OFFICIAL: World Tour riders from EF Education-EasyPost and Lotto-Intermarche among four new signings for emerging ProTeam as they target Giro d'Italia
Cycling
ProTeam MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort enjoyed a successful 2026 season as the Hungarian-based outfit secured a 29th place finish in the UCI team rankings - paving the way to a potential invite to the 2027 Giro d'Italia. Now, they've underlined their ambition by announcing the signings of two WorldTour riders.
WorldTour riders from EF Education-EasyPost and Lotto-Intermarche are among four new signings announced by the team, who welcome EF's Samuele Battistella and Lotto's Lorenzo Rota to their squad as they move from cycling's top tier.
Luca Covili signs from Bardiani CSF 7 Saber and Kamiel Bonneu has also been confirmed in a move from Solution Tech NIPPO Rali. Meanwhile, earlier in the transfer window it was confirmed that Filippo D'Aiuto, who finished the season as a trainee with the team and took a Giro d'Abruzzo stage victory, will continue with the team next season.
Battistella, 27, joins after seven seasons at WorldTour and five Grand Tour camapigns. An experienced all-rounder, his only professional victory came at the 2021 Veneto Classic.
Samuele Battistella
Rota and Battistella arrive from World Tour
Meanwhile, Rota's arrival brings a wealth of classics and Grand Tour experience to the team with the 31-year-old having ridden the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana alone this season.
"We've chosen experienced riders like Rota and Battistella, with the aim of having more riders capable of scoring points ," MBH Bank team manager Gianluca Valoti told Bici.pro.
The arrivals follow the team's forward ambitions after they signed Fausto Masnada last winter. They jumped from 48th in the 2025 rankings to 29th, the biggest move of any team inside the top 30 - and are now eligible for a call-up to any of cycling's Grand Tours.
Team helped produce some top riders
Established in 2011, the team had been Italian registered until the 2026 season, and retain much of its Italian identity with 16 of the 24 riders currently officially contracted for next season being from Italy.
Traditionally, the team has also been home to some rising stars in the sport before their transfers to bigger teams. Giulio Ciccone, Filippo Ganna and Juan Ayuso are among riders who have previously ridden for the squad.
Another hoping to carve a successful WorldTour career is Alessandro Fancellu. The 26-year-old moves from the team to Jayco AlUla after a strong 2026 campaign that saw him take a host of top tens, podiums and two victories. In the final weeks of the season, he also competed at the front end of several of the Italian classics and represented Italy at the European Championships.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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Rafionain-Glas04-11-2026 - maybe this is something else they can protest in the streets of France.mij04-11-2026
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