Bahrain Victorious abruptly parts ways with Bianchi to join with new bike sponsor in 2027

Last year, Bahrain was still riding Merida bikes, but a new deal was subsequently signed with Bianchi. That deal has now been terminated. “We greatly appreciated Bianchi’s support and the passion for cycling that their people brought to the team,” the team said in a press statement. "As we look ahead to our next chapter, we thank everyone at Bianchi for their dedication and wish the company every success in the future."

Tony Grimaldi, Bianchi’s interim CEO, also commented. “It was a pleasure to work with the riders and staff of Team Bahrain Victorious and to support the team at the highest level of professional cycling. We thank everyone involved for their dedication and professionalism and wish the team the best of luck in the next chapter.”

Bianchi was initially a sponsor of Jumbo-Visma, but switched to Team BikeExchange after 2020. After a year of collaboration, the bike supplier partnered with Arkéa, with whom it maintained a partnership until that team folded. Bahrain Victorious signed the deal, but the multi-year partnership has been terminated effective immediately. Factor, on the other hand, is making a comeback.

The American bicycle manufacturer was initially a sponsor of Israel - Premier Tech, but when pressure on that team intensified, CEO Rob Gitelis decided to pull the plug on the project. After a year away, Factor is now returning to the top level with Bahrain Victorious.

"We've found a fantastic partner in Factor, a brand that shares our performance-driven mindset and our ambition to be the best," according to a press release from the team. "Factor is constantly innovating on the bike, with a strong focus on performance, which allows our riders to have one of the best setups in the peloton."

"It was important for us to find a partner who shares our passion for continuous improvement. We believe that by combining Factor’s technical expertise with the knowledge and feedback from our riders and our performance team, we can push the boundaries of performance together and give our riders every opportunity to win at the very highest level.”

Factor also sponsored Modern Adventure last year, but Gitelis is happy that his brand is back in the WorldTour. “At Factor, we’ve always believed that racing at the highest level is essential to who we are. It’s where our ideas are put to the test, where our technology is tested, and where we continue to develop ourselves.”

"Bahrain Victorious shares our ambition and our belief that performance comes from pushing boundaries," the American continues. “We see this partnership as much more than just supplying bikes to a professional team. It’s an opportunity to collaborate, innovate, and compete with the very best. We’re incredibly excited about what we can achieve together starting in 2027.”