Bahrain Victorious
Team Bahrain-Victorious | Team Website
The Bahrain Victorious team started life as Bahrain-Merida and joined the Union Cycliste Internationale's top-flight WorldTour in 2017.
The squad is backed by the Bahrain government and businesses to promote the country worlwide, with Bahrain's Prince Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa a driving force behind the team since creating it in August 2016.
Bahrain Victorious has a strong roster, featuring 2021 Paris-Roubaix winner Sonny Colbrelli, Mikel Landa and Wout Poels, among plenty of other talented riders. A strong 2021 saw the team finish fifth on the UCI World team ranking, after securing multiple victories through a variety of riders.
Colbrelli is currently the team's most successful rider, winning 18 races as he heads into his sixth season with the Bahrain-based outfit. Matej Mohorič is the team's next best rider, achieving 12 wins during his time.
The team enjoyed success in the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Critérium du Dauphiné, acheiving three stage wins in each event through Damiano Caruso, Gino Mäder, Colbrelli, Mark Padun, Matej Mohorič and Dylan Teuns.
Mäder also won the young riders classification at the Vuelta a España, displaying signs of a promising future whereby he can build on his sixth stage victory at the Giro.
However, Bahrain Victorious are still waiting for their first Grand Tour GC win in their short existence, after finishing second twice at the Giro d'Italia in 2019 and 2021 respectively, added to their second-place finish at the Vuelta in 2017.
In 2022 the team will retain the Bahrain Victorious name it acquired at the beginning of 2021, with Milan Eržen acting as general manager. A British core left the team at the start of last year, with title sponsors McLaren, Rod Ellingworth, Le Col and Mark Cavendish all departing for pastures new.
That didn't seem to hinder the team in any way though, with riders from across the globe joining forces to produce the team's most successful year. The 30 total victories from last year surpassed Bahrain's largest haul of 28 from 2018, and included five Classics wins and three GC wins.
Bahrain Victorious 2022 squad
Yukiya Arashiro (JPN)
Phil Bauhaus (GER)
Pello Bilbao (ESP)
Santiago Buitrago (COL)
Damiano Caruso (ITA)
Sonny Colbrelli (ITA)
Feng Chun-kai (TWN)
Kamil Gradek (POL)
Jack Haig (AUS)
Heinrich Haussler (AUS)
Mikel Landa (ESP)
Filip Maciejuk (POL)
Ahmed Madan (BHR)
Gino Mäder (SUI)
Jonathan Milan (ITA)
Matej Mohorič (SLO)
Domen Novak (SLO)
Alejandro Osorio (COL)
Hermann Pernsteiner (AUT)
Wout Poels (NED)
Johan Price-Pejtersen (DEN)
Luis León Sánchez (ESP)
Jasha Sütterlin (GER)
Dylan Teuns (BEL)
Jan Tratnik (SLO)
Stephen Williams (GBR)
Fred Wright (GBR)
Edoardo Zambanini (ITA)
Official website: teambahrainmerida.com
Twitter feed: @bahrain_merida
Facebook page: Facebook.com/Bahrain-Merida-Pro-Cycling-Team-592217904262112
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Meet the latest British rider to join a WorldTour team
Oli Stockwell is one of 11 promising British talents who will turn pro in 2025
By Tom Davidson Published
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Rod Ellingworth returns to WorldTour, rejoining Bahrain Victorious
Former Ineos Grenadiers deputy principal spent one season with the team in 2020
By Adam Becket Published
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More extreme aero: Bahrain-Victorious and Rudy Project officially launch the Wingdream helmet
It was debuted at Paris-Nice, along with Visma-Lease a Bike's Giro Aerohead. Both will be present at the Giro d'Italia on Friday
By Adam Becket Published
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‘Wow, I'm really good at cycling’ - Fred Wright on the ride that changed him
British national champion reflects on his ‘oh yeah’ moment long before turning professional
By Tom Thewlis Published
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'This was the day that I realised I'm quite good at racing' - Matej Mohorič remembers the ride that changed him
A stage winner in all three Grand Tours, as well as Milan-San Remo, Mohorič reflects back on his 2012 Junior World Championships victory
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Matej Mohorič considering using a dropper seatpost for Strade Bianche
The Bahrain Victorious star won Milan-San Remo in 2022 with the help of a dropper post
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
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Phil Bauhaus outsprints Caleb Ewan to win stage one of Tour Down Under
The German recovered from an earlier crash to beat Caleb Ewan and Michael Matthews in a bunch sprint
By Sophie Smith Published
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Wright on Fire: Fred Wright on his breakthrough year, almost winning, and Primož Roglič
The young Bahrain-Victorious rider is one of the hottest properties in the peloton. All he needs now is a victory.
