The rumor had been circulating for a while, but now it’s official: Bahrain Victorious will have Bianchi as their bike sponsor starting in 2026. Both parties announced their multi-year partnership today. It had already been revealed that Bahrain Victorious would part ways with Merida.
Bahrain Victorious and Merida shared a long history. The team was founded in 2017 as Bahrain Merida, and since then the squad always rode bikes from the Taiwanese manufacturer. That is now set to change. In an earlier press release, Merida hinted that a new collaboration with a WorldTour team was underway. “Further details about Merida’s WorldTour plans will be announced soon,” the bike brand wrote.
Bianchi, the successor to Merida at Bahrain Victorious, still sponsored Arkéa-B&B Hotels in 2025. However, that team will disappear from the peloton next year due to financial problems. By stepping in at Bahrain Victorious, Bianchi will continue to maintain a presence in the WorldTour.
