Born to a Swiss father and Italian mother, he is the only remaining Italian team member who took part in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. At 4 years old, he moved to Cembra, Trentino, and discovered curling. He began practising the sport at 11 years old, after trying to make a break in the world of football as a goalkeeper. He was extremely young when he joined the ranks of the national juniors, before beginning his journey to the top. By day, he is an entrepreneur: his company produces synthetic diamond powder, the material used to create the disc that cuts the stone. He took a two-year break when he flew to China for work, but did not cut ties with his lifelong passion.