01 January 2017 Issue 31 by PowerUp Magazine

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2018 ROSTER

Bahrain BD2

KSA SR20

Kuwait KD1.75

Oman RO2

Qatar QR20

UAE DHS20

Get to know the new riders of the team

CYCLING IN BAHRAIN

Bahrain Cycling Association President, Shaikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Khalifa gave a sneak peek on what the year 2018 awaits for cyclists in Bahrain

TOUR DE FRANCE 2018 The shortest route of the 21st century

READY TO CYCLE?

Check out the list of cycling organisations you can join this year

BRENT COPELAND

Bahrain-Meridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ge neral manager shared a pr eview of the team for 2018

SHOWROOM:: CITY CENTRE BAHRAIN 17178136 SEEF MALL manama 17242014 seef mall muharraq 17268001 DIADORA OUTLET HOORA (OLD PALACE ROAD) 17530705 SHOWROOM:: CITY CENTRE BAHRAIN 17178136 SEEF MALL manama 17242014 seef mall muharraq 17268001 DIADORA OUTLET HOORA (OLD PALACE ROAD) 17530705

SHOWROOM:: CITY CENTRE BAHRAIN 17178136 SEEF MALL manama 17242014 seef mall muharraq 17268001 DIADORA OUTLET HOORA (OLD PALACE ROAD) 17530705

FOREWORD

BAHRAIN AND SPORTS INFLUENCING THE GCC AND THE WORLD

I strongly believe that an efficient physical education programme equips people with vital qualities, such as leadership, perseverance, social and moral character, self-esteem, commitment to teamwork, and problem-solving and organisational abilities. In today’s most challenging environment, such skill helps individuals to succeed in life, and that brings prosperity to the nation. We are always on the lookout

for ways of improving facilities and practices for physical education. One example of this is that I feel we should develop a more holistic physical education policy to be implemented

“

help children to learn hard work, patience, persistence, and how to respond positively to setbacks and failures. Most importantly, sports helps a child to prepare to take on the many challenges that life has to offer and emerge victorious like a champion. Sports is an important part of the culture of the Gulf countries, especially endurance horse riding and show jumping, which has an immense traditional value, although we must not forget that there are other sports and sporting events that boast a rich history for us.

“

Sports can be a powerful tool to promote the holistic growth and development of the youth. In Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, we are dedicated to providing all sorts of opportunities for our young people as far as sports is concerned.

Healt h is a lifestyle an d I ch ose it . HH SHAIKH NASSER BIN HAMAD AL K H A L I FA

right from the early school stages. Possibilities for implementing such a policy are being explored. Essential life skills are so often the outcome of an effective physical education. In fact, sports have been proven to raise IQ in addition to building confidence and teaching kids about managing emotions, such as self-control. Sports

I welcome PowerUp’s continued support in all areas of sports. I hope that more and more people will support local teams and sporting initiatives in their communities; educating the youth on the benefits of healthy living and a healthy lifestyle. PowerUp is a good source of information to get you started.

HH Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth & Sports, President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

Editor-in-Chief Deputy Editor Editorial Contributors

Redia Castillo Rose Yap Sharon Joseph HH Shaikh Nasser Media Office HH Shaikh Khalid Media Office Bahrain Olympic Committee Media and PR Bahrain Merida

HR and Finance Admin & Sales Coordinator Layout Design Photography

Dushan Kanchana Karyl Pinto Carol Almadrones Bench Medina bettiniphoto.net

Videographer

Readers’ Feedback “PowerUp Magazine keeps me informed of basically every event and more importantly offers a variety. I like it so much that I have one at home and in my car” - Abdulla Abdul Rahim Abdul Salal “PowerUp Magazine is one of the latest magazines that gives an exciting read offering the perfect blend of sports and health. I like it because they are unique” -Hesham Mallallah “PowerUp Magazine talks about personalized sports routine and the best recommended sports for different people. The best thing I like is that they do cover many sports activities for Bahrain by shaping its citizens to be healthy physically and mentally. “ -Brian Joseph

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DESIGN YOUR LIFE The first Bahrain based sports, health and fitness magazine. Our goal is to promote the sports culture and inspire our readers in the Arabian Gulf to take charge, be fit, and stay in shape for life.

