Arkea Samsic will use Bianchi bikes when it steps up to the World Tour level in 2023.

Bianchi will also supply bikes to Arkea Samsic's women's team and development team as part of a multi-year agreement, replacing Canyon as bike sponsor for the French team.

Arkea Samsic recently parted ways with Nairo Quintana after he tested positive for tramadol during the Tour de France, but the Brittany-based team has consistently scored points over the past three seasons and has finished in the UCI standings with Lot Soudal and Israel Premier They finished 18th in the UCI rankings, just above Lotto Soudal and Israel Premier Tec. They have met the UCI's sporting standards for the WorldTour and are expected to be awarded a three-year WorldTour entry at the end of this month.

Warren Barguil, Nasser Bouhanni, and Hugo Hofstetter will be the team leaders, with Clément Champoussin, Kevan Vokelin, Matthijs Rouvel, and David Decker joining the team in 2023. Britain's Conor Swift moved to Ineos Grenadiers, while sprinter Dan McRae stayed on.

Arkea Samsic will use the recently launched Bianchi Oltre RC aero bike, Specialissima climbing bike, and Aquila time trial bike. The cyclocross rider will use a Zolder Pro. The Bianchi frames will be equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset, Vision TT wheels, Continental tires, Serre Italia saddles, Elite bottles and cages, and Wahoo computers.

Bianchi recently announced the Oltre RC Aero bike, which it claimed would feature "F1-inspired air deflectors" on either side of the head tube to create a low-pressure zone in front of the rider's legs. However, the UCI confirmed to Cycling News that the deflectors could not be used in races, and it appears that the Arkea Samsic Oltre RC team is not equipped with air deflectors.

Bianchi's bike will be prominently colored in celeste blue, while Arkea Samsic's bike will be black and celeste, which will go well with the team's red and black colors. The bike will also bear the name Reparto Corse. Reparto Corse is Bianchi's high-performance brand division, which has historically produced high-end racing and team-supplied bikes.

"In the last few years, Team Arkea Samsic has shown growth by achieving its planned goals. A solid organization and an international approach are two elements we consider decisive, and in the coming years we hope to contribute to the effort to achieve new goals and be well represented in the World Tour," said Bianchi CEO Fabrizio Scarzotto.

Bianchi is one of the historic bicycle brands in the peloton, with Fast Coppi and Marco Pantani winning Grand Tours on their famous celeste blue bikes.

Emmanuel Hubert, team manager of Arkea Samsic, said the team will work with Bianchi on bike development.

"By partnering with the Arkea Samsic team, Bianchi is making a significant return to the level of UCI World Tour racing. Bianchi also wants to work closely with our technical staff and professional riders to develop and improve high-performance products like the new Oltre RC with us," said Hubert.

"We are delighted to partner the Arkea Samsic team with a well-known bicycle brand like Bianchi, known and recognized by passionate people for its tradition and innovation.

." Bianchi, along with its famous riders, has etched the history of the sport in gold letters. I had the opportunity to race professionally on the bikes of this Italian brand, which was and still is one of the treasures of the cycling industry."