Italian cyclist Filippo Conca, 22, has joined Lotto Soudal as a neo-pro for the upcoming cycling season. Conca, who hails from Bellano near Lake Como, talks about his first impressions of the team and his ambitions for the future.
Conca is fortunate to have the famous Il Lombardia region as his training ground, familiar with climbs like Madonna del Ghisallo and Muro di Sormano. He says, “It’s always a special feeling to be training on these climbs.”
Despite finishing fifth at the U23 Giro d’Italia in 2019 and 2020, Conca doesn’t see himself as a pure climber due to his height and weight. He hopes to learn a lot about himself and discover his main strengths as he progresses in his career.
During the team’s training camp in Spain, Conca is training alongside experienced riders like Caleb Ewan and is eager to learn from them. He says, “That will be my main goal for the upcoming season.”
Conca’s ultimate dream is to participate in the Giro d’Italia and win a stage, considering it one of the most beautiful achievements for an Italian cyclist.
Alongside his professional cycling career, Conca has resumed his studies in Business and Economy at UniECampus near Como. He sees it as a nice distraction from cycling with no pressure to finish his studies quickly.
As Lotto Soudal welcomes its new riders, Conca and the team’s neo-pros hope to showcase their talents in the future.