ADRIEN NIYONSHUTI A professional bicycle racer for South African UCI WorldTeam Team Dimension Data

PowerUp is an influential source of useful and entertaining content dedicated to sports, health, and wellness. Addressed to an audience of health-conscious readers in the GCC region.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

The year 2017 has been an action-packed year with Bahrain reaching the pinnacle of sports. We saw Bahrain winning various accolades in the international and national stages. These would include HH Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa qualifying for the 2018 Ironman World Championship, the historic Brave International Combat Week, Bahrain champions winning gold, silver and bronze medals for their outstanding performance and 2017, the First Asian Cycling Championship held in Bahrain and the IMMAF World Championships.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

It was a week of celebration as His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa took the first place in the IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Championship Bahrain. Winning the amateurs and military category title has earned HH Shaikh Nasser a slot in the 2018 World Triathlon Championship which will be held in Kona, Hawaii. Shouldering the expectations and pride of the Kingdom of Bahrain, His Highness is one step closer to his dream. The Island looks forward to yet another remarkable performance in bringing the victory home! Winning the award for the best global mixed martial arts promotion 2017, the Brave Combat Federation is the talk of the town. The Mixed Martial Arts organisation also made a milestone of signing 139 athletes from 32 nations within a year. His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa was praised for his global impact and for nurturing the athletes. With a plethora of sports base in Bahrain, 2018 will witness KHK Sports launch the Bahrain Premier League for T20 Sports. It is the first franchise based T20 cricket tournament to be held in the country. Bahrain hopes to build a strong cricket base encouraging more local participation in the sport. It’s game time! Gravity Indoor Skydiving held the ultimate indoor skydiving competition in Bahrain, Flight Fighters. This was a part of the preparation to host the third FAI World Cup of Indoor Skydiving in October 2018. The competition will gather the most advanced indoor skydiving stars from around the world to compete in several disciplines. It’s the UCI World Tour Season again with Team Bahrain Merida all set after their training camp in Hvar in Croatia. Optimistic for the pro cycling season, the team has geared up with the new jerseys and 2018 version of the bike Merida Reacto. Team Bahrain Merida has also strengthened its team with new members, with Vincenzo Nibali lining up to win his second Tour de France. The man behind the team, Brent Copeland shares with us what’s new and the teams’ goals for the season.

UAE DHS20 Qatar QR20 Oman RO2 Kuwait KD1.75 KSA SR20

It’s the cycling season, and everything you need to know to get geared up is right here! We’ve got you covered with the latest trends, how the pros are training this season and the buzz in the world of cycling.

Bahrain BD2

With the perfect blend of cycling and yoga, Fatima Batook introduces the ground breaking fitness regime. She takes on flexibility, organised training and a dash of variety to keeping you going all the way. It’s not Pure Yoga, its Pure Yoga + Cycle.

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F O O TB A L L W I TH A TW I S T HIS HIGHNESS SHAIKH KHALID BIN HAMAD AL KHALIFA BOOSTS THE YOUTH SECTOR THROUGH THE SPORT OF FUTSAL

BARING THE ESSENTIALS IT PAYS TO MIND THE NUTRITION BASICS

ARABIAN CRICKET CARNIVAL 2017 THE BIGGEST CRICKET EVENT CREATES A NEW CRAZE IN THE KINGDOM

KEEPING YOUR COOL ONE CUP AT A TIME INDULGE WITH HEAT-BUSTER AND HEALTHY SIPS

PowerUp team wishes everyone a Happy New Year. Our heartfelt thanks to all our valued readers for your support and we look forward to having you with us as we update you on the sporting events for 2018!

