It is in a decidedly original and creative way that Mattia De Marchi has launched his new gravel project The Grip. Through a carefully crafted series of content, skillfully spread over the last three months and rich with references to the 90s/2000s (VHS, Tamagotchi, Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls, the sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", Blink-182 and PlayStation), the thirty-four-year-old from Mirano has revealed the new racing reality that this year, thanks to his efforts both as team manager and rider, will bring a special touch of color and freshness to some of the most important races in the global gravel panorama.

It is here, from Santa Vall to The Rift, passing through other prestigious events like The Hills, Sea Otter Classic, The Traka and Unbound Gravel, that the newly formed elite gravel team will seek to stand out by carrying a philosophy that combines competition and racing spirit with other elements that have always revolved around the gravel universe: community, aesthetics, and storytelling.

"It's a new project, with a precise direction and a bike designed for modern gravel. Having an active role in team development makes this challenge even more interesting," De Marchi stated during the launch.

"Gravel has always been much more to me than just a type of surface. It's where I found my balance as a cyclist, between the freedom to explore and the desire to race with grit. Over the years, it has given me more than I expected and brought me back to the basics: the effort, concentration, and clarity you experience when you're immersed in a race and everything else disappears... from that sensation, The Grip was born," continued Alessandro's cousin.

"It's a pure and simple racing project that will take shape wherever I decide to challenge myself, on the road, on trails, on the climbs where races are decided, on every dirt section I'll tackle, through competitions, long days spent on the bike, and the curiosity that has driven me from the beginning. It carries with it everything I've learned so far and the ambition to go beyond."

In carrying out this mission, Mattia will obviously not be alone at the helm of The Grip. Accompanying him on this adventure will be twenty-nine-year-old Belgian Jordy Bouts (winner of Utopia Gravel Fest in 2025) from Unibet Tietema Rockets and Swatt Club, and twenty-two-year-old French rider Eddy Le Huitouze, who after two years in the World Tour with Groupama-FDJ decided to completely change direction. From a technical standpoint, the trio will be supported by Wilier, which, with the idea of strengthening its presence in high-level international gravel, has embraced The Grip's cause and will provide the trio with a Rave SLR ID2 with a dedicated livery.

"With The Grip, we are not starting a new adventure," said Andrea, Enrico, and Michele Gastaldello, brothers and partners of the historic Italian brand.

"In gravel, we have already demonstrated our ability to win the most important races, and this project represents the definitive step to have a constant and coherent presence in gravel racing, in parallel with a product offering that is receiving very positive feedback, as shown by the success of the Rave SLR ID2. Competition and product grow together, faithful to the Culture of Speed and the way Wilier interprets off-road."

Through this support and that of other high-level partners like SRAM, Prologo, Miche, and Pirelli, The Grip has everything it needs to unite competition, performance, development, and gravel culture, obtaining, thanks to its strong identity, a wide recognition capable of bringing even more people closer to and passionate about the discipline.