The Spanish Pello Bilbao and the Swiss Gino Mader, winner of the Giro stage and best youngster in the 2021 Vuelta will be the leaders of the Bahrain Victorious in the UAE Tour that will take place between February 20 and 26, the first World Tour race of the year.
Bahrain’s bet revolves around the experience of the Biscayan cyclist (Gernika, 31 years old), ranked ninth in the 2021 Tour de France and in Mader’s youth, the revelation in the last Vuelta a España with fifth place.
For the Emirati test, in which the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates) will be the defending champion, Bahrain will play the double trick in a team that completes Hermann Pernsteiner, Colombian Alejandro Osorio, Jonathan Milan, Johan Price-Pejtersen, and Filip Maciejuk.
“I am very happy with the team for the UAE Tour 2022, we will go with ambitions for the general classification with Gino Mäder and Pello Bilbao. Gino has the potential to become a Grand Tour driver and has already achieved great things, so for the first time he will be leading,” said Australian team principal Neil Stephens.
Stephens refers to Pello Bilbao as “a more experienced runner and an excellent climber” in whom he trusts to play the double trick with Mader.
“The general classification will not only be decided in the two mountain stages. It will be a very complete race, with wind, time trials and sprints,” concluded Stephens.