Editor-in-Chief PowerUp Magazine

Get in touch @PowerUpMag

@PowerUpMag

facebook.com/powerupmagazine JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

CONTENTS

JANUARY 2018 ISSUE

SPORTS

H E A LT H

Sports News

Calendar of Events

Perfect Blend of Yoga and Cycling

Braving The Cold Weather on Wheels

Top Trends Set To Make Waves in 2018

Tour De France Set to Begin

Health and Spa

The Man Behind Team Bahrain Merida

Mindful Eating

Interview: Brent Copeland

Train Smarter Not Harder

En Route To Success

Sonny Colbrelli’s 2018 Merida Reacto

Bahrain Set For 2018 World Thriathlon Championship

50 56

An interview with Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa

2018 Team Preview Ready To Cycle?

Best Cycling Shoes: 2018

Where Design Meets Technology

Bike Shops in Bahrain

Flight Fighters 2017

Tech Your Ride

Skate shack

Tri Way Of Life

Essentials and Bundles

Gear Up This Season

Take Your Virtual Coach With You

ON THE COVER

JANUARY

Y E A R 201 8 - IS SU E 31

www.powerup-mag.com

2018 ROSTER Get to know the new riders of the team UAE DHS20

Qatar QR20

By Dr. Saqer Al Khalifa

FA S H I O N

Oman RO2

Pedal Towards A Healthier Life

Kuwait KD1.75

KSA SR20

A New Roster for 2018

Bahrain BD2

CYCLING IN BAHRAIN

Bahrain Cycling Association President, Shaikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Khalifa gave a sneak peek on what the year 2018 awaits for cyclists in Bahrain

TOUR DE FRANCE 2018 The shortest route of the 21st century

READY TO CYCLE? Check out the list of cycling organisations you can join this year

BRE NT C OPE L AND

Bahrain-Merida’s general manager shared a preview of the team for 2018

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L AT E S T U P D AT E S

SPORTS NEWS POWERUP GIVES YOU THE LATEST SPORTING EVENT COVERAGE AND MILESTONES IN THE REGION AND WORLDWIDE. BE UP TO DATE ON YOUR FAVOURITE SPORT, VISIT OUR WEBSITE POWERUP-MAG.COM FOR MORE!

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Nelson Mandela (Political leader, and philanthropist, who served as President of South Africa )

GULF CUP 2017 : BAHRAIN ENTERS SEMIFINALS AFTER A TIGHT MATCH WITH QATAR Bahrain qualified for the semifinals of the 2017 Gulf Cup after they eliminated Qatar, the champion of the last edition, following a 1-1 draw, in the final and decisive match of Group B in Kuwait yesterday. Bahrain managed to obtain the one point they needed to qualify over Qatar whose only option was to win in order to reach the penultimate stage of the 23rd Gulf Cup hosted by Kuwait. The Qataris would have progressed with a victory but they could only

“There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse fo anyone to work harder than you do” Derek Jeter (Retired American professional baseball shortstop)

manage a point at the Jaber al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City. Qatar scored the first goal through a penalty by Hassan Al Haidoos in the last minute of the first half. However, Bahrain drew level, thanks to Ali Jaafar who scored the crucial goal in the 57th minute of the match. In the semi-finals to be held on Tuesday, Bahrain will play Oman, the Group A leader, while Iraq will take on the UAE, the second team to qualify from Group A.

BAHRAIN FINISHED AT TOP SIX The Bahrain National Cycling team won a silver medal to finish in the top six of the Arab championship. Algeria emerged as overall winners with 17 medals in total (10 gold medals, four silver and three bronze), with host nation Egypt coming second with nine medals (5 gold, four silver), and the UAE (1, 2, 2) third. Morocco (4, 0, 5) were fourth, followed by fifthplacers Iraq (0, 1, 3). The Bahrain delegation was

headed by Bahrain Cycling Association member Yousef Jawad and includes coach Abdulla Ali and four riders – Mohammed Ebrahim, Kumail Abdulla, Jassim Mohammed and Ahmed Nasser.

Supreme Council for Youth and Sports deputy general secretary and Bahrain Olympic Committee general secretary Abdulrahman Askar congratulates the Bahrain National Cycling team.

JAKARTA ASIAN GAMES The Kingdom of Bahrain has taken the initial steps to select the sports teams that will represent the nation at the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia. The 18th edition of the games, scheduled to run from August 18 to September 2, will see 45 countries expected to compete in over 50 sports. Supreme Council for Youth and Sports deputy general secretary and Bahrain Olympic Committee general secretary Abdulrahman Askar told the federations that the primary purpose of Bahrain taking part at Jakarta Games is to achieve outstanding results and urged each federation willing to compete at the games to set up a training programme for its respective teams in an attempt to prepare them for this challenging continental gathering.

