Italian apparel specialist Alé has announced a new collaboration with former professional cyclist Nicolas Roche, who is now active within the gravel racing scene. The partnership aims to combine Roche’s professional experience with Alé’s focus on high-end technical apparel.
Based in Verona, Italy, Alé will support the Irish rider with technical apparel for his training rides and gravel race programme. This includes a custom UCI Gravel World Champion jersey, following Roche’s victory in the Masters 40–44 category at the 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships in Maastricht, the Netherlands.
According to the company, the partnership is part of a broader strategy to strengthen direct dialogue with elite athletes. Roche will provide technical feedback to support ongoing product development.
Roche will be supplied with the PRS 1000 range. Alé notes that this collection is dedicated to professional riders and represents its most advanced research into aerodynamics, body mapping, and anatomical fit.
Alessia Piccolo, CEO of Alé parent company APG, said “Nicolas’ experience in professional cycling and his current vision of gravel racing bring tremendous value to our brand. This collaboration goes beyond sponsorship alone: working closely with athletes like Nicolas allows us to keep refining our products and better meet the demands of modern cyclists.”
Nicolas Roche said “After so many years in professional cycling, I know how much the right apparel can make a difference – not only in terms of performance, but also confidence. Starting this collaboration with Alé is something that genuinely excites me, because we share the same vision of quality, innovation, and passion for this sport.”
Born in 1984, Roche was a professional cyclist from 2005 to 2021. During his career at the highest level of the sport, he claimed stage victories at the Vuelta a España and competed in 24 Grand Tours. Since retiring from the professional peloton, he has focused on gravel racing while acting as an ambassador within the industry.
