It was 2015 when Italy celebrated the last victory at the Vuelta España, applauding the feat of a twenty-five-year-old Fabio Aru, who was superb in climbing to the top step of the Madrid podium ahead of Joaquim Rodriguez and Rafal Majka.

Since then, in ten years, no other domestic rider has been able to imitate the exploit of the Sardinian rider who, after deciding to retire in 2021, is no longer in the peloton, but continues to have a very active role in the world of cycling, wearing the hat of a testimonial for various brands and managing an Academy that bears his name.

"Right now, I can say I'm very busy and this is certainly a good thing. Keeping oneself engaged is advice I would give to all former riders because everyone, perhaps stage race riders in a slightly different way from others, have always been used to being under pressure and it's good to stay on top of things," Fabio energetically explained to us in Monaco, where, between work commitments and bike rides (which he hasn't abandoned), he found time to visit and then comment on the 2026 Vuelta route with us.

"As is traditional, the next one is a tough Vuelta. The route is very demanding, perfect for climbers and overall contenders who will certainly be happy with this design. Sprinters will be a bit less happy, but that's normal: the 2026 route reflects exactly the image of what the Vuelta is, a difficult race with many climbs and significant elevation gain. I was particularly struck by the fact that the penultimate stage, which will be raced in an area like Granada and Sierra Nevada that I know well, exceeds 5,000 meters of elevation gain, a definitely important figure considering that the riders will already have 19 days of racing in their legs. Being in the southern part of Spain, beyond the elevation, the heat that day could also be decisive in making things even more complicated."

Here, the heat could prove to be a decisive factor over the three weeks. If you were to think of any particular rider who might suffer or excel in high temperatures?

"Vingegaard, who won last year, is a rider who does well even with certain temperatures. He has won two Tours de France, where heat is usually not lacking, so he could be on paper one of the most likely names to do well."

How do you see the introduction of gravel?

"I don't mind, it will be tackled uphill and will add some spectacle. In general, I'm of the opinion that when you find a way to insert it in the right context, it's a positive addition."

Looking at the three routes of Giro, Tour, and Vuelta, now that we know them all, if you were still active, which one would you have chosen?

"I would have looked favorably on this Vuelta, certainly for the toughness of the 2026 route, but also because I was always a big fan of this race. When I was racing, in fact, it was almost always a fixed point in my calendar, although, of course, there were years when I preferred to focus more on the Giro or the Tour. I remember that racing it after the Grande Boucle was always very complicated because only four weeks separate them, and in terms of preparation and recovery, we were not at the level we are today."

If you were in the group, you could have also raced the Giro di Sardegna, which returns to the calendar this year.

"I've seen it and I'm very pleased for my land. I also participate, albeit with activities related to the youngest and youth cycling, in the development of cycling in Sardinia, but it's nice that there's a continuum by bringing professionals to the island, so welcome back to the Giro del Sardegna and a big 'good luck' to the organizers and those investing in this event."

Speaking of young riders, who do you like most among the Italians?

"A sprinter like Jonathan Milan and then certainly Giulio Pellizzari. He's a good guy, polite and serious, I think he can do very well."

The Marche rider from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe broke an Italian drought that had lasted since September 15, 2023, at the last Vuelta, conquering his first professional victory at the top of Alto de El Morredero, a prestigious achievement that definitively unblocked him and, combined with his sixth place in the general classification, confirmed both his promising future and his qualities to soon impose himself in a major stage race.

It is not excluded, therefore, that the twenty-two-year-old from San Severino Marche could be the one to take up Aru's legacy in the Spanish stage race's honor roll, a rider in whom the Sardinian ex-pro has not only identified the potential of a possible Grand Tour winner but also the qualities to shine on a human level.