Merida (Taiwan) - Press Release: At the beginning of 2017, MERIDA BIKES joined the BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team, not just as a technical sponsor but also as the main partner of this newly formed team. After four years as a co-title sponsor with LAMPRE-MERIDA followed by three incredible years with BAHRAIN MERIDA, MERIDA BIKES has now joined forces with the new Team BAHRAIN McLAREN as the official bicycle supplier and technical partner, allowing us to fully concentrate on providing the team with the best material possible.

Over the three years of its existence, the BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team managed to achieve 199 podium placements in three years, 53 of which were on the top step. We are immensely proud of that achievement but are looking forward to putting all our efforts into supporting the new Team BAHRAIN McLAREN.

With the new team, there are also some exciting new additions to the roster, in the form of Mikel Landa, Wout Poels and Mark Cavendish, to name a few.

The new team will have access to three different bikes, allowing the individual rider to go for their preferred setup as well as tailor the machine perfectly for the various terrains, courses and conditions. The riders will use the MERIDA SCULTURA or REACTO on stages and single-day events and the dedicated TT bike, the TIME WARP for individual and team time trials.

The 2020 roster of Team BAHRAIN McLAREN: Yukiya Arashiro (JPN), Phil Bauhaus (GER), Pello Bilbao (ESP), Grega Bole (SLO), Santiago Buitrago (COL), Eros Capecchi (ITA), Damiano Caruso (ITA), Mark Cavendish (GBR), Sonny Colbrelli (ITA), Feng Chun-Kai (TWN), Scott Davies (GBR), Ivan Garcia (ESP), Marco Haller (AUT), Heinrich Haussler (AUS), Kevin Inkelaar (NED), Mikel Landa (ESP), Matej Mohoric (SLO), Domen Novak (SLO), Mark Padun (UKR), Hermann Pernsteiner (AUT), Luka Pibernik (SLO), Wout Poels (NED), Marcel Sieberg (GER), Dylan Teuns (BEL), Jan Tratnik (SLO), Rafael Valls (ESP), Stephen Williams (GBR) and Alfred Wright (GBR).

Team BAHRAIN McLAREN - technology meets heritage:

The team bikes of Team BAHRAIN McLAREN will stand out from the crowd through the eye-catching new colour design respecting the heritage of McLaren and its famous ‘papaya’-orange. Red and blue elements represent the national colours of the kingdom of Bahrain.

After a testing period in 2019 where the BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team was racing on rim-brakes and disc-brakes side by side, the Team BAHRAIN McLAREN racers will race on discs throughout the 2020 season – except at time-trials. By addressing multiple areas, some significant reductions in weight have been achieved, bringing the SCULTURA DISC team-bikes down to the UCI 6,8 kg weight limit and leaving no reason to stick to rim brakes when weight is the main priority.

To give the riders detailed and accurate information about their performance, the team is using the latest generation of power-meters of the Shimano DuraAce 9100 series. Shimano provides all functional components of heir 9150 DuraAce Di2 series including electronic actuated shifting and hydraulic disc brakes.

With regards to wheels, Team BAHRAIN McLAREN trusts in the latest generation of Vision’s superb METRON SL Disc wheel series, which were further improved in terms of rim-shape and carbon structure. The METRON SL 40 Disc tubular wheels are the ultimate all-rounder, with a fantastic weight of less than 1,25 kg per set and a perfect balance of low weight, high stiffness and suitable aerodynamic. Sprinters and breakaway racers will focus on the METRON SL 55 Disc with a more deep-section rim-profile, offering an improved aero-performance and slightly higher stiffness at full-gas sprinting, while steering might get a bit more demanding during heavy crosswinds. All wheels used by the team are hand-built and trued at Italy, they spin on low resistance ceramic bearings.

In terms of tyres, Team BAHRAIN McLAREN uses Continental Competition Pro ALX LTD 25 mm handmade tubulars. These tyres are known for their perfect synthesis of ultimate grip, super fast rolling and high puncture resistance. In special conditions such as races on cobbles, the team considers giving the tubeless system a try.

FSA and Vision will supply the cockpits and seat-posts. After an intense testing period, a significant part of the team-roster has decided to select the one-piece Vision METRON stem/handlebar combos, which offers superior aerodynamic performance and improve stiffness during sprints. The team’s climbers will choose the FSA K-Force cockpits for their incredible lightweight and stiffness. Vision is as well the supplying partner for the 1-piece METRON TT cockpits and offers specific, 3D shaped extensions for the team leaders. 

Saddles are supplied by Prologo – all with carbon rails and carbon shells. Riders can select in between the PAS system (with central hole) and closed-shell, and if they prefer to use Prologo’s unique CPC anti-friction system. Even the brand-new Scratch M5 saddle will be provided, a compact option that offers a higher level of comfort and an impressive weight of just 140 grams.