🚨 Bahrain Victorious set to race Bianchi bikes in 2026 🇮🇹 🇧ðŸ‡
Merida and the team will end their long association
Hi Subscribers,
I wouldn’t normally send three newsletters in one day, nor would I usually send one this short, but when major news reaches my desk, it’s extremely difficult to keep it under wraps.
I can confirm that Bahrain Victorious will race on Bianchi bikes next season, marking the end of the team’s long association with Merida.
Bahrain Victorious was formed in 2017 as the Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team, and has been using Merida bikes ever since. However, that association will come to an end this year, with the iconic Italian brand Bianchi taking over the supply of bikes to the WorldTour team.
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Bianchi will not be stepping in as a co-sponsor, so the team’s search for additional financial support continues on that front.
The news is another potential blow for Arkéa and B&B Hotels, which saw both of their title sponsors withdraw yesterday. The French team is still seeking new partners, but it’s unclear whether Bianchi will leave them at this stage.
We’ve approached Bianchi and Bahrain for comment.
The team declined to say anything, while Bianchi would only confirm that ‘they would feature in the WorldTour next season.’
For an overview of the team’s transfer strategy, I refer you to this morning’s earlier story, right here.
And if you’d like to support my work, which continues to break news, cover rider transfer stories, and provide in-depth race analysis, please consider taking out a monthly or yearly subscription.
Thanks you
Daniel 🫶
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