After nine years together, Bahrain Victorious and Merida bikes have ended their partnership, it was confirmed on Friday morning.
The WorldTour squad has raced on Merida equipment since their formation in 2017 as Bahrain Merida, but is now expected to ride Bianchi bikes from next season. There has been no official announcement, but it has been widely reported, including by Daniel Benson in June.
In a press release, a spokesperson for the Taiwanese brand said: “Everybody at Merida is grateful to the Kingdom of Bahrain for the opportunity to be part of this exciting project and is immensely proud of the many successes the team has achieved. Over the years, this close partnership between Merida and the Bahrain WorldTour Cycling Team Project has been the foundation for the team’s accomplishments.
In the team’s own press release, Milan Eržen, the managing director of Bahrain Victorious, said: “Merida are more than just partners – they are lifelong friends. They have been part of the family from the very beginning and played an integral role in all of our success.
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