Bahrain Victorious

After adding the word ‘Victorious’ to their moniker two years ago, few expected this Bahraini WorldTour outfit to live up to their new name and be mightily successful at cycling’s top-level. 

While they haven’t established themselves as 

 best team on the men’s WorldTour, they have certainly not disappointed. Last season saw them win big at Milan-San Remo thanks to a dropper post and nerves of steel from Matej Mohorič, while Dylan Teuns delivered a victory at La Flèche Wallonne for the first time in their history. Sadly, the team witnessed the departure of Sonny Colbrelli in 2022 after the sprinter was forced to retire due to a heart condition. 

After a breakthrough season, though, British all-rounder Fred Wright could step into the former Paris-Roubaix winner’s shoes when it comes to picking up wins in both the Classics and Grand Tours.

Pello Bilbao

Matej Mohoric

Jonathan Milan

Mikel Landa

Santiago Buitrago

Damiano Caruso

Wout Poels

Phil Bauhaus

Antonio Tiberi

Jack Haig

Fred Wright

Gino Mäder

Yukiya Arashiro

Edoardo Zambanini

Matevz Govekar

Andrea Pasqualon

Sergio Tu

Dusan Rajovic

Filip Maciejuk

Rainer Kepplinger

Nikias Arndt

Hermann Pernsteiner

Ahmed Madan

Kamil Gradek

Johan Price-Pejtersen

Nicolò Buratti

Cameron Scott

Fran Miholjevic

Jasha Sütterlin

Heinrich Haussler

Racing

Features

Racing Features

How cycling broke Sonny Colbrelli's heart

 had a steady march to the top of the sport. He started as the darling of the Italian pro continental scene with the Bardiani set-up. Then came the move to team Bahrain where he developed on the World Tour into a consistent contender on the punchy finishes around the World Tour. Finally, he realised his full potential in winning the notorious 2021 Paris-Roubaix. For a couple of months, Colbrelli was on the short list of the best riders in the world. Then, in a second, he was out of the sport. For good.

 in March of 2022, Sonny Colbrelli suffered an exercise-induced cardiac arrest at the finish of a stage. No more than a minute after he crossed the line of stage 2, Colbrelli fell unconscious after a heart arrhythmia stopped his heartbeat for three minutes. The Italian was resuscitated on scene and was rushed to the hospital, but from that point on continuing his career was a losing battle. The Volta a Catalunya proved to be the last time the cycling world would see him race.

documentary, presenter Alan Marangoni caught up with Colbrelli a year after his collapse to talk about his early racing career, his successes and the aftermath of his final race. Marangoni not only talks to Colbrelli, but also his wife, a former team director, a mental coach, Colbrelli’s father, a sports doctor and cardiologist and some of Colbrelli’s former teammates like Matej Mohprić and Damiano Caruso who are still ensconced in the peloton.

Through these characters and Colbrelli himself, the complications of Colbrelli’s retirement is very much a developing story. To peek in at this moment, as Marangoni is able to do, gives incredible insight into the man, into the potential dangers of the sport, and the complicated psychology that all the world's top cyclists must have. A psychology that Cobrelli had to work to build up before it wound up binding him to a sport that he could no longer compete in. What had made him a winner also made it incredibly difficult to accept his inability to race safely – a challenge that is obviously still at the forefront of his conscience.

It is also still so recent. Rarely can a rider’s illustrious history that is so fresh be processed so definitively within two years of their biggest triumph. Athletes are oftentimes too stubborn to bow out on top. As evident by his reluctance to exit the scene even after a near fatal heart attack, there was no chance Colbrelli could untangle himself from cycling one year after a season like 2021. It would be fundamentally against the nature that he built in order to achieve that success.

If you consider Colbrelli’s career, the rider he was in 2021 was not so much an anomaly, but instead a refinement. Throughout the later half of the 2010’s, Colbrelli was steady in his climb up the rankings and his improvement in races like the spring classics. Yet, wins were still rare compared to how often Colbrelli would wind up on the podium. In 2021, that shifted, and podium placements became victories against the biggest riders at the big races. First at the Critérium du Dauphiné, then at the Benelux Tour, before the biggest triumphs at the European championship against Remco Evenepoel and lastly at Roubaix versus Mathieu van der Poel.

“I’ll always remember,” Corbrelli told Marangoni while reflecting on his Roubaix win” {Van der Poel] caught up and looked at me and said ’Sonny, let’s go.’ I was worried about crashing because I didn’t have his experience on the mud and cobbled but my luck was holding.”

In his first Paris-Roubaix, after a year of working on his mentality with special coaches, after years of talent development in the second division Pro Continental ranks, after the confidence that came from beating Evenepoel at the European championships. Colbrelli had belief that he could win. Or as he said in classic cycling terminology: “After that I knew I was on a good day.”

Unfortunately, that win was not another mental building block for successful racing. It is now a memory in Colbrelli’s annals of the proverbial good old days. Now, Colbrelli’s heart that pulled him to victories had sidelined him for good. As we see in the documentary, that story is something unique, tragic, but altogether fundamental to the romance and glorious complexities of our sport.

