Filippo Zana
Filippo Zana (born 18 March 1999 in Thiene, Italy) is an Italian climber and puncheur who races for Soudal Quick-Step. A former Italian national road race champion, Zana made his name as an aggressive rider for hilly Classics and mountainous Grand Tour stages, breaking through with a Giro d'Italia stage win and the overall title at the Tour of Slovenia in 2023. After three seasons with Team Jayco AlUla he moved to the Belgian WorldTeam for 2026. Find Filippo Zana's latest results, stats and race calendar on this page.
Biography of pro cyclist Filippo Zana
Filippo Zana is an attacking climber who has built his career on hard, selective racing rather than bunch sprints. When the road tilts up and the field splinters, he is often among the riders willing to take the race on.
His combination of climbing legs, a national title and a Grand Tour stage win marks him out as one of Italy's most promising punchy all-rounders of his generation.
Early life and rise
Born in Thiene, in the cycling-rich Veneto region, Zana progressed through the Italian development system and impressed at under-23 level before turning professional. He joined the WorldTour in 2022 and quickly showed his quality on home roads.
2022 Italian title and 2023 breakthrough
Zana's first major statement came in 2022, when he won the Italian National Road Race Championship and earned the right to wear the tricolore. The following year proved his breakthrough: in 2023 he won stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia, a mountainous day to Val di Zoldo, for his first Grand Tour stage success, and also took the overall victory at the Tour of Slovenia. Those results confirmed him as a genuine climber capable of winning at the top level.
Setbacks and resilience
Zana's 2025 season was disrupted by health problems, including bouts of mononucleosis and chickenpox that interrupted his training and racing. Even so, he delivered solid results, with top-ten overall finishes at week-long stage races, and headed into 2026 looking to rebuild a clean run of form.
Rider profile: strengths, style, and characteristics
Zana is a climber and puncheur with an aggressive instinct. He is at his best on hilly and mountainous terrain, where he can attack from a reduced group, and his racecraft makes him a strong option for breakaways and selective one-day races. He is not a sprinter; his results come from strength, timing and a willingness to commit.
Personal life
A product of the Veneto's deep cycling tradition, Zana is known as a hard-working and determined professional who has fought back from illness more than once. He keeps a relatively low profile off the bike, letting his racing speak for him.
Records and milestones
- Italian National Road Race Champion, 2022
- Stage winner, Giro d'Italia 2023 (stage 18)
- Overall winner, Tour of Slovenia 2023
- Multiple top-ten stage-race general classifications
- WorldTour rider with Team Jayco AlUla (2023–2025) before joining Soudal Quick-Step (2026)
What's next for Filippo Zana?
For 2026 Zana joins Soudal Quick-Step on a two-year contract, adding climbing depth to the Belgian team. With his health behind him, the goal is clear: return to winning Grand Tour stages and hilly one-day races, and to build on the promise of his 2023 breakthrough.
