BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS MAKE A STRONG START TO THE CANADIAN DOUBLE-HEADER

# Bahrain Victorious Shines in Canadian Cycling Double-Header

Bahrain Victorious kicked off their Canadian double-header with impressive performances at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, setting the stage for Sunday’s upcoming challenge in Montreal. This week showcases two crucial late-season UCI World Tour races, with the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec leading the way.

The race, held on a demanding 216 km city circuit, featured 18 laps, each showcasing the notorious Côte de la Montagne, which served as both a significant climb and the finish line. Early on, a breakaway group formed, extending their lead to over six minutes. Bahrain’s Matej Mohorič smartly bridged to this group, contributing to a decisive seven-man formation with about 75 km remaining.

Among those in the final group was former World Champion Julian Alaphilippe (Tud), who executed a successful attack on the last climb. Alaphilippe clinched victory, with Pavel Sivakov (UAD) and Alberto Bettiol (XAT) following in second and third. Mohorič finished strong in fifth, just ahead of Mattias Skjelmose (LTK), showcasing his growing form as the season progresses.

Reflecting on the race, Mohorič expressed, “Today I actually had really good legs. We raced well as a team in the first part, and I conserved a lot of energy thanks to Nikki [Nikias Ardnt] and Fran [Miholjevic], who helped us out there with positioning and we could save our bullets for the final.”

Despite missing out on a podium finish, Mohorič remained upbeat about the team’s performance. “Still, fifth place is a good result, and I’m happy I did the best I could do today. It is also a good result for team spirit… So we are looking forward to Montreal.”

Team dynamics were a focal point for Bahrain’s Lead Sports Director, Michal Golaś. He commended the riders for adhering to their race strategy, particularly Mohorič’s late breakaway move, which he described as “a really, really great job.”

As Bahrain Victorious gears up for the 2025 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal scheduled for tomorrow at 10:15 local time, the team remains optimistic. “I think we raced pretty well all the time and we really stuck to our plan, so that’s great,” Golaś concluded.

With a strong showing in Quebec, Bahrain Victorious is poised for continued success as they head into the next challenge in Montreal.