BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS ‘BEST TEAM’ AT THE TOUR OF BRITAIN AS TRÆEN HOLDS ON TO TOP 10 AT LA VUELTA

# Bahrain Victorious Shines at the Tour of Britain While Træen Maintains Top 10 at Vuelta

The final stage of the Lloyds Bank Men’s Tour of Britain concluded on Sunday in Cardiff, showcasing an impressive performance by Team Bahrain Victorious. They secured both a third and fourth-place finish throughout the stage, ultimately clinching the overall Team Classification for the 2025 edition of the race.

Fred Wright, who was part of a breakaway throughout the day, earned the title of ‘Most Combative Rider’ after being caught just meters from the finish line. He took to the podium alongside his teammates, as Bahrain celebrated their victory in the ‘Best Team’ classification. The team had an exceptional week, achieving seven top ten results. Afonso Eulálio notably finished sixth in the General Classification, a mere 12 seconds behind the winner, Romain Grégoire.

The event also marked a heartfelt farewell for Geraint Thomas (IGD), a former Tour de France champion and a pivotal figure in Welsh cycling. His presence was felt throughout the event, particularly as the final stage began from a velodrome named in his honor. “We at TBV pay tribute to the phenomenal career of a true legend in our sport. Chapeau ‘G’!” the team shared.

Reflecting on the stage, Sports Director Aart Vierhouten discussed the day’s challenges: “Today was a very active race from the start,” he explained. “Many teams were trying from the off on a short and hard stage, made harder because of torrential rain and the five previous stages.” Key moments included Fred Wright’s valiant attempts to secure victory on the first-category Caerphilly mountain, where he came close but ultimately fell just short.

Vierhouten emphasized the strategic approach taken by the team: “We had a plan and a tactic to try to move up in GC to do something on the last climb… We really tried to go across to Fred and then do a final effort for both the GC and the stage.” Although Wright’s efforts were commendable, the high-speed competition proved too challenging, with just 25 meters left to the line.

In addition to Wright, the team’s strong performance included six riders ranging in age from 19-year-old Žak Eržen to 35-year-old Pello Bilbao. As the team disperses globally for the year’s closing races, Vierhouten remained optimistic: “We showed a good spirit today as we have all week… We missed the cherry on the cake, but all of us feel that it is coming closer.”

While the Tour of Britain wrapped up, the Vuelta a España was entering its second week with a challenging hilly 15th stage. Santiago Buitrago positioned himself prominently within a breakaway group, finishing fourth in a reduced pack. Meanwhile, Norwegian rider Torstein Træen, who held the leader’s jersey for four days, finished 13’31” behind the peloton but successfully retained his position in the overall top ten.

As both competitions progress, the anticipation builds for further strong performances from Bahrain Victorious.