2017: Bahrain with an Italian accent

A newcomer to the pack of the world elite, the Bahrain-Merida team has been built around an Italian backbone, although the team can genuinely boast to be a melting pot with riders from Japan (Arashiro), Australia (Haussler), Lithuania (Navardauskas) and also Ethiopia (Grmay). The fact remains that the team was conceived and based around the winner of Le Tour in 2014, Vincenzo Nibali, who recently finished 3rd on the Giro d’Italia and who will be replaced as team leader by Spaniard Ion Izagirre on Le Tour. However, to date, the main contributor of victories to the young Bahrain-Merida roll of honour is Sonny Colbrelli. The sprinter from Lombardy triumphed on Paris-Nice in Amilly in front of a group of the leading sprinters, with Arnaud Démare and John Degenkolb behind him on the day’s podium. He will perhaps have an opportunity to further convince observers on the second stage in Liège, which is not far from the roads where he enjoyed his other success this season, on the Flèche Brabançonne.

Bahrain-Merida riders to watch out for on Le Tour 2017: Ion Izagirre (Spa), Sonny Colbrelli (Ita)