New ProTeam recruits Finestre runner-up amidst Arkéa collapse chaos

Arkéa - B&B Hotels will no longer be a part of the professional peloton in 2026. Having failed to find sponsors, the French squad announced its demise, leaving many riders without a contract for the following season. While a tragedy for many cyclists, it's also a great opportunity for some of the smaller teams to add depth to their ranks as many quality riders are desperately looking to secure their futures on the cycling market. And that is exactly something MBH Bank Ballan CSB Colpack has taken advantage of with the recruitment of Alessandro Verre.

The Hungarian-Italian team takes a step forward in 2026 with a promotion to ProTour level. At the moment, their lineup for professional debut is still taking shape, but the addition of 24-year-old Verre massively improves the future prospect of the newcomers in professional peloton. continues to shape its squad for the 2026 season with the arrival of Verre. The current list of names penned for 2026 includes 21 names with not many more expected to be added.

Verre arrives with a wealth of experience following four seasons at the professional level, racing for Arkéa both before and after WorldTour promotion. Of those four seasons, the 2025 year was by far the best for the Italian.

He finished second in the queen stage of the Giro d'Italia crossing the mythical Colle delle Finestre and wore the mountains jersey during the Italian stages of the Vuelta a España, a letter of introduction that confirms his growth as a rider of long efforts and hard terrain.

The Lucan climber returns to a familiar environment, as he wore the Colpack team colors before turning professional. In 2021 he raced one of his best seasons in the jersey of Colpack as a U23 rider:

Now, after four years with Arkéa in the WorldTour, he returns to an environment he knows well. And it doesn't feel like a step backwards.

"In these four years I have accumulated a lot of experience in top-level races. Each adventure demands new expectations, but the important thing is to keep calm. All I ask for is health and continuity: I've seen many riders lose months due to viruses or illnesses. I feel that I improve every year, but also the level grows, so the results come only with hard work."

Waiting to be fully integrated into the team's dynamic, Verre combines gym sessions and road training. His preseason in Basilicata is progressing smoothly. "I'm returning to family. Here there are human relationships, closeness and impeccable organization," says the Italian, convinced that this environment will be key to continuing his progression.

For team manager Bevilacqua, the addition was almost a matter of destiny: "We've always had great respect for Alessandro. Towards the end of the summer the possibility of meeting again came up and we both saw it clearly. He is an important addition to a squad that we already consider very competitive."

With his return, the Colpack adds a climber with past, present and future. Verre has a birthday (on November 17) and a new project: a double reason to look to 2026 with ambition.