Check out the trailer for the new documentary 

 to watch a deep archive of bespoke cycling documentaries, as well as live racing from across the calendar and around the world.

Tech

Tech Features

2024 Men's WorldTour bikes: A guide to the bikes, groupsets, and tech of the top-tier teams

 is set to deliver another year of unforgettable racing.

Like at the beginning of every season, there will be a short period of familiarisation as teams emerge from their winter hibernations with new riders, kit and, for some, names – It will take us a while, for example, to get used to 

Luckily, there is much more consistency in the realms of 

, where teams only tend to make major changes every few seasons when their current brand partnerships come to an end. 2024 is no different, with most teams riding the same bikes, groupsets and wheels as the previous season, although there are some notable changes.

Here’s a complete guide to all of the bikes, groupsets, wheels and tyres that every team at Men’s WorldTour level will use during the 2024 season.

Tech partnerships can change at any time, so we’ll keep this guide updated as and when any more new partnerships are announced.

Best men's WorldTour bikes of 2023: Which brand won the most races?

WorldTour bike sponsorship changes for 2024

, the bike brand transfer merry-go-round isn’t quite as intense, so there’s always a degree of stability and familiarity. Most teams sign multi-year deals with their selected brands, so the opportunity to swap to a different one only comes around every few seasons - unless a team is willing to break a partnership off early, but that can lead to some public spats, as Lotto Dstny found out in 2023.

Ridley hits back at Lotto Dstny ‘disloyalty’ over early ending of partnership

Luckily, there doesn’t appear to be any such animosity between 

 called an end to their 22-year partnership ahead of the 2024 season

, which also sponsors fellow WorldTour team Astana Qazaqstan. Groupama-FDJ are one of only two men’s WorldTour that swapped bike sponsors for 2024.

 joined them on this list after switching to Decathlon-owned Van Rysel bikes from BMC. AG2R have been partnered with 

 since 2021 and the Swiss brand has been an ever-present in the WorldTour peloton for over a decade.

Lapierre and Groupama-FDJ split after 22 years of collaboration

Elsewhere, there are no changes. That means that the two most successful teams, UAE Team Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike, will continue to ride 

 bikes, respectively. Ineos Grenadiers’ long-standing partnership with 

 have been joined by Wilier in the list of brands which sponsor more than one team. Canyon is partnered with Alpecin-Deceuninck and Movistar, while Specialized is a long-term partner of Soudal Quick-Step and Bora-Hansgrohe.

Shimano dominance continues, Campagnolo clings to WorldTour status

While Canyon and Specialized win the popularity stakes for bikes, 

 completely eclipses it on the groupset front. The Japanese manufacturer has dominated the WorldTour peloton for a number of years now and it only appears to be getting stronger.

Fourteen of the 18 men's WorldTour teams used the Dura-Ace groupset in 2023 and that number hasn't budged in 2024, although its line-up has changed with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale hopping aboard from Campagnolo while Bora-Hansgrohe have headed to SRAM.

Mechanical Shimano 105 goes 12-speed and is disc-brake only

 sponsored three teams in 2023 but that is up to four with the addition of Bora. Among the other SRAM-sponsored teams are Visma-Lease a Bike, Lidl-Trek and Movistar. Despite its inferior numbers, SRAM boasts a flawless Grand Tour record in 2023, teaming up with Jumbo-Visma to win the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España.

’s stay at WorldTour level came to an end after AG2R made the switch to Shimano as a part of its partnership with Van Rysel. The historic Italian brand is also absent from the 

Why will Campagnolo be absent from WorldTour level in 2024? GCN Tech Show

Canyon’s bikes have topped the podium at multiple Monuments and Grand Tours over the last few seasons, usually at the hands of either 

. Last year’s palmarès included wins at both Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix, before Philipsen topped off a four-stage haul with the green jersey at the Tour de France.

All of those victories came atop the aero-focussed Aeroad, but the team also uses the lightweight Ultimate for climbing stages.

Ollie Bridgewood’s new Canyon Aeroad CFR in Alpecin-Deceuninck team colours

Few bike brands have as much pedigree within the sport as 

. Its Celeste colourway has become a fan favourite but, beyond the looks, the Italian brand’s bikes have teamed up with some of the biggest names in cycling’s history, including Fausto Coppi.

After Jayco-AlUla jumped to Giant for 2022, Bianchi was briefly left without a home in the WorldTour, but it made a comeback with 

Bianchi launches updated 6.6kg Specialissima road bike

 will be hoping that the Manx Missile can make history by breaking the record for Tour de France stages win in 2024. He’ll attempt to do it atop a 

 bike. Italian brand Wilier and the Kazakh team have been working together since 2020. 

Last season there was some confusion over the team's wheel sponsor with both Corima and HED wheelsets making an appearance, but this year the team has switched to Vision.

