Team Bahrain Victorious Back in China for Guangxi 2025

# Team Bahrain Victorious Gears Up for the 2025 Tour of Guangxi

The highly anticipated sixth edition of the Tour of Guangxi is set to unfold from October 14th to 19th, with the race commencing in Fangchenggang. As the final WorldTour event of the season, this year promises to deliver an exciting conclusion to months of competitive cycling.

The race will open with three sprint-friendly stages before transitioning to more strenuous challenges. Participants can expect a particularly demanding route on Friday, featuring four categorized climbs that may lead to either a successful breakaway or a tightly contested bunch sprint finishing in Jinchengjiang. Notably, stage five is marked as the “Queen” stage, culminating in a brutal mountain-top finish at Nongla, which includes a steep final stretch of 3.2 kilometers at an average gradient of 7.3%—with a daunting segment hitting 14.8%. This stage is likely to be pivotal in determining the General Classification standings.

The closing stage in Nanning will present another challenge, as riders will tackle the Cat.2 Qingxiushan hill five times. Last year, Matevž Govekar secured a stage victory for Bahrain Victorious on this very circuit, showcasing the competitive nature of the event.

In 2025, Team Bahrain Victorious fields one of their strongest rosters to date, emphasizing a dual approach. With sprinter Phil Bauhaus leading the charge to capture any of the offered five sprint stages, he brings valuable experience from his 2019 outing, where he secured two top-five finishes. Bauhaus will be backed by Andrea Pasqualon and Daniel Skerl, forming a formidable trio ready to challenge for stage wins.

Simultaneously, the team’s General Classification hopes will rest on Pello Bilbao, who makes his Tour of Guangxi debut. Bilbao’s consistent performance throughout 2025, marked by numerous strong results in the WorldTour, positions him as a formidable contender.

“We are going to China with a mixed team of experienced and young guys,” stated Sports Director Borut Božič. “For the GC, the leader will be Pello, and for the sprint, Phil Bauhaus. We also have other guys who can perform strongly. I expect we will be able to fight for the GC, with the first three stages likely being bunch sprints and the final one a reduced bunch sprint. I believe we are ready and will achieve some good results in China.”

Completing the team are vital support riders Mathijs Paasschens, Roman Ermakov, and Max van der Meulen. Paasschens marks his third consecutive appearance, while both Ermakov and van der Meulen step onto the stage for the first time. Given the rolling nature of the earlier stages, Ermakov may prove to be a strategic asset in breakaway attempts.

This blend of experience, sprinting prowess, and focus on the General Classification positions Bahrain Victorious as a strong contender to cap off the season with success at the Tour of Guangxi.