BAHRAIN NATIONAL KARATE TEAM HONOURED The Bahrain National Karate team was honoured for their outstanding results between 2015 and 2017. Bahrain Self Defence Association president Ahmed Al Khayyat noted the achievements of the team in different competitions. Supreme Council for Youth and Sports deputy general secretary and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) general secretary Abdulrahman Askar asserted BOC’s commitment to honouring all Bahraini athletes with remarkable results in regional and international championships. He expressed the impressive victories achieved by the karate team over the past three years.

KHK SPORTS TO LAUNCH BAHRAIN PREMIER LEAGUE FOR T20 CRICKET KHK Sports in partnership with Exelon has announced the launch of the first franchise based T20 cricket tournament in early 2018 under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The Bahrain Premier League 2018, will comprise of six franchise squads of thirteen resident cricketers competing in the T20 format of cricket. The franchises at the inaugural edition of the Bahrain Premier League are The Bahrain Falcons, The Bahrain Knight-Riders, The Bahrain Lions, The Bahrain Rising Super-Giants, The Bahrain Royal Challengers and The Bahrain Warriors. “I am delighted to announce the launch of the Bahrain Premier League in partnership with Exelon in association with The Cricket Bahrain Association, in this fantastic new development for cricket in Bahrain. I believe that The Bahrain Premier League will not only strengthen cricket’s

base in the Kingdom, it will also serve to encourage greater local participation in the sport.”, commented Mr Mohammad Shahid , Chairman of KHK Holdings. Over 150 players had registered for selection; for the existing 78 available. The opening ceremony and match-day one of The Bahrain Premier League 2018 will take place on Friday 26thJanuary, with group matches being played out over three consecutive weekends to determine the four qualifiers for the Semi-Finals on Friday 16th February; the Grand Final of the competition is scheduled for Friday 23rd February. The event will also involve inclusion of media and cricket personalities including Charu Sharma and Syed Kirmani in the organising team in attendance alongside dignitaries, Bollywood celebrities and star players at the opening ceremony and the final.

WOMEN’S SPORTS FEST TITLE Super Soccer ‘A’ and Ministry of Youth and Sports ‘A’ team were crowned champions of the Futsal and 3-on-3 Basketball Championships, respectively, at the inaugural Bahrain Women’s Day Sportsfest 2017. The event was organised by ‘Out of the Box’ and under the patronage of the board members of the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) and chairwoman of Women’s Sports Committee Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa and with the full support of BOC. Hajer Al Ansari was declared top scorer, Dana Al Noor was the best goalkeeper, while Sama Amjad was the best overall player. JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G

EVENTS CALENDAR JANUARY 2018 POWERUP KEEPS YOU UPDATED ON THE LATEST SPORTING EVENTS IN THE REGION AND WORLDWIDE. PLUG INTO THE THRILLING EVENTS HAPPENING AROUND YOU AND BE ENTERTAINED! HEAD ON TO POWER-MAG.COM FOR MORE COMPREHENSIVE LISTINGS AND BOOKINGS.

05 JANUARY

BAHRAIN ROAD RUNNERS GRAND PRIX – 15 K RUN

ALGHOUS PARK, MUHARRAQ

Grand Prix is BRR’s running race of the season with three consecutive Fridays runs of 5k, 10k, 15k. It takes place in Muharraq between the 2 bridges with each loop being 5km.

06 JANUARY

ZALLAQ

BTA GRANDPRIX TRIATHLON SERIES 2018

The BTA Grandprix Triathlon Series Race comprises of 3 races over 3 weekends. Inorderto win, participants will need to score the least time in their age group in all three races -swimming, biking, running.

