EXCLUSIVE Daily Star Sport travelled to Italy to get a behind the scenes look at one of cycling's most prominent brands

Monte Grappa is an impressive peak. It towers menacingly over the vast, flat plain below, and on a clear day, the view from its summit stretches as far as Venice, almost 100km away.

It’s a haven for cyclists these days. The winding road that seems to touch the sky leads to one of the Giro d’Italia’s most famous climbs - but it’s also one of its most solemn reminders of the past.

Riders pass the military memorial and ossuary, commemorating those who lost their lives in both World Wars. Bassano del Grappa is one of the many towns nestled in its shadow, and it’s here that Daily Star Sport finds itself as summer slips into autumn.

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The day before Daily Star Sport landed in Italy, Brandon McNulty closed the book on the 2026 season, rolling into Bassano del Grappa adorned in the rainbow bands to win the Veneto Classic.

The region can also claim a small share of the American's success. Fizik, the saddle brand he was using, is based in Pozzoleone, around 15 minutes south of Bassano del Grappa.

Founded in 1996, Fizik is already something of an established name in the sport. The Italian brand began by producing saddles, and at the 2026 Tour de France, three teams were using its products – including the team of eventual winner Tadej Pogacar.

Every Fizik saddle is made in Pozzoleone, and Daily Star Sport was given a behind-the-scenes look at the manufacturing process, where around 1,500 saddles are produced every day. From the saddles used by everyday cyclists to those trusted by the professionals.

But the jewel in its proverbial crown is the “One-to-One” project, which gives riders the opportunity to have a bespoke saddle created specifically for them.

Speaking to Daily Star Sport earlier this year, Fizik Brand Manager Alex Locatelli explained how their discovery of 3D printing transformed the company's approach to saddle design.

They realised the technology could “create different zones within the same saddle and the same padding”. Locatelli continued: “We wanted to create something unique for every rider, in different positions, on different bicycles.

“Because the same rider can create different pressure based on the geometry of the saddle or based on how they're sitting on the bicycle. This is the technology that allowed us to do that.”

Cyclists sit on a resistance saddle while pressure maps are taken to identify their individual needs, allowing Fizik to create a saddle tailored specifically to them. While this is the centrepiece of the brand's current offering, Fizik also offer helmets and cycling shoes.

Daily Star Sport learned more about their production processes - from finding the balance between aesthetics and performance while adhering to strict safety standards, to seeing just how much development goes into creating a finished product.

The initial designs for cycling shoes, in particular, can look a world away from the final product, with some taking as long as two years to develop. And it's not just the shape and structure that undergoes changes along the way.

Fizik’s development team explained how they experiment with different colours and shades to highlight the shoe’s construction, helping bring the design to life.

It’s an impressive process - and one that is exactly the same for the likes of Pogacar, McNulty and Isaac Del Toro as it is for you or me.

The Giro d’Italia will return to the roads around Bassano del Grappa next year, although it will avoid the dizzying heights of Monte Grappa, instead opting for a sprint finish in Possagno.

And the fans lining the roadside could well be wearing the same equipment, made in the same small factory, as the heroes they're cheering on.