From sports blog to winning the Italian championships among professionals: the crazy Swatt Club

The most sensational news today across all national championships is undoubtedly Filippo Conca’s victory for Swatt Club in the Italian race. Not Ganna, not Milan, not Bettiol or Ulissi. Not Astana, not INEOS or Lidl-Trek—teams with budgets in the tens of millions and excellent results in Grand Tours and Monuments.

Explaining what Swatt Club is isn’t easy—and honestly, I’m not the best person to do it. But here’s what you need to know: in 2013, Solowattaggio was born, simply a sports blog mainly covering cycling and skiing. It wasn’t until 2017 that the team came to life: ASD Swatt Club, an “amateur” team that’s anything but typical. A few years go by, and they make their first “crazy” move: forming a team with just Gaffuri and Hellemose, just a year ago.

Hellemose, discarded by the WorldTour, takes off and earns himself a spot back with Jayco-Alula after just one season. Swatt steps it up and creates a full amateur team—riders discarded by other teams, excluded or somehow stifled by the Italian cycling system. The standout this year? Filippo Conca, former Lotto and Q36.5. The Swiss team dropped him a year ago, and he decided to go all-in: to relaunch himself with a crazy team.

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No sponsors on the jerseys. None of the usual logos seen on Italian teams—just the support of Giant and Cadex. The skinsuits? One is blue and spotted, the other all white with minimal gold lettering that simply says “Swatt Club”. Not a single sponsor. Not even one to cover travel costs for races in Greece, Luxembourg, Spain, Canada, and so on. And yet, with that same wild spirit, they and Conca set one clear, bold goal for this season: to win the Italian Elite National Championships.

They had it in their sights—and they were flawless. Two riders in the breakaway, four of their athletes in the lead group of ten in the final kilometers. Two riders in the top five. And most of all, Filippo Conca standing on the top step of the podium, crowned the new Italian champion. An unthinkable result for anyone sane. But luckily, none of them are. They’re mad—and that’s exactly what makes them special. That’s why they’ve written a page in the history of modern cycling, and beyond.

Let’s repeat it: no sponsors, minimal budget, riders rejected by the system. Newspapers that, until recently, ignored them—or even publicly criticized them. They pretended not to see them. And now, they’re forced to talk about them. To praise them. Fifteen years ago, Swatt Club was nothing—maybe not even an idea. Today, they’re leading Italian cycling. And hopefully, this is only the beginning of a wild, glorious success story.

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