Is professional Tuscan cycling finally experiencing its Renaissance after years of lean times? The current racing season is sending unmistakable and encouraging signals in the form of quality results. The undisputed leader of this promising new wave is Tommaso Dati; he races for the Japanese team Ukyo and was born in Camaiore on July 13, 2002.

Blessed with a lightning-fast sprint, he finished an excellent second in the recent Italian championship in Cuneo, in a sprint behind the nearly unbeatable Jonathan Milan, and has so far accumulated six victories: the third stage of the Settimana di Coppi e Bartali, the first stage of the Tour of the Alps, the first, second and fourth stages of the Tour of Japan and the overall classification of the Tour de Gyeognam, also in Japan: an immense joy experienced right in the Land of the Rising Sun, which is fitting, since Tommaso is a great enthusiast of Japanese Manga! To his credit are also nine top-ten finishes in other international races.

In the minor categories his successes totaled around forty, while in 2025, already a stagiaire among the Pros, Dati triumphed in the Firenze-Viareggio and in the prestigious Trofeo di Castelfidardo. In short, a very interesting resume that suggests further gratifying developments in the future, especially since the young rider is in the sights of WorldTour teams.

Tommaso came to cycling thanks to a cousin who practiced it; in his family football was the preferred sport and he was already playing in a local youth club and was a passionate fan of Lionel Messi. Now the sport of pedaling has become his passion, encouraged by his illustrious coach, a champion like Michele Bartoli who manages the important Bike Academy. Bartoli himself expresses a precise judgment about his young pupil from Camaiore: "Tommaso may seem a bit quiet at first glance, keeps to himself, but when he opens up to friends he becomes an irresistibly likeable guy. In any case, I must say that he possesses an exceptional sprint and a good future among the Pros already belongs to him: I declare myself optimistic about his potential". Tommaso's cycling idol as a young man was a big name like Peter Sagan, three-time world champion. Dati met him up close at the GP of Camaiore, years ago, and has since tried to draw inspiration from him.

It is worth noting that, with the six victories achieved so far, Tommaso Dati is second in the 2026 seasonal ranking of winning Italian cyclists, behind Veneto sprinter Jonathan Milan, first with eight victories. It is clear that Tommaso Dati's main ambition for next year is to be signed by a more important team than the admirable Japanese club UkYo in which he currently races, moreover with excellent results.

The other young rising stars of Tuscan cycling during this 2026 are the young talent from Empoli Ludovico Crescioli, dominator of the Giro dell'Appennino and in fine form on the climbs of the Giro d'Italia, the seasoned Sienese Alberto Bettiol, winner of a stage of the Giro d'Italia, the Florentine Tommaso Nencini, first in the Sakai criterium and in a stage of the Tour of Japan, and Alessandro Iacchi, from Borgo San Lorenzo, first in a stage at the Tour of Japan.

Encouraging results to hope for a better future for Tuscan cycling compared to the recent past.