The former NSN frontman signs a two-year contract with the Emirati powerhouse, bringing with him a rare flair for breakaways and four stage podiums in the Grand Tours.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG has made a major splash with the arrival of Marco Frigo , signing a two-year contract until the end of the 2028 season. The 26-year-old Italian leaves NSN (formerly Israel-Premier Tech) and becomes the first confirmed addition to Pogačar's team ahead of 2027.
Frigo further swells the already large Italian contingent of the Emirati powerhouse, which has its roots in the historic Lampre. His team includes former Under-23 world champion Filippo Baroncini and young Luca Giaimi, while the coaching staff includes top-notch compatriots such as sports directors Manuele Mori, Marco Marcato, Fabrizio Guidi, Fabio Baldato, and Marco Marzano. An interesting detail for cycling history buffs: he is not related to Dario Frigo, former Saeco and Fassa Bortolo rider.
Marco's career path is typical of a top-notch Italian academy: Zalf, SEG Racing Academy, and Israel Cycling Academy, before making the leap to the World Tour in 2023, with the team now known as NSN. And his debut among the elite couldn't have been more dazzling: at the Giro d'Italia in that first year as a professional, Frigo made a name for himself by breaking away three times, taking third, fifth, and sixth place. A remarkable calling card, alongside teammates who would go on to become greats like Derek Gee-West and Matthew Riccitello.
In 2024, he was a key player in the breakaway at the Vuelta a España, where he was among the most aggressive in the peloton, attacking six times and coming close to his first professional victory with a second place in Yunquera. The turning point, the definitive one, came last spring at the Giro del Trentino-Alto Adige (Tour of the Alps), where Frigo transformed a monstrous 78km solo breakaway into a memorable victory in San Candido.
From there, he achieved two more stage podiums at the Vuelta and, this summer, his Tour de France debut, highlighted by a fourth-place finish on the Foix stage. A résumé that speaks of a rider capable of taking center stage when it matters, even without a vast list of victories.
What it means for Fantacycling
The UAE press release describes him as a "strong and versatile rider, capable of performing on a variety of terrain," and his statistics confirm this: four stage podiums in the Grand Tours (between the Giro and the Vuelta) and a remarkable 18 days spent in breakaways in his six Grand Tours to date. Added to this is an excellent tenth place in this year's Amstel Gold Race, a race he approached almost entirely on the attack.
At Fantacycling, Frigo represents an interesting profile, but one that should be carefully evaluated: his breakaway instincts could be partially limited by the new team environment, which is built around absolute certainties for the general classification like Tadej Pogačar , Isaac del Toro , and Joåo Almeida . However, all is not lost for those who bet on him: UAE Team Emirates-XRG doesn't rely solely on big names, having scored 81 and 97 victories in the last two seasons and 64 already in 2026, with victories distributed among 18-20 different riders per season. This statistic suggests that, at the right times and in secondary races or on breakaway days, Frigo could carve out space to play his own cards.
He should be especially monitored in mid-level stage races and the Spring Classics, where the Emirati team often leaves room for maneuver to its elite domestiques: a low-cost investment that could bring unexpected satisfaction to those who include him in the squad with tactical clarity.
Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency
Sports journalist and cycling enthusiast, following professional cycling for over 10 years. Collaborates with FantaCycling to bring you the best analysis and news from the world of cycling.
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The former NSN frontman signs a two-year contract with the Emirati powerhouse, bringing with him a rare flair for breakaways and four stage podiums in the Grand Tours.
