On the eve of Tour de France 2022, the Bahrain Victorious is in the spotlight. This Bahraini formation, under the sights of the authorities since 1 an, endured a series of searches ahead of the inaugural Copenhagen time trial. This team is one, if not the most hated of the World Tour. What are the reasons for the dislike of the cycling community towards the Bahrain Victorious ?
good beginnings, but a little shortness of breath…
Created in 2017 by the intention of Bahraini Prince Nasser bin Hamed Al Khalifa, Bahrain-Merida was in its early years a competitive team. From his early years, this new World-Tour training was mainly focused on the Grand Tours, with the presence of Domenico Pozzovivo from 2018 at 2019, but especially Vincenzo Nibali. The Italian was the locomotive of this team, by winning the Tour of Lombardy in 2017 and Milan San Remo in 2018.
Bahrain-Merida was also present in other areas, with the emergence of Matej Mohoric and Sonny Colbrelli. In short, this team was competitive, especially in 2018. But she is a little less 2019 and in 2020, despite the brilliance of Nibali and Mikel Landa who joined the team in 2020.
13th in the UCI ranking by teams during these two years, the just named Bahrain Victorious realizes a first part of the season 2021 mean. From January 1 until 20 Avril 2021, this team was then ranked 8th in the UCI Team Ranking. She only gets one victory, that of the German sprinter Phil Bahaus during the fourth stage of the Tour of Provence. It is from the end of April that the Bahrain Victorious will be transformed.
…Until a metamorphosis of the team in mid-2021, and performances questioning the world of cycling.
It is from the end of April 2021 that runners take on a whole new dimension. A 33 years, Damiano Caruso has transformed into a true Grand Tour leader, by rising to the second step of the podium of the Tour of Italy. Jack Haig, third of the Return in September and impressive on the Criterium of the Dauphiné, to cross a head in 2021.
Gino Mäder went from adventurer climber, as was the case at the Giro 2021 with his victory in the sixth stage, to a Grand Tour rider hanging a Top 5 at Tour of Spain 2021. Matej Mohorič, already successful in previous years, becomes from 2021 a rider capable of winning stages with cobbled hills, as was the case in Benelux Tour, to win stages as an adventurer, deploying a very impressive gear. the Slovenian is also able to win monuments. Milan-San Remo 2022 is the proof, thanks to his stroke of genius in the descent of the Poggio.
Sonny Colbrelli, previously a good sprinter who handled the bumps well, became a true champion : he is now able to climb well, as was the case during the Tour de France 2021. he is capable of winning a very hilly European championship, And this, after an extremely intense race in Trento.
He got monstrous on cobblestone races, as evidenced by his victory at Paris-Roubaix in 2021, from its first participation. In 2022, the Italian will not return to his level of last year. Victim of a heart attack during the Tour of Catalonia, his future is now uncertain.
The most spectacular Bahrain-Victorious metamorphosis is seen in Mark Padun. Indeed, the Ukrainian climber, after being non-existent at the start of the year 2021, literally exploded during the Critérium du Dauphiné. Already dropped to the general, he wins back and forth 7 and 8th stages, easily dominating opponents. These performances by Padun negatively surprise the cycling community, who now takes a very dim view of the metamorphosis of this team.
La Bahrain Victorious a, in half a year, win 29 victories, and moved up to 4th place in the UCI team ranking. In 2022, Milan Erzen's training is almost a continuation of what it had achieved the previous season : 14 victories, dont Milan San-Remo avec Matej Mohorič, and 3rd in the team classification. The team remains very competitive both in the classics, but also in the Grand Tours, with Mikel Landa's third place at the last Tour of Italy.
The metamorphosis of the Bahrain Victorious negatively surprised many observers, who now distrust this team, and in particular its framing considered sulphurous.
A questionable framework
If the Bahrain Victorious disturbs the world of cycling, it is also because of its framing considered as sulphurous. Many Bahrain Victorious staff leaders have been implicated in doping scandals, starting with general manager Milan Erzen. Indeed, the Slovenian leader has been implicated in the international doping scandal “bloodletting”. Austrian policemen, and the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation suspected him of asking doping doctor Mark Schmidt, buy a centrifuge to perform blood transfusions.
These charges, qualified as “false and unfounded” by the interested party, do not constitute proof of his real guilt or not in the case “bloodletting”, but tarnish his reputation. Furthermore, 7 other members of management have been implicated in doping cases, or polemics :
- Roman Kreuziger, sports director, suspended and then blanched between 2014 and 2015 for anomalies in his blood passport.
- Franco Pellizotti, suspended by the International Court of Sport (THAT) in 2011 for anomalies in his biological passport.
- Gorazd Štangelj, positive control in 2000 with ephedrine.
- Neil Stephens, excluded from the Tour de France with the Festina team, then confession of taking EPO (1998)
- Alberto Volpi, tested positive in 1993 (HCG), is part of the famous Gewiss team between 1993 and 1996 (hematocrit at 38,5% the 15 december 1994, 52,6% the 24 May 1995).
If almost all the World Tour teams contain within them leaders pinned down in doping cases, ces 8 sports leaders quoted, guilty or cleared, contribute to a very bad image of the Bahrain Victorious.
5 years of existence, and already polemics
La Bahrain Victorious, since its creation in 2017, already has many controversies to its credit. In 2019, when the operation “bloodletting” was born, two members of the Bahraini team were involved : Milan Erzen (see above in the article), but also the runner Kristjan Koren. The latter is accused of having used doping methods with the help of Mark Schmidt, in between 2012 and 2013. The UCI suspends him 2019 for two years.
But the case that makes Bahrain Victorious one of the most controversial World Tour teams begins in July 2021, and square Tour de France. Since the 3 July, the team is targeted by a preliminary investigation by the Marseille Public Prosecutor's Office for "heads of acquisition, Importation of a Prohibited Substance or Method for Use by an Athlete”. At the end of the 17th stage, she receives a surprise visit from the brigade of l’OCLAESP in his hotel, in Pau.
During the search, hair analyzes are carried out on all riders involved. Scientists reveal that there would be traces of Tizanidine in these analyzes. The Bahrain Victorious immediately denies the use of this drug. The alleged use of Tizanidine is considered by recognized doctors, as a way to improve performance. One of them, Doctor Jean-Pierre de Mondenard, explains the beneficial effects of Tizanidine :
Jean-Pierre de Mondenard, interviewed by Ouest-France.
During the 19th stage of the Tour, Matej Mohorič aggravates the polemique. By celebrating his second victory on this Tour, he makes a sign “my lips are sealed”. The last time viewers saw this gesture, it was in 2004. Lance Armstrong then made this gesture in front of the camera, minutes after intimidating and humiliating Filippo Simeoni. Indeed, the latter had denounced the doping practices of Armstrong's personal doctor, Michael Ferrari. Mohoric will then retort that he did not know the symbolism of this gesture, which was awkward to say the least., But the damage is done.
One year later, the case continues. Indeed, the European police agency Europol organizes 14 searches on 6 pays, which targets the Bahrain Victorious. This investigation has not yet been completed., but contributes to further tarnish the reputation of this team.
