Merida to end partnership with Bahrain Victorious
Bahrain Victorious and Merida have officially ended their long-running partnership after nine seasons together, the manufacturer confirmed in a press release and Instagram post. The WorldTour squad has raced on Merida bikes since its 2017 debut as Bahrain Merida.
Merida acknowledged the split in a statement, thanking the team and the Kingdom of Bahrain for “the opportunity to be part of this exciting project” and noting that the collaboration had underpinned many of the team’s biggest results. The brand added that it will “consolidate and continue working on exciting new WorldTour racing projects” following the separation.
Team managing director Milan Eržen paid tribute to Merida as “lifelong friends” who played “an integral role in all of our success.” During their nine years together, Bahrain Victorious claimed Grand Tour stages and Monument victories including Il Lombardia, Milan-San Remo, and Paris-Roubaix.
It remains unconfirmed who will be stepping in to fill the Merida-shaped hole, but there are rumours that Bianchi could be the most likely. The Italian brand will be without a WorldTour team in 2026 as it stands after the collapse of Arkéa-B&B Hotels.
