The Milanese born in 1997 from Alpecin Premier-Tech became professional thanks to the victory in the 2022 Zwift Academy. He is making his debut in the pink race
He didn’t flee the group like a thief, but the nickname stuck with him. Luca Vergallito, born in Milan in 1997, has just made his debut at the Giro d’Italia and in the world of cycling he is known to everyone as “the bandit”. A name born almost for fun when he was still a boy, thanks to his father, and over the years it has become a true sporting and social identity. “It was a joking nickname – says Vergallito –. On Strava, several years ago, I changed my name from Luca Vergallito to “the bandit”. At the beginning it was also linked to the fact that I took a lot of Koms and my identity was not public. This intrigued those who looked at the results”.
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Today that nickname accompanies one of the most unusual and modern routes in Italian professional cycling. Vergallito, a graduate in Sports Science at the State University of Milan, with training experiences at the Bakala Academy, has in fact become a professional thanks to the victory of the Zwift Academy 2022, the global virtual cycling talent event which involved over 160 thousand participants. A different story compared to traditional youth paths. No long process in the under categories, but growth built through indoor training, study of physiology and a scientific approach to performance. A profile that recalls that of Jay Vine, another runner who emerged thanks to virtual platforms. “In recent years – explains Vergallito – we see more and more athletes coming from different paths, even from other sports and indoor training. Virtual competitions greatly enhance the physical aspects and numbers, but to truly reach a high level you need to add technique and tactics, aspects that indoor cycling cannot fully evaluate”. In 2023, when he had almost put aside his dream of becoming a professional, the turning point came. After his success in the Zwift Academy he signed a contract with the development team of Alpecin-Deceuninck, Mathieu Van der Poel’s team. The first important results arrived immediately in Austria: stage victory and general classification of the Oberösterreich Rundfahrt, achieved with a sensational comeback on the last day. Before the decisive stage Vergallito was only 29th in the standings, 40 seconds away from the leader’s jersey. At the uphill finish line in Hinterstoder Hoss turned everything around, winning by distance and ensuring the final success. The growth continued also in 2025, with seventh place in the last stage of the Volta a Catalunya in Barcelona, best Italian at the finish line ahead of Simone Gualdi.
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In parallel with his competitive activity, Vergallito continues to cultivate his passion for the scientific analysis of performance. Together with Mattia Gaffuri he created the podcast “Ciclismo KOMpetente”, dedicated to physiology, training and athletic preparation. In his private life he is linked to Chiara Doni, nutritionist and cyclist, while his online popularity continues to grow also thanks to the challenges and contents shared on social media. Among these, a training session with former professional Alan Marangoni which attracted the attention of enthusiasts. Now the big stage is the Giro d’Italia: moreover, stage number 15 will arrive right in “his” Milan. The pink race started from Bulgaria and the first stage did not smile for Alpecin-Premier Tech, involved in a big fall at the end in Burgas. «It’s certainly wonderful to be here in Bulgaria and I can’t wait to get to Italy – says Vergallito -. Here too I see a lot of participation and public. Unfortunately we were penalized by the final fall, but fortunately no one suffered any serious damage. My partner Kaden Groves, the team’s sprinter, took a big hit and several bruises, but it probably went better than anyone could have feared.” From home rollers to the streets of the Giro, the “bandit” continues his race against all odds.
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