By Adam Becket Published
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'Once in a lifetime': Matej Mohorič on his stunning Milan-San Remo victory in 2022
The dropper post, the daredevil descending, and the Monument win
By Tom Thewlis Published
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CW LIVE: B & B Hotels, team expected to sign Mark Cavendish, collapses; Bahrain Victorious teases new kit; Chris Froome warns of the dangers of Covid-19; L39ion of Los Angeles announce 2023 roster and Tom Pidcock's cyclo-cross calendar confirmed
All the news that's fit to print in the world of cycling
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
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Matej Mohorič: ‘Fred Wright can win a monument... it’s just a question of time’
Milan-San Remo champion says that Wright has proved that he could win a monument in the future
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Europol ends Bahrain Victorious anti-doping investigation
Spokesperson for the European law enforcement agency says "operational phase of the coordinated action against the use of prohibited substances is over"
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
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Bahrain Victorious still in the dark over ongoing anti-doping investigation
Spokesperson for team says that state-backed team ‘yet to receive any information regarding the investigation’
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Sonny Colbrelli officially retires, months after cardiac arrhythmia scare
Former Paris-Roubaix winner speaks of "second chance", as he steps back from pro cycling
By Adam Becket Published
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Dylan Teuns moves mid-season to Israel-PremierTech
Belgian rider moves to new team from Bahrain Victorious in unusual mid-season transfer
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Bahrain Victorious manager defends team after Tour de France raids: 'You will always have jealous people'
The team failed to win a stage of the Tour de France but came close on a number of occasions
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
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172km out front for 77th place: Fred Wright's long but enjoyable day out at the Tour de France
The Bahrain Victorious rider did not even get the combativity award for his efforts
By Adam Becket Published
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La Planche des Belles Filles: will today's Tour de France climb be make or break?
Primož Roglič may be looking to salvage his Tour de France by exorcising his 2020 demons on the brutal climb
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
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'It felt like a bit of a bad dream' — Fred Wright on Bahrain Victorious police raids
British rider has twice been through police searching his hotel at the Tour de France
By Adam Becket Published
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Europol confirms raids on Bahrain Victorious at Tour de France related to 'the use of prohibited substances in cycling races'
Three people were interrogated as officials searched 14 locations in six countries
By Ryan Dabbs Published
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‘No more questions’ - Bahrain Victorious shut down pre-Tour de France press conference
Team hotel searched by Danish Police day before racing begins
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Bahrain Victorious hotel searched by police day before Tour de France starts
Danish Police searched team hotel at 5.30am on behalf of French prosecutors
By Adam Becket Published
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Bahrain Victorious riders and staff homes searched before Tour de France start
Continuation of investigation that started at last year's race
By Tom Thewlis Published
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'You've got to be super-strong': Fred Wright on training for the Classics
The 22-year-old Bahrain-Victorious rider reveals what works for him in training
By David Bradford Last updated
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Stevie Williams says every day in Tour de Suisse lead is 'a bonus'
Williams backed up a win on the opening stage, retaining the overall lead after stage two
By Tom Thewlis Published
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'Not easy, but not impossible': After Tour of the Alps stage win, Pello Bilbao 'dreams' of Giro d'Italia leader's jersey
Bahrain-Victorious rider sprints to victory after teamworks brings the race back together
By Adam Becket Last updated
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Bahrain-Victorious terminate rider's contract after Covid rule breaches
Alejandro Osorio dismissed by team after just eight days of racing for team
By Adam Becket Published
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Sonny Colbrelli suffered an 'unstable cardiac arrhythmia' at the Volta a Catalunya, cause still unknown
Bahrain-Victorious say their rider is in a "good" clinical situation
By Adam Becket Published
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Sonny Colbrelli 'conscious and feeling okay' after collapse at Volta a Catalunya
Bahrain Victorious say tests carried out on Italian show "no signs of concern"
By Adam Becket Last updated