Cycling
Meet Arne Marit, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe's winning new signing
A late signing to the team, Belgian Arne Marit just gave Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe their first win of the 2026 cycling season in Mallorca. Get to know him better before the spring classics kick off.
Until last week, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe's new Belgian signing Arne Marit didn't have to think long to find an answer to the question of what was the best moment of his cycling career so far. "Morbihan," he said after a moment's thought, referring to the one-day race in the department of the same name in north-west France that provided the backdrop for his first and, at the time, only victory as a professional.
That was in his first year as a professional cyclist in 2021 and in a season turned upside down by the pandemic, the race normally held in May concluded the UCI ProSeries in mid-October. There, established sprinters like Bryan Coquard and Elia Viviani, who had a combined total of 130 victories at the time, lost out to the neo-pro from Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise. "That gave me a lot of self-confidence. Plus the adrenaline was brilliant – a great moment," remembers the 27-year-old.
Now however, after joining Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe during the off-season and sprinting to victory at the recent Challenge Majorca race, where the team got their 2026 season underway, Marit has a new career high-point to celebrate. Not bad for a rider who didn't have a team until the Red Bull squad signed him up. Here's what you need to know about him.
Arne Marit sports his new Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe kit
© Maximilian Fries/Red Bull Content Pool
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He's made a winning start at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe
In the first race for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, Marit returned the faith placed in him by the team with a brilliant victory at the Challenge Majorca early season race at the start of February, turning his role as the lead-out guy into a surprise win.
Marit was actually supposed to ride lead-out for 19-year-old newcomer Alessio Magagnotti, who dominated the Italian junior scene last year. However, a crash on the approach to the final sprint meant that both riders got separated in the confusion and Marit found himself in the best position. Immediately switching his mindset from a supporting role to sprinter in his head and rode to victory for the second time in his pro career.
"It was a relief. Seeing that I haven't lost my killer instinct means a lot to me," Marit says of his triumph.
It also partly explains Marit's very emotional jubilation after crossing the finish line. Marit had come close to victory time and again during recent seasons, including third in La Vuelta a España stage late last summer.
A good part of the jubilation was also likely relief that a very stressful off-season turned out so positive. Despite having contract with the long-standing Intermarché team, Marit fell victim to the team's merger with Lotto - a decision he was only informed of at very short notice, making the search for new employment difficult. He was already considering offers to sign with smaller teams when he was contacted by Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe sporting director Zak Dempster, with the offer of a new home, which Marit gratefully accepted.
"The first few weeks in the team were overwhelming. I arrived last minute and quickly had to get used to 150 new people, riders and staff," says Marit. "What impressed me the most was that every time I asked for something, I got help straight away. It's crazy how quickly people can make something happen. I'm in a very professional environment here and I notice that not only in training, but also with the equipment. However, that also means there's no more excuses. If it doesn't work now, then it's the legs!"
Marit and fellow Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe newbie Remco Evenepoel chat
© Maximilian Fries/Red Bull Content Pool
There's no more excuses. If it doesn't work now, then it's the legs!
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Scandinavian sounding name, but a true Belgian cyclist
The name Arne Marit might give off Scandinavian-sounding vibe, but this man was actually born and raised in the heartlands of Belgian cycling. Born, raised and still living in the Vollezele area between Bruges and Geraardsberge, Marit knows the historic epicentre of Belgian cycling like the back of his hand. The roads around Oudenaarde, Geerardsbergen, Ninove, Ronse, centres of the great Belgian classics, are all just a stone's throw away.
"I train around the area every day, I know the routes by heart. These roads have no secrets for me," says Marit.
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That's exactly why he's expected to significantly strengthen the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe squad for the upcoming one-day classics, which didn't really get off the ground last year. While his main task for the rest of the season will be to prepare sprints for Jordi Meeus and Danny van Poppel, he will be tasked with getting his road captains as deep as possible into the finale on Belgium's cobbles and punchy climbs. "I know the rules very well and want to help the boys get through the crucial sections safely. I want them to benefit from my experience," explains.
The first few weeks in the team were overwhelming. What impressed me the most was that every time I asked for something, I got help straight away
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Arne Marit: pro cyclist and secret artist
Like a lot Belgian boys and girls from that area, Marit has been cycling the classics roads from childhood. "I started cycling quite early, at the age of 10 or 11. When my father went out for a ride with his mates every Sunday, I wanted to do the same," he recalls. That was also Tom Boonen's big time and was a huge idol of mine. It didn't get really intense however until I was 16, when I switched to a bigger club for the first time. Because it worked straight away, I never stopped riding. I won the Nokere Koerse [A Belgian semi-classic single day race cycle] twice in a row as a junior and that's why it's still my favourite race today."
Cycling wasn't Marit's only passionate hobby as a youngster however. In fact, he was a talented artist, focusing on painting and drawing, but had to give it up to focus on racing: "There was no room for both cycling and painting alongside school, so I had to make a decision."
Marit might have hung up his easel, but he still indulges his artistic streak in other ways today: "I'm a coffee lover and I have a really good machine, so I like to try my hand at latte art."