Bahrain Victorious Switches to Factor Bikes, Ending Bianchi Partnership

Bahrain Victorious has officially concluded its sponsorship agreement with Bianchi, which lasted only a year. The cycling team announced that starting from the 2027 season, it will transition to using Factor Bikes. This strategic move signifies Factor's reappearance in elite professional cycling, while Bianchi will no longer be associated with a WorldTour team.

Team Transition: From Bianchi to Factor Bikes

Bahrain Victorious has formally ended its collaboration with Bianchi, a partnership that spanned merely one year. The team's decision, announced this week, confirms an immediate switch to Factor Bikes for the upcoming 2027 season. This significant shift in equipment sponsors will see Factor Bikes re-enter the prestigious WorldTour circuit. The team articulated that the termination of their contract with Bianchi was a mutual agreement, paving the way for their new alliance with Factor. This development leaves Bianchi, a historically prominent brand in cycling, without a presence among the top-tier professional teams.

The change comes as a notable event in the professional cycling landscape, with Factor Bikes stepping back into the spotlight of the WorldTour. Factor had previously sponsored Israel-Premier Tech until the end of the 2025 season and has also supported other teams like Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, Human Powered Health, and Ma Petite Enterprise this season. The immediate effect of this transition means that Bahrain Victorious will swiftly integrate Factor's models, including the Factor One, Ostro VAM, and the Hanzō for time trials, into their racing arsenal. This swift change highlights the dynamic nature of sponsorships and technological advancements within professional cycling, as teams continuously seek optimal performance advantages.

Strategic Partnership for Enhanced Performance

The new alliance between Bahrain Victorious and Factor Bikes is rooted in a shared vision for innovation and peak performance in professional cycling. Rob Gitelis, CEO of Factor Bikes, emphasized the brand's commitment to pushing boundaries through competitive racing, seeing it as a crucial testing ground for engineering and new ideas. He noted the symbolic timing of Factor's return to the WorldTour, coinciding with the Tour de France's British Grand Départ, given the brand's British origins. Milan Eržen, Bahrain Victorious's managing director, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the partnership as more than a simple bike supply agreement but a collaborative effort to innovate and compete at the highest level.

Eržen expressed confidence in Factor as an ideal partner, citing their shared performance-driven philosophy and ambition for excellence. The team anticipates that Factor's continuous focus on cycling technology and performance will equip their riders with some of the best equipment available in the peloton. This strategic collaboration is poised to foster advancements in bicycle design and performance, benefiting both the team and the broader cycling community. The mutual commitment to challenging existing possibilities is expected to drive the team towards greater success and solidify Factor's position as a leading innovator in high-performance cycling equipment.