Italy secured a silver medal in the men’s team pursuit at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai, China, as ANSA reported. The Italian quartet of Filippo Ganna, Jonathan Milan, Francesco Lamon, and 19-year-old Alessio Magagnotti finished second behind a dominant Danish squad in the gold-medal final.
While the Italian men claimed silver, the women’s team pursuit squad also advanced to their respective final to battle Great Britain for the world title, according to Eurosport. The championships run at the indoor velodrome in Shanghai, bringing together national delegations from around the globe to contest 22 total world titles across Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines.
Danish Dominance in the Men’s Final
The Italian team faced an uphill battle against a Danish squad that Eurosport noted as the reigning European champions, world champions, and world record holders. The Danish quartet—consisting of Carl-Frederik Bévort, Lasse Norman Leth, Frederik Madsen, and Rasmus Pedersen—controlled the final from the opening kilometer.
According to official race split data reported by Eurosport, Denmark established an early advantage of roughly half a second at the 1,000-meter mark, clocking 1:01.132 compared to Italy’s 1:01.649. The gap widened steadily through the 2,000-meter and 3,000-meter checks before the Danes crossed the finish line in 3:40.865. Italy stopped the clock at 3:45.596 to secure the silver medal, finishing roughly five seconds back as Il Post detailed.
Il Post and Eurosport pointed out that the Danish riders specialize heavily in track events year-round, whereas Italian stalwarts Ganna and Milan spend a significant portion of their professional calendars competing on the road. Despite the margin in the final, the result marked Italy’s return to the world championship podium in the team pursuit for the first time since 2023.
A Milestone Podium for Alessio Magagnotti
For 19-year-old Alessio Magagnotti, the silver medal in Shanghai represents his first medal among professionals. As reported by the press office of the Autonomous Province of Trento, the sprinter from Avio stepped into the elite squad to replace Simone Consonni, who competed in other specialties at these championships after winning Olympic gold alongside Ganna, Milan, and Lamon at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
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Trento provincial president Maurizio Fugatti and sports councillor Mattia Gottardi issued a joint statement celebrating the achievement, calling it a “luminosissima” (very bright) medal for a young athlete showing true champion potential in his first year among professionals. Magagnotti’s 2026 campaign also includes a victory at the Giro di Germania, adding to junior-category credentials that featured three world titles, including two in the team pursuit and one in the individual pursuit.
Semifinal Routes and Bronze Medalists
To reach the championship showdown, both finalist nations navigated through demanding semifinal heats. Il Post reported that Italy defeated Great Britain in the previous round, while Denmark eliminated Australia. Great Britain subsequently claimed the bronze medal by defeating France in the third-place ride-off, where the British quartet overcame a late deficit in the final kilometer as detailed by Eurosport.
The competition continues at the Shanghai velodrome with individual and team events across the 22 programmed disciplines. Broadcast coverage in Italy is provided through Rai Sport HD and Eurosport platforms, alongside streaming options via Discovery+, HBO Max, and the official UCI YouTube channel.
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