Selle Italia doubles down on off-road racing for 2026
Selle Italia is ramping up its off-road racing programme for 2026, backing a broad roster of teams and riders across cross-country, cyclo-cross and gravel as it looks to sharpen both its sporting presence and its product development pipeline.
The Italian saddle brand says the expanded line-up underlines a deeper commitment to competition off the tarmac, with support stretching across several of the sport’s most demanding disciplines and a clear focus on using elite racing feedback to refine future products.
Among the headline names are Alpecin – Premier Tech and Fenix – Premier Tech, two squads that give Selle Italia visibility across multiple terrains and formats, helped by star riders including Mathieu van der Poel and Puck Pieterse.
In Olympic-style mountain bike racing, Selle Italia will also work with Thömus Maxon, home to current XCC world champion Alessandra Keller, as well as KMC Nukeproof MTB Racing Team and Lapierre PXR Racing. The brand’s 2026 strategy also extends firmly into marathon racing, where it will sponsor Buff BH Team, Klimatiza Orbea Team, Torpado Kenda FSA Factory and FOL Racing Team.
Cyclo-cross remains a central pillar of the programme too, with specialist teams Creland-Corendon and Seven Racing included in the new season set-up. On the individual athlete side, Selle Italia points to Kate Courtney, identified in the release as the current XCM world champion, and Gaia Tormena, the reigning XCE world champion, as key figures in its off-road push.
Gravel, unsurprisingly, is part of the picture as well. Selle Italia says it will partner with Ribble Outliers and support several leading gravel privateers as the discipline continues its rapid rise on the international scene.
What stands out here is the way Selle Italia is positioning racing not just as a marketing platform, but as a test bench. The company says constant contact with athletes gives it valuable feedback for saddle development, with products tried at the highest level before reaching everyday riders.
That gives the 2026 programme a dual purpose. On one hand, it keeps Selle Italia highly visible in some of cycling’s fastest-growing and most competitive off-road categories. On the other, it reinforces a long-standing brand message that performance, comfort and design are best developed under real race pressure.
For cycling fans, the breadth of the line-up is arguably the main story. From cyclo-cross mud to short-course cross-country and all-day marathon events, Selle Italia is making sure its saddles are represented across almost every corner of elite off-road racing in 2026.