Mark Cavendish's Wilier Filante SLR: New pedals, saddle, and wheels for 2024

 since the team’s inception in 2017 and it doesn’t look like that will change anytime soon. The pair extended the partnership into 2022 to an undisclosed time, only stating that it is a “multi-year partnership”. As a minimum, the team will race Merida bikes during the 2024 season, when it will be hoping to build on its 12 WorldTour wins in 2023.

 who added another achievement to the Merida palmarès late in the season when he won the Gravel World Championships atop a then-unreleased 

Bahrain Victorious pro bike: Jack Haig’s Merida Reacto

headlines in late 2023 when they signed Primož Roglič from Jumbo-Visma

. The Slovenian will head up their GC ambitions at the Tour de France where he’ll hope to depose former teammate Jonas Vingegaard.

With a new team comes a new bike in the form of the 

. Released in August of 2023, it’s the latest version of Specialized’s do-it-all superbike. Unlike other brands, Specialized doesn’t offer dedicated climbing and aero bikes, instead packing everything into one machine.

The team also stole the tech headlines over the winter through their 

, which may have been influenced by the arrival of Roglič, who has been using the American brand's groupsets over the last few seasons.

Sam Welsford’s Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8

’ long, 15-year wait for a Tour de France victory to an end in 2023. He delivered the victory atop the 

 795 Blade RS which only broke cover at Eurobike in June, although the team had been riding it since swapping over from De Rosa at the beginning of the season.

Having only linked up for the 2023 season, it appears that it’s already been a 

 partnership for Cofidis, but can it propel them to more victories in 2024?

Bryan Coquard's Look 795 Blade RS: Cofidis’ Do-It-All Superbike

AG2R Citroën is one of the rare teams to switch bike brands for 2024 after Decathlon jumped on-board as co-title sponsors, bringing 

. The team previously rode Decathlon bikes between 2000 and 2007.

That move brought to an end the team's three-year partnership with BMC who will be absent from WorldTour level for the first time in over a decade. The team's switch to Shimano also means that Campagnolo is without a WorldTour team for 2024.

Having previously worked with the now Jayco-AlUla team, 

 in 2021 and the partnership was extended by an extra two years at the beginning of 2023. Along with its Foil, Addict and Plasma bikes, the team also uses finishing kit from Scott’s in-house Syncros brand, including saddles and cockpits. 

This was extended to include time-trial wheels

 in 2023 after Syncros released its Capital SL wheelset.

News

Race News

Bahrain Victorious swap red for white for 2024 team kit

 have unveiled their new team kit for 2024, moving away from the red they have used for several seasons to don a white jersey with teal and navy accents, and navy shorts.

The kit is manufactured by Alé, who has made the team's kit since 2021, and will be worn by the likes of gravel world champion 

The Bahrain-backed squad has ridden in largely red kits since its inception, inspired by the Bahrain flag. This summer at the 

, the team wore a special ‘pearl white’ jersey, intended to symbolise the pearl fishing in Bahrain, and the 2024 kit returns to that theme for the full season.

Bahrain Victorious Team Talk: A year of contrasting emotions

The teal accents, which have been on the kit since 2022, also have a symbolic purpose.

“Building on the tremendous success of the Tour de France 2023 kit, the design keeps the striking teal touches that represent the tones of the shallow waters of the ‘two seas’ renowned for their rich pearling beds surrounding the kingdom. The gold accents across the design hark back to the team’s foundation in 2017, which perfectly highlights the pearl white design,” a team press release read.

The navy blue accents and shorts, which replace the previous black, are meant to represent the team’s commitment to cut their carbon emissions.

“Along with the gold touches, the team returns to its foundation, switching back to navy blue from black. With the connotations around black and carbon, this is more than just a mere colour change; it represents a commitment from the team and our partners to reducing our carbon footprint, aligning with the UCI’s mandate for teams to cut emissions by 2030,” they said.

UCI cuts organisational emissions by 20%, according to first sustainability report

On the front of the jersey, the logo of partner Bapco Energies - an arm of the Bahraini Ministry of Oil and Gas - is slightly more prominent in this new design, with the team saying they will call on the company’s expertise to help lower their environmental impact.

“Our commitment as a team towards achieving these sustainability goals is also to inspire future generations and encourage broader adoption of cycling as a sustainable form of movement,” the team said.

As well as the sponsor logos, the jersey features a small red #rideforGino motif, just below the main logo, in tribute to Gino Mäder, who died whilst racing for the team in June of 2023.

To go with the new kit, the team were pictured on white Merida bikes, with matching teal and gold accents, and similarly colour-coordinated Rudy Project helmets.

Bahrain Victorious join Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, Arkéa-B&B Hotels and dsm-firmenich PostNL as the men's teams who have released their kits for next year, whilst Egan Bernal also leaked a possible version of the Ineos Grenadiers 2024 kit.

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Name	Age	UCI Career Wins	UCI Points
Pello Bilbao	34	17	2338
Matej Mohoric	29	25	2127
Jonathan Milan	23	11	1581
Mikel Landa	34	16	1409
Santiago Buitrago	24	5	1221

Bahrain Victorious

Bahrain Victorious

The Team

Top Bahrain Victorious Stories

How cycling broke Sonny Colbrelli's heart

2024 Men's WorldTour bikes: A guide to the bikes, groupsets, and tech of the top-tier teams

Bahrain Victorious swap red for white for 2024 team kit

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