Team Bahrain Victorious announced yesterday that they have welcomed three stagiaires for the remainder of the 2024 season, each of whom will start their professional contracts in 2025.
They are Max van der Meulen, Vlad Van Mechelen and Daniel Skerl, and they continue Bahrain Victorious’ investment in youth development by nurturing emerging cycling talents, and supporting their transition into the UCI WorldTour.
The team are delighted to have 20-year-old young Dutch cyclist van der Meulen on board as a trainee, after a season spent with under-23 team CTF Victorious, with whom he won a stage and the points jersey at the Ronde de l’Isard, and finished second at the GP d’Istria.
Another talented stagiaire from the CTF ranks is 21-year-old Italian sprinter Skerl, who has been with the Italian under-23 team since 2022. He has demonstrated his potential with several brilliant results, including a recent stage victory, the white jersey, and second overall at the Ronde de l’Oise.
In the previous year, Skerl won a stage at both the Tour d’Alsace and the Tour of Szeklerland. After debuting as a trainee, he will ride for Bahrain Victorious for the next two seasons.
“I’m thrilled to turn professional with this team, especially after spending the past three years with CTF Victorious,” Skerl said. “Continuing this journey in the WorldTour is a dream come true, and I’m overwhelmed with joy to join one of the top teams in the cycling world.”
Ready to debut with Bahrain Victorious is Belgian rider Van Mechelen, who joins from the development team DSM after two years with Cannibal, TBV’s junior development team.
The 20-year-old won a bronze medal in the junior road race at the world championships, and recently recorded fifth place at Paris-Roubaix Espoirs and sixth at Gent-Wevelgem/Kattekoers-Ieper.
Van Mechelen has signed a two-year contract with TBV starting in 2025, but will join the team as a stagiaire for the Deutschland Tour next week.
“It’s a dream come true to become a professional cyclist,” said Van Mechelen. “I’m incredibly grateful to the team for their trust, and I’m eager to grow as a rider and make many memories together.
“I’m also very happy to have the opportunity to become a stagiaire for the remainder of this season. This experience will help me get settled in the team and become more familiar with professional cycling.”
Among the young newcomers for 2025, Bahrain Victorious has also signed and announced Zak Erzen, who is currently progressing through the ranks with CTF Victorious before joining the WorldTour next season. The 18-year-old Slovenian, who was the 2022 Junior Track World Champion in the elimination race, will complete the season with TBV’s under-23 development team, where he has already won the GP Adria Mobil and secured several podium finishes.
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