The structure of Intermarché-Wanty is investing in the future with the arrival of three young Italian talents among the best punchers of their generation: Simone Gualdi (Intermarché-Wanty), Brandon Fedrizzi, and Mattia Proietti (Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz). Currently a member of the Continental Development team directed by Kévin Van Melsen, 19-year-old Simone Gualdi will be promoted to the World Team in January 2026, while juniors Mattia Proietti (17 years old) and Brandon Fedrizzi (16 years old) will join Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz from 2026 and 2027 respectively.
SIMONE GUALDI
Former Italian junior champion, Simone Gualdi has continued to impress since joining the structure of Intermarché-Wanty in 2024, both in the World Team and with U23 team Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz.
With the pros, he supports his leaders until the final of difficult races such as the Circuit de Wallonie (10th), the Famenne Ardenne Classic (11th), Volta Limburg (16th), Figueira Champions Classic, Faun Drôme, Trofeo Laigueglia, and Milano-Torino.
Under the guidance of Kévin Van Melsen, the young Lombard puncher is showing an agressive racing style and is achieving numerous top placings in the most renowned races of the U23 category: second in the Triptyque Ardennais behind his teammate Wouter Toussaint, fourth in the Italian U23 championships, ninth in the Giro Valle d’Aosta, and fourteenth in the prestigious Tour de l’Avenir.
At the beginning of 2025, Gualdi demonstrated that he has taken another step forward and confirmed his ability to achieve results, with a tenth place at the Trofeo Laigueglia against professional riders, his presence in the leading group at the Faun Drôme Classic and the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes, as well as a second place at the GP de Lillers on a course that did not suit him, a testament to his qualities.
By signing his first professional contract with Intermarché-Wanty for the next two seasons, Simone Gualdi becomes the sixth talent promoted to the World Team from Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz, following in the footsteps of his compatriot Francesco Busatto, Roel van Sintmaartensdijk, Alexy Faure-Prost, Gerben Kuypers and Huub Artz.
"Stepping up to the U23 category with Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz in 2024 marked a significant transition for me. Coming from a small Italian youth club and lacking international experience, it presented initial challenges, including the language barrier which I quickly overcame thanks to my fast integration. My first year with the structure offered a diverse racing program. Each race was a valuable learning experience. For example, I remember how important my first exposure to echelons at the Youngster Coast Challenge has been for my development. The opportunity to compete alongside the World Team significantly accelerated my progression, providing crucial race experience. I've seen considerable improvement in areas like positioning, understanding its critical importance before climbs, and recognizing the value of tactical awareness. I have full confidence in the plans of our performance staff and am highly motivated to follow them and work hard to reach my objectives. For my final U23 season, my focus is on key goals like the Giro Next Gen, the Italian Championships – which hold special meaning from my junior years – and the European and World Championships. Having already integrated well through training camps and races with the professional team, I am now eager to experience my first World Tour races and test myself at that higher level. Ultimately, I dream of realizing my childhood ambition of participating in Il Lombardia, my home race, and tackling the Passo Ganda in front of my family. Like every Italian cyclist, the Giro d'Italia also represents a significant aspiration."
MATTIA PROIETTI GAGLIARDONI & BRANDON FEDRIZZI
Invited to the training camps of the structure of Intermarché-Wanty this winter, Mattia Proietti and Brandon Fedrizzi are among the most promising Italian talents who, like Busatto and Gualdi, have chosen the project of Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz to shape their future towards the highest level of cycling.
A multidisciplinary talent, Mattia Proietti Gagliardoni (17 years old) is the vice-Italian champion in the junior road race. He finished eleventh in the Eroica Nations Cup and fourth in the Giro d’Abruzzo, all while discovering the category in 2024 with Team Franco Ballerini, from which talents like Antonio Tiberi and Martin Svrček originate. Also skilled in cyclocross, he became Italian cyclocross champion in the U17 category and achieved a series of top placings last winter, including a second place in Dendermonde.
Hailing from Bolzano in South Tyrol, Brandon Fedrizzi (16 years old) holds the Italian record for victories in the last fifteen years, with his 23 wins in the U17 category in 2024. This record includes two of the most prestigious successes in his category, namely the national championship and the Coppa d’Oro. This momentum continues in 2025 with a flying start in the Junior category, including a victory at the Piccola Liegi delle Bregonze last Sunday.
"Since entering the Junior category, I have been considering the next steps in my career, determined to join a development team for the U23 category. When I received the opportunity to join Intermarché-Wanty for a training camp, I didn't hesitate for a moment. I quickly noticed the efforts made by the staff and the support structure put in place to allow us to progress in the best possible conditions, all within a family atmosphere. Ultimately, the option to join Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz ticks all the boxes for my future. So, it was obvious to link my future with the structure of Intermarché-Wanty!"
"I had the opportunity to join the structure of Intermarché-Wanty twice for training camps last winter, and I immediately felt at home. I was warmly welcomed, well-supported, and guided, and I can also count on their expertise for my training program. I am very happy to be able to link my future with Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz and pave my way towards the professional peloton. I am very motivated to continue working hard and winning races in the junior category, in order to arrive full of confidence and ambition in the U23 category under the Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz colors."
“At Intermarché-Wanty, our structure is firmly centered on development. We are proud to see numerous young riders flourish within our team. International top talents from the junior ranks, including Simone Gualdi, Felix Ørn-Kristoff, Édouard Claisse, Axel Van Den Broek, Mattia Proietti, and Brandon Fedrizzi, recognize the value of our approach and have chosen to join our program. We are thrilled to be working with this group of absolute top talents to shape our future. Simone Gualdi, who we’ve been closely monitoring since his first year in the junior category, is already the fifth talent to step up from Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz to our World Team. He is a highly promising talent with a big engine and a true winning mentality. Since joining our structure at the age of 18, he has consistently impressed us with his maturity. His good mentality and commitment as a team player have been evident in various races with the World Team, confirming his integration into our squad. Following two seasons in our Development team, we will continue to support his progressive development."
“Working with Simone Gualdi is a pleasure. He is a highly intelligent rider who is receptive to our guidance. Simone has shown impressive progression, possessing a unique combination of puncher and sprinter qualities. His exceptional capabilities became evident when we deployed him in races that weren't necessarily suited to his puncher profile. His performances in the high mountains at the Giro della Valle d'Aosta were particularly impressive. Furthermore, his ability to learn was demonstrated in the echelons of the Youngster Coast Challenge. His communication and initiative with the World Team in his first races of 2025 underscore his remarkable maturity for his age. His results confirm his readiness to perform at the highest level. I am looking forward to the upcoming classics next month, including Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23, and the Giro Next Gen, as well as his goals with the Italian national team." "Following the successes with Francesco Busatto and Simone Gualdi, Mattia Proietti and Brandon Fedrizzi are the next promising Italian talents to embark on our development pathway with Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz. Recognizing their high demand as significant talents, we proactively invited them to our training camps even as juniors. Both have impressed us in training with our U23 talents. Despite his strong track record in the U17 category, I find it particularly impressive that Fedrizzi has already won one of his first races in the junior ranks, notably against Proietti. Proietti is a multidisciplinary talent who will also represent our colours in cyclocross. Our vision for our young talents is to cultivate an environment free from undue pressure, allowing them to develop optimally for a professional career."
