Letizia Borghesi

Riding bikes is almost a requirement to be in the Borghesi family. Letizia and her younger sister grew up hearing stories from her dad about his wins as a U23 racer and Letizia thought to herself, “I could do that.” She started racing as a 12-year-old and hasn’t looked back. Her parents still ride and you’ll often find them at Letizia’s races, having driven their camper van from their home in the mountains of northern Italy to support their daughter.

In 2022, Letizia earned a pair of top ten finishes in the spring classics. She continued her growth the following season with top ten results in both one-day and stage races. Letizia has raced the Giro-Tour double for the last two years, enjoying demands of back-to-back stage races. Her biggest result to date is her 2019 stage win at the Giro d’Italia where she spent the day in the breakaway before sprinting to the stage win.

Growing up in the mountains of northern Italy, Letizia is happiest when she is outside. She adores her home region of Trentino and you can often find her hiking to the nearby lakes when she’s not training on the road. She earned the silver medal in the 2022 Italian gravel national championships, her first ever gravel race, and has since also raced the gravel world championships. In the off season, Letizia enjoys competing in the local cyclocross races. Given her experience in cyclocross, it’s not a surprise that her favorite races are the cobbled classics because she loves the steep climbs and is used to the harsh weather conditions.

Letizia completed her bachelor’s degree in sports science and she is currently studying for her master’s degree in biology/nutrition.

Fun Facts

What is your favorite climb? What makes it special?
The climb to Tovel Lake, a mountain lake close to my home, in the Dolomites of Brenta. The climb is around 7km, with some really steep parts (more than 20%). The landscape up there is so beautiful, it seems surreal. I love the fresh air and the nature of that place!

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
A trip to South America. I did the Vuelta de Colombia in the past and I’ve promised myself that I would go back there and visit Latin America.

Which emojis do you use the most?
😊🤩🥰😂

Giro, Tour, or Vuelta? Why?
Hard to say because the Giro is my home race and there the landscapes are beautiful, but I did the Tour twice and the public there is so special. It gives you extra motivation to push even harder. The crowd is huge and they cheer like crazy.

Who is your favorite athlete in any sport? What do you admire about them?
Mathieu van der Poel. I love how he wins and his multidisciplinarity.

Date of birth: 10/16/1998
Hometown, Country: Cles, Italy
Languages: Italian, English
Nicknames: Leti or Borghe