After the Bessega twins, Team Polti VisitMalta announces the signing of another young Lombard rider for the next two seasons. The seventh new addition — and the fourth Italian — is another rider turning professional by joining the structure led by Ivan Basso and the Contador brothers: fast rouleur Dario Igor Belletta.

A former national road champion and world track champion as a Junior, the 21-year-old from Arluno (near Milan) has since gained valuable two-year experience with Visma Development. This year, riding for the Veneto-based club Solme Olmo, he finished 2nd at both the Milano–Busseto and the Italian U23 Championships, before taking victory at the Visegrad 4 Kerekparverseny in Hungary. He also represented Italy's U23 national squad in the Nations Cup.

Belletta: "I'm feeling an indescribable emotion — I'm finally turning my lifelong passion into a profession! But I see this as a starting point, not a finish line. From mentors like Basso and Contador, and from their technical staff, I have only things to learn, and I know I can grow enormously here. My mind is already on the first pedal strokes with this team."

Ivan Basso, team principal Polti VisitMalta: "He's one of the most exciting young riders we have in Italy, he has proven it in every category he has raced. Now our goal is to work on his all-round development so that he can become one of the strongest talents of his generation."