Yes, as of yesterday, Friday, April 17th, thanks to his participation in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Mattia Agostinacchio has fully earned the title of "youngest rider of the World". When World means World Tour: since the Aosta Valley native from EF Education-Easypost was born on September 13, 2007, someone like Paul Seixas becomes almost, we emphasize almost, a veteran compared to the rider who in the two previous years competed with excellent results in Ciclistica Trevigliese, even entering the top ten of the world time trial championship.

Agostinacchio did not finish the Belgian race but that's fine: after a season start hampered by his withdrawal from the cyclocross world championships (almost unnecessary to recall his conquest of the world title in the discipline at Liévin 2025), due to a viral infection, he now hopes to have finally put various ailments behind him. The former junior, who notably skipped the under-23 category, was supposed to make his professional debut at the Region Pays de La Loire but instead he was struck down by gastroenteritis.

With the 66th De Brabantse Pijl - La Flèche Brabançonne 2026 on the road, the season can finally begin for him too, who was, justifiably, champing at the bit. Suffice it to say that his older brother Filippo, with his own Biesse Carrera Premac (Continental), has already lined up for the Settimana Coppi e Bartali.

With due graduality, Mattia wants to be ready to repay the trust placed in him by a team that has shown sensitivity to very young Italian riders, also with the signing of Roberto Capello, a Piedmontese rider currently fielded in the Development team. Filippo says about his brother: "In my opinion, he delivered a performance within his current potential, coming back from a difficult period physically. Mattia needs to race and build confidence, gaining experience among the professionals before he can think about competing for placements. The EF plan to gradually bring him there seems solid to me. It will just take time".

The young Agostinacchio, as the ranking of the most promising cyclists within the World Tour reads, occupies first place and precedes Seixas (September 24, 2006) and the Danish rider from Lidl Trek, Albert Withen Philipsen (September 3, 2006).

Will Mattia and Filippo's paths cross soon in a race?

"After August, as you know, we will be teammates at EF-Education-Easypost and I can't wait to experience this adventure, ready in any case to compete in Elite races, in smaller numbers at the international level compared to previous years (remember the stage victory at the Giro Next Gen, ed.), and not only that, I'm thinking for example of the Giro dell'Appennino on April 26th" concludes the older of the two. Proud representatives of a region - the Aosta Valley - accustomed above all to hosting major events. Launching new cyclists into orbit (120 years and more after the exploits of Maurice Garin from Arvieux)? That's quite a situation.