Bahrain-Victorious 2026 Tour de France team guide: Tiberi targets GC as Martinez hunts KOM

2025 Tour de France:

• 2025 Tour stage wins: 0 
• 2025 Best GC finish: 40th - Santiago Buitrago

2026 Objectives:

Antonio Tiberi will lead the team's GC ambitions and will be supported in his quests by the very experienced Damiano Caruso.

"Our main objective is to fight for stage victories, while also supporting Antonio Tiberi in the general classification. We believe he can challenge for a top ten," explained Bahrain-Victorious Sports Director Roman Kreuziger.

Meanwhile, Lenny Martinez has outlined his ambitions to target stage wins and the polka dot jersey. 

“My goal for this Tour de France is to try and bring home a stage victory, while also fighting for the polka dot jersey, so those are my two main objectives," said Martinez.

"Antonio [Tiberi] will be looking after our general classification ambitions, while the rest of us will be looking for the right opportunities to go for stage wins.

Bahrain also have German fast man Phil Bauhaus who will be expected to mix it up in the sprints. 

"Phil Bauhaus makes his third Tour de France appearance. He’s come close to a stage victory before and we believe he can challenge again, while he’s also shown he is willing to work for his teammates when the race demands it," added Krueziger.

🇫🇷 Lenny Martinez (22): Despite being only 22, Martinez is lining up for his third Tour already. The Frenchman was a contender in the KOM battle last year, even enjoying a spell in polka-dots, and he has outlined his ambition to target the classification and a stage victory this year. He finished second at the Volta a Catalunya, third at the Tour de Romandie and also fifth at Paris-Nice. However, more recently, Martinez went stage hunting at the Tour de Suisse, almost claiming victory on the queen stage, only to be denied by Tadej Pogačar in the closing kilometres. 

🇸🇮 Matej Mohorič (31): A three-time Tour stage winner, Mohorič has proven his craft and always poses a threat from any breakaway. Following a steady campaign, including eighth at the Tour of Flanders, the Slovenian may head into his eighth Tour more under the radar than usual.

🇦🇺 Robert Stannard (27): Stannard has earned back-to-back Tour de France call-ups for the first time in his career, showing the faith placed in the Australian by Bahrain-Victorious. Stannard was also part of the successful Giro d'Italia side that won three stages in May.

🇮🇹 Damiano Caruso (37): The experienced Italian will line up for his 23rd Grand Tour and his eighth and final lap of France before retiring at the end of the season. Even at 37, Caruso remains one of the best in the business, finishing ninth at the Giro d'Italia in May, all while supporting breakout star Afonso Eulálio to sixth overall and the youth classification. Caruso will likely play a similar role supporting Tiberi's ambitions.

🇮🇹 Antonio Tiberi (25): The Italian is set to embark on his seventh Grand Tour, but interestingly, his first Grande Boucle.Tiberi started his campaign by winning atop Jebel Mobrah en route to second overall at the UAE Tour, but has been low-key in his stage races since. The 24-year-old finished fifth at the Giro in 2024, winning the youth classification, and will be targeting a high GC in his debut Tour.

🇧🇪 Vlad Van Mechelen (22): Making his Grand Tour debut is the 22-year-old Belgian Vlad Van Mechelen. The Belgian most recently finished third on stage 2 of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes from the breakaway before ending third at the Belgian TT championships.

🇵🇱 Kamil Gradek (35): The road captain of the team is the experienced, strong Pole Kamil Gradek. The 35-year-old has raced six Grand Tours previously, and will be able to protect the likes of Martinez and Tiberi when required in the fast and chaotic flat stages.

🇩🇪 Phil Bauhaus (31): The 31-year-old German is the team's designated fast man. Bauhaus has raced the last three editions of the Tour de France, and has become the nearly man, securing two second places and three third-place stage finishes.