Team Bahrain Victorious (
) is a
UCI WorldTeam cycling team
A cycling team is a group of cycle sport, cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle racing, bicycle races whether amateur or professional – and the supporting personnel. Cycling teams are most important i ...
from
Bahrain
Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...
which was founded in 2017. Its title sponsor is the government of
Bahrain
Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...
.
History
The idea for a Bahrain pro cycling team was started in August 2016 by Sheikh
Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa (; born 8 May 1987), also known as Prince Nasser, is a member of the House of Khalifa, Bahraini royal family, Commander of Bahrain's Royal Guard (Bahrain), Royal Guard, deputy chairman of the Higher Committe ...
. The team is financed by the government of Bahrain to promote the country worldwide.
Doping
On 5 September 2018, the UCI announced that an out-of-competition test had resulted in an adverse analytical finding of
erythropoietin
Erythropoietin (; EPO), also known as erythropoetin, haematopoietin, or haemopoietin, is a glycoprotein cytokine secreted mainly by the kidneys in response to cellular hypoxia; it stimulates red blood cell production ( erythropoiesis) in th ...
in a sample collected 31 July 2018.
Kanstantsin Sivtsov was provisionally suspended pending the result of any B sample test.
Following Stage 17 of the
2021 Tour de France
The 2021 Tour de France was the 108th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's three Grand Tour (cycling), grand tours. Originally planned for the Denmark, Danish capital of Copenhagen, the start of the 2021 Tour (known as the ) was trans ...
, French police raided the team's hotel and bus on the suspicion of doping. The Police confirmed they conducted the raids and have the riders' training files in their possession, and "A preliminary enquiry has been opened to see if there has been, or not, acquisition, transport or possession of banned substances".
On 27 June 2022, four days before the first stage of the
2022 Tour de France,
Europol
Europol, officially the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, is the law enforcement agency of the European Union (EU). Established in 1998, it is based in The Hague, Netherlands, and serves as the central hub for coordinating c ...
raided residences of several Team Bahrain Victorious staff and riders in several countries including Slovenia, Poland, and Spain. The team stated that the raids were directly linked to the hotel searches that took place at the previous year’s Tour, while
Matej Mohorič
Matej Mohorič (born 19 October 1994) is a Slovenian professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . Mohorič turned professional in 2014. He won the Slovenian National Road Race Championships in 2018 and 2021, and the U ...
and
Jan Tratnik denied that their properties had been searched.
Death of Gino Mäder
During the fifth stage of the
Tour de Suisse on 15 June 2023, Swiss rider
Gino Mäder fell in a turn when descending from the stage's highest point at
Albula Pass. Mäder, 26, was found to be unconscious and submerged in water. He was resuscitated and airlifted to a hospital in
Chur
''
Chur (locally) or ; ; ; ; ; ; or ; , and . is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, town of the Switzerland, Swiss Cantons of Switzerland, canton of the Grisons and lies in the Alpine Rhine, Grisonian Rhine Valley, where ...
. Mäder died from his injuries a day later. Bahrain Victorious, along with two other teams, withdrew from the Tour on the next stage of competitive racing on 17 June 2023.
Team roster
Major wins
World, National and continental champions
;2017
:

Ethiopia Time Trial, Tsgabu Grmay
;2018
: Spain Road Race, Gorka Izagirre
:

Slovenia Road Race, Matej Mohorič
;2019
:

Taiwan Time Trial, Chun Kai Feng
:

Ukrainian Time Trial, Mark Padun
:

Slovenia Road Race, Domen Novak
;2020
: Spain Time Trial, Pello Bilbao
;2021
:

Slovenia Time Trial, Jan Tratnik
:

Italy Road Race, Sonny Colbrelli
:

Slovenia Road Race, Matej Mohorič
:

European Road Race, Sonny Colbrelli
:

Taiwan Road Race, Chun Kai Feng
;2022
:

Bahrain Road Race, Ahmed Madan
:

Slovenia Time Trial, Jan Tratnik
: Japan Road Race, Yukiya Arashiro
:

Asia U23 Time Trial Ahmed Madan
;2023
:

Croatia Time Trial, Fran Miholjević
:

British Road Race, Fred Wright
:

Serbia Road Race, Dušan Rajović
:
UCI World Gravel Championships, Matej Mohorič
:

Taiwan Time Trial, Sergio Tu
;2024
:

Slovenia Time Trial, Matej Mohorič
References
Footnotes
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Team Bahrain Victorious
Cycling teams established in 2017
Cycling teams based in Bahrain
UCI WorldTeams
2017 establishments in Bahrain