Bahrain Victorious signs Ahmed Madan, first Bahraini to make a WorldTour roster

Team Bahrain Victorious announced Tuesday that it signed Ahmed Madan for the 2021 season.

Madan, 20, is the first Bahraini to make it to a WorldTour team roster. He was on the Bahraini national team in 2018, and after proving his abilities over the past several seasons at the Bahrain Cycling Academy, he then raced on the UCI Continental circuit before he made it to the WorldTour tier.

“Ahmed came to the cycling scene through group rides and mountain biking, but he started to show his talent once he started road racing. His first official camp with the national team was in Turkey where he quickly showed his potential,” said Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the president of the Bahraini Cycling Federation. “Last season he raced with Bahrain Cycling Academy on the UCI continental circuit. Making the step-up to the UCI WorldTour is a big feat as Ahmed is the first Bahraini rider to join the elite riders of the cycling world.”

Ahmed said “Firstly, I’d like to thank His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who has given all young Bahraini cyclists a path to compete in this amazing sport. I’m excited about signing for the team, and I want to work hard to make Bahrain proud. This is an opportunity for me to take my cycling to the next level and learn from some of the best cyclists in the world.”

In recent weeks, Team Bahrain Victorious has undergone a transition, with long-time team general manager Rod Ellingworth departing, and team sponsor McLaren exiting. The squad also saw the departure of Mark Cavendish, who returned to Deceuninck-Quick-Step, however, it was confirmed that  Mikel Landa, Pello Bilbao, Wout Poels, Dylan Teuns, and Sonny Colbrelli, among others, would be staying on.