MERIDA to continue its involvement in World Tour Racing

At the beginning of 2017, MERIDA BIKES joined the BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team, not just as a technical sponsor but also as the main partner of this newly formed team. After four years as a co-title sponsor with LAMPRE-MERIDA followed by three incredible years with BAHRAIN-MERIDA, MERIDA BIKES is going to step back as the primary partner and will concentrate on providing the team with the best material possible as the new official bicycle supplier and technical partner of the BAHRAIN World Tour team. 

Since its beginning, the team had a long list of successes headed by team captain Vincenzo Nibali who secured two Grand Tour podium finishes (Giro d'Italia & Vuelta a España 2017) as well as a win in the Tour of Lombardia in the 2017 debut season. Vincenzo also managed to secure the win at the 2018 Milan-San Remo (besides the Tour of Lombardia, another of the five 'monuments' of cycling) and added a third podium finish with a 2nd place in the GC of Giro d'Italia 2019 to his list of successes. The BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team is the only team ever, to achieve two podiums at a Grand Tour in the first season of its existence. 

But our team has been more than just a support network for the 'Shark of Messina'. A long list of individuals has brought diversity and different strengths to the team and allowed for the athletes in red, blue and gold to ride into the spotlight on many different occasions. Other significant achievements over the years have been Sonny Colbrelli's 11 victories including a win in the Brabantse Pijl, stage wins at the Tour de Swiss and Paris-Nice, to name but a few, as well as Matej Mohoric's triumph in the 2018 Tour of Germany as well as the Binck Bank Tour 2018. Further to that, Dylan Teuns managed to secure a stage victory in the 2019 Tour de France and rode one day in the leader jersey of the Vuelta a España as well as the Critérium du Dauphiné, where he also added a stage victory to his tally.  

Overall, the team achieved 199 podium placements in three years, 53 of which were on the top step. 

"We are immensely proud of the last three years and what we have achieved. Being part of the team from its very beginning and securing two Grand Tour podiums in the 1st season gives us a great sense of accomplishment and an eagerness to stay involved with the BAHRAIN World Tour team. It is a great honour as well as a responsibility to continue with one of the most successful teams in the peloton, and we are looking forward to our new role," said Andreas Rottler, Director of Sport Marketing at MERIDA BIKES. 

Right from the start the BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team was supported through MERIDA's dedicated and passionate R&D team, headed up by Director of Product, Juergen Falke, ensuring that the riders were equipped with some of the most advanced technology and material in today's world of road cycling. A broad range of bikes was in the arsenal of the team – the MERIDA SCULTURA (universal road bike), the MERIDA REACTO (aero road bike) and the MERIDA TIME-WARP TT (TT bike). The bikes did not just represent the latest technology and level of innovation in road cycling but also visually represented the team perfectly.

"We were able to implement a wealth of experience that we gained from working with the LAMPRE-MERIDA team, which had a huge impact on the successful work with the BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team. Many ground-breaking innovations, as well as subtle improvements, were made over the years, which helped the team to compete at the highest level. In 2020 a new and exciting chapter starts, and we are looking forward to working closely with McLaren and to assist the team at the highest and most dedicated standard. Together with the team in Woking, we will be pushing the envelope on what is possible and create new standards in bicycle design and development." commented Juergen Falke. 

"We are delighted to be partnering with MERIDA, and look forward to their continuation as an important and integral part of the team. MERIDA’s desire to use technology to further the development of our key equipment mirrors our own, and their track record with the team during the first three years of partnership has demonstrated the quality of their approach. I’m sure that together we can build an even brighter future." summarises John Allert, Managing Director, McLaren Pro Cycling.

We at MERIDA BIKES are looking forward to an exciting 2020 season and will do our utmost to support the BAHRAIN World Tour team in becoming one of the most successful teams in the peloton.