttoBici Oscar trials), fourth place in Coppa d'Oro, third in the GP Liberazione in Rome, and ninth in the national road championship in Gorizia.
"It was an excellent year in which I was able to rejoice on numerous occasions, bringing home important results. I managed to establish myself on some prestigious targets that repaid me for a somewhat unlucky 2024 due to a crash that caused me to fracture three vertebrae and spend a hundred days away from racing. This year I worked well with the team and with trainer Fabio Camerin, and together we enjoyed some beautiful satisfactions".

Dell'Olio is consolidating himself as one of the emerging values of youth cycling, not just in the Puglia region but also in the national landscape. He can count on excellent performances, and his determination only improves. Next year he will debut among juniors in the Team Il Pirata Vangi directed by Matteo Berti.
"I'm curious to see how I'll manage the category jump. My ambitions are directed towards both road and Cyclocross, where I hope to have more opportunities to make my mark in important races. Obviously, I aim to do well by seeking to make further progress in my growth. Meanwhile, I try to give my maximum in Cyclocross races, and already wearing the blue jersey has been a significant step forward".

Dell'Olio's dream is to meet Mathieu Van Der Poel in person, his reference rider. "I've never crossed paths with him and hope to do so in upcoming Cyclocross races in Belgium. He's a reference point for all of us. I see myself in Mathieu's desire to improve. He's a rider who likes to dare, and in this, I somewhat resemble him".

Francesco Dell'Olio attends the Industrial Technical Institute for Computer Science "Galileo Ferraris" in Molfetta and resides in Bisceglie in the province of Barletta Andria Trani, the hometown of elite athlete Federica Piergiovanni. Born on April 21, 2009, he is passionate about motorcycles and cars and lives with his father Leonardo, who works in the nautical field, mother Maria Teresa, a housewife, and his older sister Valeria. Cycling-wise, he grew up at the Ludobike Cycling School in Bisceglie, then moving to Avis Bike Ruvo, Fusion Bike, Il Pirata Sama Ricambi Puglia, and this year in his final season among cadets with Il Pirata Cosmetall Sama Ricambi, with which he won nine races. In 2024, he had two road victories, bronze at the Under-16 European Cross Championships in Slovakia, victory in the Giro delle Regioni, and second place in the national championship in Valsamoggia.