CYCLING – TEAM Bahrain Victorious will compete at the Tour of Britain starting today, with the kingdom’s professional cycling outfit currently performing strongly at La Vuelta a Espana.
The elite men’s road race runs simultaneously with the Spanish Grand Tour’s second week.
The 21st edition starts in Woodbridge and comprises six stages, finishing in the Welsh capital Cardiff on Sunday.
The route mainly favours the faster riders, with only the fifth stage providing a real test for the climbers.
Bahrain Victorious sports director Roman Kreuziger said, “The race is a bit more on the south compared to last year.”
“I would say the first three stages should be sprints. Then stage four finishes with a kick. The fifth stage, the Queen stage, is very solid, with a five-kilometre climb at 8 per cent that we do twice.
“And then the last stage to Cardiff, that seems elevation-wise could be a sprint, but we have to be ready for everything because nine kilometres before the finish there is another kick that really gives opportunities to many riders.
“As usual, the roads are pretty small, and there will be a different level in the bunch, but those guys who want to compete are very high-level riders. So we have to be realistic with our goals,” Kreuziger said.
Four of Bahrain Victorious’ six-man line-up featured in the race’s 2024 edition, including Matevz Govekar, who won the closing stage in Felixstowe. The 25-year-old will be hoping to repeat that victory as early as the first two days, which are both flat.
Providing a lead out for the Slovenian will be former British champion Fred Wright, who starts his home race for the first time. Also helping position Govekar in the crucial final phases will be youngster Zak Erzen and the more experienced Edoardo Zambanini, who was third on day three last year.
Leading Bahrain’s overall ambitions is Pello Bilbao, who enjoyed his debut at the race 12 months ago. Zambanini and Wright will support him when the road does turn uphill.
The selection is completed by the Portuguese Afonso Eulalio, who will provide general support, as well as being another card to play should the opportunity arise.
Kreuziger added: “We have Pello as leader, and Edoardo who also did it last year. Then we have Afonso who is in great shape and we are really looking forward to having him there because the course suits him really well.
“We have the winner of last year’s last stage, Matevz, who is getting there step by step and I really hope that he can do an amazing finale to the season. Then, Freddie, who will want to show himself on home landscape. He knows what we want to see there and he’s in amazing shape.
“Finally, we have the young kid Zak, who should be really important, especially in the first three days for Matevz.”
The opening two days take place close to the eastern coast of Britain and feature almost no climbing at all. After 161km from Woodbridge to Southwold, the peloton will face a 169km loop around Stowmarket. The race then moves to central England with a slightly hillier 123km from Milton Keynes to Ampthill, followed by the second hardest stage, 187km between Atherstone and Burton Dassett. The race ends with a weekend in Wales.
Saturday’s start is in Pontypool and will be a battle between climbers, general classification (GC) contenders, and puncheurs. There are four categorised climbs on the 133km to ‘The Tumble’, after which Sunday’s climax is also the shortest of the week, 112km from Newport to Cardiff. The profile is certainly not flat, and how the stage will be won is difficult to predict.
Kreuziger believes the route is challenging, both technically and strategically.
“Being just six riders, we have to be careful how we split the task and do the things properly,” he said. “For me, the biggest thing is to have riders that are motivated, and then everything comes after that.
“So the focus from day one to six will be on the challenges of the course: smaller roads, wind, the weather, and we have to be ready for everything. We want to be stage winners, but we have to be careful if we want to fight for the podium to take some intermediate sprints where there are also bonus seconds.
“I think top three on GC with Pello is achievable. And with the sprinters, a stage win is also possible. The combination of Pello and Zamba – who finished seventh last year – can do really well. So we want to have someone on the podium.”
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