Filippo Baroncini would have every right to be tired and angry: since turning professional in 2022, he has broken his radius three times, his collarbone once, his wrist and elbow, and on August 6th last year, at the Tour of Poland, he seriously risked ending his career by fracturing vertebrae, collarbone, and face. Yet the young man who spoke with us a few days ago is as calm and motivated as ever. Perhaps because this time, he really risked everything, and being able to talk about his recovery and prospects for 2026 is almost a luxury, considering his condition. The Romagna native from UAE Team Emirates-XRG, after colliding with a wall while descending at the Polonia, remained in induced coma for several days and only after a month of interventions and rehabilitation could leave the Niguarda Hospital in Milan.

He got back on the bike for the first time at the end of October and in these months has made giant strides. "Patience" is the keyword, but Baroncini is a stubborn rider, they can break any bone, but he always gets back up. It's worth remembering that in 2021 he was U23 World Champion and in June 2025, just weeks before the bad Polish crash, he had won the Tour of Belgium. The word "RESILIENCE" in capital letters stands out on his WhatsApp status, written in 2017, almost a prelude to what would be needed in his first years as a professional.

Filippo, how was your Christmas?
"Wonderful. I got in the kitchen, cooked cappelletti, lasagna, boiled meat, and a roast for my family. I've always liked cooking, and this year I did it even more willingly. After what happened to me on August 6th, I realized that in the end, the small things matter - the love of family, my girlfriend, and friends".

They suffered with you during these weeks.
"The worst thing is thinking that I could have left a void in my family. The idea of making those you love suffer breaks you inside".

But here you are, reinvigorated, and fresh from a training camp with the world's strongest team, UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
"This was obviously a slightly different training camp, there was more suffering, but just being with my teammates and cycling was a great joy. I finished it with great morale because since I returned to the bicycle, I felt things were getting better day by day, and now I've reached a decent level".

How long will it take to see you back at full capacity?
"It will still take some time. I'm doing specific work, but on some aspects, like endurance, I'm still behind. The aerobic system hasn't yet returned to what it was before, and consequently, neither has my resistance: once we find these again, we'll start pushing at slightly higher intensities".

What worries you the most?
"I no longer have any worries. I know it takes time and patience to regain my level. When and how is uncertain, but the passages that could have worried me most, like mobility and strength, I've already overcome. My back and posture are improving. I lost 14 kilos when I left the hospital, looking like I'd come out of a concentration camp, and I've practically regained all of them. I know this is a period where I'll have to work more than others, but that's okay. I don't have a magic wand. With age, I've learned to be patient, and now I'll need even more. This recovery is different from other injuries because while before I would say 'what bad luck, another fall', this time I'm aware that things could have gone much worse, so in my misfortune, I've also been lucky."

The facial fractures must have been hard to accept...
"Yes, it took me a while to accept looking in the mirror. I would get irritated. With scars and deformations, I was extremely swollen, I didn't recognize myself... but even there, slowly, I'm starting to see what I was before."

Since becoming a professional, luck hasn't been on your side. Do you ever ask yourself "What did I do to deserve all these falls"?
"Yes, constantly. But I'm convinced that the circle will close eventually. I don't want to be remembered as the one who always fell or broke everything, but I want people to talk about what I've achieved in sports. I feel I have the opportunity to do something good, I've already demonstrated that when I was well. I can't imagine ending my career thinking cycling took something from me, instead of giving. I wonder if it's worth it, but the answer is always 'yes', because my passion for this sport is too great, and I've been fighting to be in this position since I was a child. The motivation and desire to leave a mark are too strong to give up."

In these situations, at least, you realize how many people care about you.
"Yes, and I can only thank everyone who stood by me during those difficult weeks and made those endless days lighter. My family was always beside me, and my manager Luca Mazzanti was there every single day. And then all those who came to visit me, lifelong friends (Covi brought me a PlayStation, ed.), and those who came somewhat unexpectedly, like Ivan Basso or President Cordiano Dagnoni. The team was extraordinary. President Matar came from the Emirates just to check on my condition."

A few days after the fall, UAE announced your contract renewal until 2027.
"They give me great tranquility. They don't rush me, they only think about my full recovery, providing maximum support. It was by no means a given."

Are you a bit afraid to return to the group?
"Actually, no. Even during training, downhill, I would calmly follow my teammates' wheels. After accidents like this, you must know how to reset, and I believe I've managed to do that."

What does the recovery program look like now?
"I can't set long-term goals. I'm trying to raise the bar week by week, improving power and endurance. The biggest hurdle, the Christmas lunch, I've overcome (laughs), now I'm in the Canary Islands with my girlfriend Alessia, who, after everything she's done for me in these weeks, deserves some relaxation. I'll be here for about ten days, taking advantage of the good weather and trying to do some base training, always consulting with the team and my trainer."

When do you expect to return?
"As I said, the first goal is to become myself again. Once I've regained my performance, then we can start talking about returning to racing, but at the moment we have no certain dates. It wouldn't be right to schedule a precise date. For now, I'm ahead of schedule - no one expected me to be training with my teammates in December, so I'm hopeful. In my heart, I hope to be in the group by March, but - I repeat - there are no certainties."

Do you have a desire to be in any specific race?
"No, I have no interests. Whether it's the Tour of Flanders or the worst race in the calendar, the only thing I'm looking for is the rider I was before the fall. At that point, I know for sure I'll be happy."

from tuttoBICI January issue