2024 Season Review | Bahrain - Victorious: Antonio Tiberi shines, but Jonathan Milan's departure hurts

Bahrain - Victorious entered 2024 with high expectations following a strong previous season, yet this year proved challenging for the team. Finishing 17th in the UCI World Tour standings with 13 victories, a decrease from 19 in 2023, the team dropped six places from last year’s 11th position. Only Astana, Cofidis, and Arkea placed lower in the rankings from the World Tour teams, marking a clear need for introspection and adaptation.

Bahrain’s financial backing by the Bahraini government aims to project the nation’s image globally, yet their performance this year underscored the pressure to return to form among the world’s elite. With the financial backing the team has, most would argue they would have been hoping for better.

In 2023, Bahrain celebrated a standout Tour de France, taking an incredible three stage wins with riders like Pello Bilbao, Wout Poels, and Matej Mohoric, along with the Giro d’Italia points classification, claimed by Jonathan Milan. This strong foundation raised the bar for 2024, but Bahrain fell short of expectations, as if you look at their wins from 2024 there’s a glaring omission: not a single win in any of the three grand tours. This year, the team’s top results were Santiago Buitrago’s 10th place in the Tour de France general classification and Antonio Tiberi’s 5th in the Giro, which left a void in the team’s usual presence in stage victories.

Santiago Buitrago, aged 25 and hailing from Colombia, was one of the bright spots in Bahrain’s season. Known for his climbing stength, Buitrago previously claimed two stage wins at the Giro d'Italia in 2022 and 2023, and stepped up for his debut Tour de France this year, showing strong form once again. Alongside Antonio Tiberi, Buitrago was a rare highlight in an otherwise challenging season for Bahrain-Victorious.

Winning stages in Grand Tours provides a significant boost to any team, both financially and in terms of exposure, as these results draw sponsorship interest, increase media visibility, and boost rider and team morale.

For Bahrain - Victorious, the absence of a Grand Tour stage win in 2024 not only impacts these aspects but also affects their appeal to sponsors who value visibility in these prestigious races. It serves as a reminder that, while consistent performance is beneficial, stage victories often act as a definitive measure of success within the peloton. Maybe it’s unfair to compare them to their 2023 performances in grand tours, where particularly in the Tour de France, they achieved some truly remarkable results.

But there was one missing rider from this year, who certainly made a big impact on the team’s results.

One of Bahrain’s significant losses this year was of course Jonathan Milan, who departed for Lidl-Trek. Milan, an Olympic gold medallist and one of the fastest sprinters in the peloton, successfully defended his Giro points classification but, did so under his new team’s banner.

Given that Bahrain’s win count was down by six races compared to last year, Milan’s departure may have played a role in their dip, as he could have potentially added to their 2024 tally. His absence leaves Bahrain searching for a similarly prolific rider to enhance their sprinting prowess. The 24 year old sprinter from Tolmezzo has been the dominant force in the Italian grand tour over the last two years, which will have been painful for the Bahrain team to watch.

It won’t be long before Bahrain – Victorious have to watch Milan compete for and win stages at the Tour de France, and even the Vuelta a Espana.

One of Bahrain’s key figures, Matej Mohoric, also experienced a challenging season. After an emotional Tour de France stage win in 2023, where his post race win is of course famous now as one of the best sporting interviews of all time, Mohoric struggled to replicate that form. He managed only two wins this season, in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and the Slovenian national time trial championship.

His near miss at the gravel worlds and illness at Il Lombardia underscored a season of setbacks. At 30, Mohoric still holds potential to contribute significantly, but Bahrain may need to consider how best to support him in reclaiming his form next year. Mohoric is one of the most talented, and intelligent riders in the peloton, who uses his incredible bike handling and understanding of science to master some of the season’s most difficult races. He’s a former winer of Milan-San Remo, and Bahrain – Victorious need him back to his best next season.

Among the season’s positives was the emergence of Antonio Tiberi as a promising GC contender. Tiberi, at 23, won the young rider classification at the Giro d’Italia and took the overall title at the Tour de Luxembourg, where he outmanoeuvred Mathieu van der Poel in a dramatic finale.

Reflecting on his Luxembourg win, Tiberi expressed his delight, stating, “This is my first stage race win and the first time wearing the yellow jersey. I’m so happy.” His 5th place in the Giro, along with his Giro white jersey victory, demonstrates that Bahrain may have found a rider capable of shaping their future Grand Tour aspirations. In what was just his second season for the team, Tiberi showed that he can be a GC contender in the future. He was of course unlucky to suffer from illness at the Vuelta, whilst leading the young rider’s classification.

2024 also marked the end of an era with the departure of Yukiya Arashiro, who dedicated eight years to Bahrain - Victorious. As one of the longest-serving riders in the peloton, Arashiro’s commitment and leadership were instrumental to the team’s development. His farewell reflects Bahrain’s ongoing shift towards developing younger talents, but his influence within the team will be missed. He truly was one of the hardest working veterans in the peloton.

Looking ahead, Bahrain - Victorious faces a period of transition. Wout Poels, another mainstay, will join Astana Qazaqstan Team, and his departure will leave a gap in Bahrain’s lineup, particularly in mountainous stages. However, the team’s acquisition of French climbing talent Lenny Martinez signals a commitment to strengthening their roster. Martinez, highly regarded for his climbing potential, aims to make a significant impact on Bahrain’s Grand Tour ambitions, with an eye on the ultimate prize, the Tour de France. He’s just about the hottest prospect in French cycling right now, and the team will be desperate to get the most out of him.

Let’s take a look now at some of the other ways that they can improve next season.

Getting back to winning ways in Grand Tours: After failing to win a Grand Tour stage in 2024, Bahrain will need to prioritise stage victories as a means to restore momentum and increase media and sponsor interest. A grand tour stage victory is a must.

Strengthening the Classics squad: Bahrain’s limited presence in the Classics requires addressing, as success in these races boosts a team’s reputation and provides valuable UCI points. Investing in riders who specialise in one-day races could bolster Bahrain’s competitiveness in these events. They can’t continue to rely solely on Mohoric to get the job done in the classics.

Rediscovering their sprinting: With the departure of Milan, Bahrain lacks a sprinting leader. Rebuilding a sprint train and identifying new sprint talents will be essential for maintaining their competitiveness in flat and fast finishes.

Focusing on young GC talent: Riders like Tiberi and new signing Martinez hold promise for Bahrain’s GC ambitions. Providing them with the right support and race opportunities could help establish Bahrain as a more consistent Grand Tour force.

Bahrain - Victorious ends the 2024 season with mixed results, earning a score of 4.5/10. While they struggled to replicate last year’s success, the emergence of young talents and a few key victories provide hope for the future. Bahrain’s task in 2025 will be to convert these promising performances into a more consistent season, ensuring their presence in the upper echelons of the UCI rankings.

As they regroup, the team has set the groundwork to bounce back, and the additions of new talents, such as Lenny Martinez, suggest an upward trajectory in their ongoing pursuit of WorldTour success. Let’s hope they can return to winning stages in grand tours, as soon as possible.