With a rather surprising announcement, which came more than a month into the 2026 racing calendar, UAE Team Emirates-XRG has announced the contract extension until 2028 and, most importantly, the immediate promotion of Luca Giaimi to the World Tour roster.

Born in 2005 from Pietra Ligure, the two-time junior world champion on the track in team pursuit, moves to the senior squad following the "strong growth and impressive results achieved in 2025" that convinced the Emirati team's management to promote him instantly from the development team.

In this way, Giaimi, who has long been part of the national track cycling programme, becomes the thirtieth rider on the 2026 roster of Mauro Gianetti's squad and the second Italian after Filippo Baroncini, will be able to continue his development by consistently benefiting from the advice and support provided by those teammates with whom, in recent seasons, he had already had several opportunities to race.

This process begins for Giaimi after two and a half years spent defending the colours of the UAE Team Emirates Gen Z, the development team with which, after a 2024 that saw 2nd place at the Chrono des Nations and 4th place at the GP Kranj as his best road results, last year he won the Troféu Internacional da Arrábida in Portugal and the fifth stage of the Volta ao Alentejo as well as bronze at the Italian Under 23 Time Trial Championships behind Davide Donati and Nicolas Milesi.

Following these brilliant performances and, more generally, a convincing 2025, Giaimi was quick to show good form in this early part of the season, finishing third in the short individual time trial at the Tour of Sharjah won by Lorenzo Nespoli and finishing 11th in the bunch sprint that gave Paul Magnier victory in the fourth stage of the Volta ao Algarve.

Five days after the conclusion of the Portuguese race came the news of his promotion to the senior squad, an environment where Giaimi will have the opportunity to take further steps forward both by serving the various captains of the day and by taking advantage of the opportunities that will certainly be granted to him over the coming months.

"The objective of our Gen Z structure has always been to develop and nurture young talent and Luca has proven he is ready for the next step," said Mauro Gianetti, CEO and Team Principal of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, through the team's official channels. "We believe he has the character, commitment and right mentality to grow within our World Tour squad. We hope and are confident that he can continue to progress both as a rider and as a person as he makes this transition to the highest level."

"It's a great feeling to make this jump now and I'm very happy because it means my development path here in Gen Z has been positive," said a satisfied Giaimi. "Over the last two seasons in the development squad I had the opportunity to learn how things work in World Tour races and especially within our great team. I've learned from this experience and now I'm bringing it with me and I want to continue to grow and work well with the whole team to become the best version of myself," concluded the young Ligurian rider with determination.