Matthias Schwarzbacher
Hometown
Brezno, Slovakia
Date of birth
22 December 2005
Languages
Slovak, English, Italian, and a little bit of Russian
Nicknames
Arnold, Schwarzi
Matthias Schwarzbacher is thrilled to join EF Education-EasyPost for his rookie WorldTour season. The 20-year-old from Brezno, Slovakia had a breakthrough year in 2025, finishing sixth in the U23 version of Paris-Roubaix before winning the opening stage of the Giro d'Italia Next Gen. That victory against the clock was the most significant moment of Matthias’ emerging career, and more success followed with a win in the elite men’s time trial at the national championships.
Matthias came to cycling from biathlon, but quickly developed a passion for road racing when he was a young teenager, watching Slovakia’s top star, Peter Sagan, on the international stage.
He is a punchy rider, with a strong sprint and huge turn of power, who can develop into a key lead out rider for us and excel in the classics.
For his first year with the squad, he is going to focus on developing the resilience he’ll need to race a full WorldTour calendar and learn as much as he can from his coaches, sports directors, and teammates.
Questions & Answers
When you stop at a petrol station mid-ride, what do you get?
I never stop at a petrol station.
What is your favorite song in your native language?
“Disney” by Nerieš.
What is your favorite climb? What makes it special?
Srdiečko, my hometown.
What is your favorite thing to do on a rest day?
Drink coffee
When a race gets tough, what do you tell yourself?
How does it feel to know that you could but you didn’t?