Pellizzari reveals Vuelta U-turn as he expects Montreal Worlds to explode early: 'Everyone thinks they are Pogacar'

The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider has revealed that he seriously considered adding the Vuelta a España to his programme following a difficult period earlier in the season. Pellizzari and his team ultimately decided against another Grand Tour, allowing the 22-year-old to focus instead on the late season classics and the World Championships.

“I really thought about it,” Pellizzari told Bici.pro of racing the Vuelta. “Before Burgos, the idea of doing the Vuelta lit something inside me again that I hadn’t felt for a while.”

The temptation did not last. After further discussions with his coach and those around him, Pellizzari decided that skipping the Spanish Grand Tour offered the better route into the final part of his season.

“I think it was the right decision,” he said. “Looking at how the races have gone, it worked out well. I’m 100 percent happy with the choice.”

The results have backed up that call. Pellizzari won the Giro di Toscana last week before finishing sixth at the Coppa Sabatini and second at the Memorial Pantani. Earlier in the summer he had already taken victories at both the Vuelta a Burgos and the Deutschland Tour.

Montreal will provide a sterner test. Italy will line up with several options for the elite road race, including Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana), Davide Piganzoli (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Alberto Bettiol (XDS Astana).

Pellizzari is not viewing himself as the team’s sole leader. “We have a strong team and a lot of options,” he said. “We’ll have to use them well.”

He is also prepared to sacrifice his own chances if another Italian proves stronger on the day. “The good of the national team comes before the individual. If someone is stronger, I’ll work for him, as I’ve always done. We have to try to bring home a medal.”

Pellizzari watched the recent Montreal WorldTour race alongside Piganzoli and was struck by how demanding the circuit looked. At 273 kilometres, however, he expects the World Championships to be a very different race.

His preparation has included more explosive work, with specific training focused on the four minute climbs in Montreal.

Tadej Pogačar’s absence is also likely to change the character of the race. Pellizzari expects aggression to come early, even without the rider who has so often forced his rivals onto the defensive.

“Everyone thinks they are Pogačar,” Pellizzari joked. “But there is only one Pogačar.”

Remco Evenepoel, Isaac Del Toro and Paul Seixas are among the riders Pellizzari expects to feature prominently, but he also warned against overlooking Ben Healy and Quinn Simmons after their strong performances in Quebec.

But while Pellizzari knows who the main rivals will be in Montreal, much of his own progress this season has come away from racing itself. After the Giro, he began working with a mental coach, a process that helped him reassess both that race and the way he approaches results.

“Being calm in what I do and giving things the right importance,” he said. “You do everything possible to arrive in good shape, and after that, whatever happens happens. I think that serenity will be the secret to doing well.”