Team Bahrain Merida announce Abu Dhabi Squad

Entered this year in the UCI World Tour circuit, the third edition of the Abu Dhabi Tour will kick off on February 23 with four stages for a total of 671 kilometres. Vincenzo Nibali will lead the squad.

"Race preview" - said sport director Gorazd Štangelj - "suggest three stages for sprinters with a medium mountain stages to outline the general classification”. "That's why - he continued - the team will have two leading figures: Bonifazio for the sprints and Nibali for the GC.”

The Italian young sprinter will be to return to competitions after the Australian Santos Tour Down Under in January: "I have prepared this race riding on the roads of the Ligurian sea" said Niccolò, "and I hope to fight with the best."

Good feelings also for the captain Vincenzo Nibali: “I just came back from the Teide training camp and the condition is improving. Compared to Argentina, I should be more competitive and I expect to do a good race."

"I will be on my third Abu Dhabi Tour participation - said the Italian champion - and I well know the decisive climb. Slopes are interesting and there's even a short downhill section. If you attack at the right time can make the difference”.

The Team Bahrain Merida will be at the start of Abu Dhabi Tour with:

Vincenzo Nibali,
Manuele Boaro,
Franco Pellizotti,
Kanstantsin Siutsou,
Ramunas Navardauskas,
Janez Brajkovic,
Valerio Agnoli
Niccolò Bonifazio