Adrian Benito turns professional by signing a two-year contract with Team Polti VisitMalta after an extraordinary season in which he secured 6 victories, including two final classifications in some of the most challenging stage races in the calendar. This is the first new signing officially announced by the Professional team of Ivan Basso and the Contador brothers, who with the signing of the Spanish Under 23 rider confirm their commitment to developing and promoting talent.

Polti VisitMalta is beginning to reveal its structure for 2026. The Italian ProTeam of the Contador brothers and Ivan Basso maintains its clear commitment to developing and promoting talents, as confirmed by its first signing, Adrián Benito, from Granada and coming from Extremadura-Pebetero.

A 21-year-old climber, from Granada and coming from the Extremadura Pebetero club, he began his third U23 season with a podium at the Vuelta al Guadalentín in February and crowned it with success in the Vuelta a Castilla-La Mancha in August. In between, victories of significant weight for the category: the last stage of the Vuelta a Extremadura, the overall of the Vuelta a Zamora, and the queen stage of the Vuelta a Madrid.

Benito's words: "It's a unique opportunity, a dream come true. I know it won't be easy, especially at the beginning, but I'm eager to compete at the highest levels, face new challenges, and take on the new responsibilities that lie ahead. I want to learn, grow, and have fun, ready to support the team's leaders!"

Fran Contador, Polti VisitMalta general manager: "The results speak for themselves, Adrian was one of the best here in Spain and fully deserves the step up to Pro. We are happy that this will happen with us, and I'm curious to witness the growth of this young man."