After crossing the finish line in Šenčur, Azzurra Ballan recounts all her emotion: "I didn't expect to win because my physical condition wasn't at its best. The breakaway went away and I jumped into it, and it worked out. I knew I was faster in the sprint and I made it. I thank the whole team for the work they did behind, in the group".

Azzurra attends an online hospitality institute: "I really like it and I manage to balance it with cycling and training".

Azzurra Ballan's career

Azzurra Ballan, born on August 11, 2008, lives in Castelfranco Veneto and is the daughter of former professional world champion Alessandro Ballan. She races in the Women Juniors category with Breganze Millenium.

2026 was the year of her definitive breakthrough at national and international level. In April, she won the Gran Premio Città di Gossolengo in a sprint, while on April 26 she became Veneto champion in Crespignaga. At the Italian Championship, she finished in fourth place.

On July 8, at the track European Championships in Cottbus, she won the gold medal in the junior team pursuit alongside Maria Acuti, Linda Rapporti, Elisa Bianchi, and Matilde Rossignoli.

At the Trittico Rosa Alta Marca Trevigiana, she won the time trial in Valdobbiadene. At the Montreal World Championships last Friday, she competed in the junior road world championship race, finishing in 27th place.

Dad Alessandro: "I'm happier than when I won the World Championship myself"

Dad Alessandro, who attended the race, is over the moon. "I'm very happy, more than when I won the World Championship myself. The emotion a daughter gives you is incredible. I personally watched the race. It was a tough test. Azzurra was clever because, being inferior to the favorites on the climbs, she inserted herself into an early breakaway, anticipating the best riders. What's the technical difference between her and me? She's stronger than me. She's better in the sprint and on the climbs". If there's a world champion who declares these qualities, then you can only expect the best.

Then comparing it to the Canadian World Championship: "In Canada she paid the price of jet lag, because she had just come down from a high-altitude training camp. The top finishers in the time trial all came in ahead. Next year she'll move to a foreign development team".

Married to Daniela, Alessandro Ballan also has another daughter, Stella, 20 years old, who practices beach volleyball.

The coincidence with dad's World Championship

There's also the family detail, a coincidence that makes Azzurra's story even more compelling. She was born just a few days before dad Alessandro conquered, on September 28, 2008 in Varese, the professional world title.

Eighteen years later, his daughter conquered her first major international road title.

Castelfranco, land of champions

Castelfranco Veneto thus gains another European and world champion. This is also the case with Agata Campana, 18 years old, who conquered the European title in the scratch race.

For Campana, this is her second European title, after the team sprint title she won in 2025. This season she has also conquered the world title in the madison alongside Matilde Rossignoli, and gold in the elimination race, plus silver in the scratch and fourth place in the omnium.

Castelfranco Veneto - the homeland of Giorgione - is thus preparing for another celebration.