Former professional rider Sonny Kolbreri is set to take a step into the role of directeur sportif in next season's Bahrain victory.

The Italian was forced to retire from the race early in the 2022 season after collapsing with an unstable heart arrhythmia in Volta, Catalonia. His exit from the Peloton was confirmed later that year when he took on the role of ambassador in his team.

He is set to remain in that role until 2024, and team manager Milan Elsen can "share his experience" with the team from behind closed doors,

but the 33・year-old will move on to the role of manager for the new season, the Slovenian boss told GCN.

"No one is coming at the moment, but Sony will be taking a UCI course later this month," Erčen said. "So he will be more and more involved in the Belgian classics in particular.

"So we have about seven or eight sports directors. This year, Sony was the team's ambassador, but I had already participated in the race because I had a lot of experience in races like Belgium and Paris-Roubaix.

"Next year he will have more involvement. He's a legend Young men can see him on TV, and now they can work with him in races. It is a great motivation for young riders."

Former Paris Roubaix winner Colbrelli will join other former professional hosts in the role of director for Bahrain's victory, including Franco Pellizotti, Roman Kreuziger, Michał Goñas, Xavier Florencio, Gorazd Stangelj and Neil Stephens.

He and the rest of the team's backroom staff will work with the current full roster of the team of 28 riders to ensure that Erßen has no more names in 2024.

"Now our focus is on the young men of the future and we are trying to win with these guys," he said. "I don't think it's the right way to invest in older people. There will be 28 riders next year, but the third program is not running.

"Do a World tour and some preparatory races. In Jumbo and UAE, these teams are running a full third program to see the best people in the world at the end of the year, but we are focused on WorldTour.

For the new season, the team will welcome Neoprothin Ray Pickering and Alberto Bruttomesso, as well as Uno-X rider Torstein Træen. Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep) and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) lead the following list, along with Filip Maciejuk, who switched to Bora-Hansgrohe.