When people talk about the greatest stage race talents of the coming years, alongside Jarno Widar and now almost always another name as well: Lorenzo Finn. Despite his young age, the Italian is already one of the most promising riders of his generation. Ever since winning his world championship titles in the junior and U23 categories, he has been regarded as the future of Italian cycling. Now the next big step in his career is on the horizon: in 2027, Finn is set to make the leap to the Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe WorldTour team.
Lorenzo Finn – Early Maturity
Lorenzo Mark Finn was born on 19 December 2006 in Genoa and grew up in the Liguria region. His exceptional talent became apparent at an early age, particularly on climbs. Whilst many young riders take several years to make their mark on the international stage, Finn was already one of Europe’s strongest riders whilst still a junior.
In 2024, he finally made his big breakthrough. As well as winning the Italian road race and individual time trial titles, he claimed victory at the Junior World Championships in Zurich. With a solo breakaway, he secured the rainbow jersey and firmly established himself on the international cycling scene.
Red Bull is building up its next star in Lorenzo Finn
Even as a junior, Lorenzo Finn was part of the Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe youth programme. Following his World Championship title, he joined the Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe Rookies, the German team’s U23 squad, in 2025. Unlike with other top talents, the team made a conscious decision against a hasty promotion to the WorldTour. Instead, Finn was to spend two years maturing in the youth ranks first.
The plan worked. In his very first U23 season, he won prestigious races such as the Giro del Belvedere and became U23 world champion in the road race. In doing so, he secured his second rainbow jersey in a row and firmly established himself as one of the greatest talents in the international peloton.
More than just a climber
What sets Finn apart from many other young riders is his versatility. Whilst his greatest strengths lie in the mountains, the Italian is also capable in time trials and has a good feel for demanding one-day races. Experts therefore see him not only as a future stage-race rider, but as a well-rounded racer capable of succeeding on a variety of terrains.
Standing 1.81 metres tall and weighing around 63 kilograms, Lorenzo Finn also represents a different type of rider to many traditional climbing specialists. His combination of strength on the mountains, racing intelligence and technical ability makes him one of the most promising young riders of his generation.
A breakthrough at the very highest level
In 2026, Lorenzo Finn took the next step in his development. At the Giro Next Gen, the world’s most important U23 stage race, he clinched the overall classification and also won two stages. Shortly afterwards, he triumphed at the Sibiu Cycling Tour against established professionals, proving that he has long since moved beyond simply being competitive at junior level.
He has also already gained valuable experience racing against professionals and has on several occasions held his own against established WorldTour riders. Within the team, he is therefore regarded as one of the most promising candidates for the step up to the top racing category. He also recently won the Tour de l'Avenir, which means his season has been almost perfect. Winning the world champion’s jersey once again would be the icing on the cake.
The road to the WorldTour
Whilst other young talents are brought into the professional ranks as early as possible, Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe is following a long-term development plan for Lorenzo Finn. The Italian is set to acclimatise step by step to the demands of top-level cycling before finally joining the WorldTour team in 2027.
Expectations are correspondingly high. Many observers see him as Italy’s greatest hope in stage racing for many years. Comparisons with riders such as Paul Seixas have long been the order of the day. Despite all the premature praise, however, Finn is regarded as down-to-earth and patient – qualities that could help him on his way to the very top.
With two world championship titles, victories in the most important junior races and his first wins against professionals, Lorenzo Finn already has an impressive track record. The next step takes him to the WorldTour. There, we will see whether this Italian prodigy can indeed go on to become a future Grand Tour winner.
Leon Weidner
Editor