The race format is: 6th Jan 2018 - 1.5k swim at 8am, 12th Jan 2018 - 50k TT bike at 8am and 19th Jan 2018 - 15k run at 7am. For more info: Call 77713777

06 JANUARY

H. H. SH. KHALID BIN HAMAD AL KHALIFA ENDURANCE CUP

13 JANUARY

BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL ENDURANCE VILLAGE, BAHRAIN One of the most highly anticipated annual endurance races of the year. It is organized bu the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (BREEF. CEI 2* 120 + CEI 1* 80 KM + CEN 80 KM + CEN 40 KM

26 JANUARY

The Bahrain Premier League 2018, will comprise of six franchise squads of thirteen resident cricketers competing in the T20 format of cricket. The franchises which are set to be represented at the inaugural edition of the Bahrain Premier League comprises of six teams. The announced teams are The Bahrain Falcons, The Bahrain Knight-Riders, The Bahrain Lions, The Bahrain Rising Super-Giants, The Bahrain Royal Challengers and The Bahrain Warriors.

OPEN TRACK

BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT

Open Track experiences offer a thrilling trackside experience for all drivers and riders alike. It is as close as it gets to the real racing thing. All cars need to be in road-worthy condition to take part, with no leaks or body damage. Your car’s suitability will be assessed by officials at the event. BIC’s all-new, state-of-the-art floodlighting system means that Open Track events can be held both during the day and at night. It’s a free entry event that begins at 9 AM until 5 PM.

BAHRAIN PREMIER LEAGUE FOR T20 CRICKET

26 JANUARY

BAHRAIN ROAD RUNNERS HALF MARATHON -

21. 1KM SEEF MALL The race is 21 kilometres in distance and it commences and finishes at the Seef Mall premises. Previous years the event had seen the participation of over 200 local and regional athletes who took on the challenge of finishing the challenging race.

Sports and Fitness | Cycling

BRAV ING THE COLD WEATHER ON WHEELS With the onset of winter, cyclists in Bahrain are all excited to get started again with their weekly rides. The idea of venturing out for an early morning ride during the cold season especially in December and January may also seem to be intimidating, even for those having ridden before. If you are fully prepared, winter bike rides could be the best thing you ever did.

inter road cycling brings along with it the quiet misty roads, breath-taking sunrises and the perfect cup of brew. Cold weather on an early morning ride shouldn’t stop you from cycling, instead, challenge yourself and be fully geared up for the weather and riding conditions. The one sport that you can do all year round is cycling which would help you keep up with your fitness training. But when the day grows dark and cold, it’s time to make sure you’ve got everything you need. So cycle your way to fitness in

this weather with these few tips:

PREPARE AND PLAN Create a training plan and a goal to which you can work on. Flexibility is a key component to make space for unforeseen emergencies which would help you to pace your training accordingly. Get all your clothing, kit and bike prepared the previous day, so when you wake up, all you will need to do is to get ready and get out the door.

RIGHT CLOTHING Your body makes all decisions about what you do, so it is necessary that your core body temp is warm. Ensure you add multiple layers as it will help you

get through anything. Good quality clothing will enable you to be less inclined to take a step away from riding.

LIGHTS Cycle safety is of utmost importance, so lights are a must have especially during the winter season. On cloudy days, early mornings or evenings when the sun is at its weakest, these lights will help make your presence on the road visible to others. Equipped with modern, powerful lights, you can ride worry free!

RIDE BUDDIES If you are already part of a cycling club, then it’s good or else, find a club that fits you best. Clubs will help you with a better-organised ride and fitness throughout the week. Experts say that when the weather isn’t favourable, it’s always good to ride in a group which you boost your

SAFETY

DISCOV ER NEW ROUTES Explore new routes which would motivate you to keep going as you discover new and interesting things. Keep it interesting to make it seem less of a chore. Choose well-lit streets and traffic free roads which would help you navigate better.

WEAR A HELMET

TURBO - BOOST

Bicyclists are required to obey all regulatory signs and traffic lights.

When you can barely get out during super cold or hot weather, Turbo trainer is the way to go. It’s a very safe and effective option enabling you to improve your fitness without giving a pause to cycling. Choose sessions that suit the turbo: long, steady sessions are always going to be a struggle, even with the distraction of a good DVD, but hard and short intense interval workouts are ideal.

motivation to reach your goal.

Helmets dramatically reduce the risk of head injury in bicycle accident.

RIDE ON SIDEWALKS ONLY IF NECESSARY

BE CAREFUL AT INTERSECTIONS

Use caution since most collisions occur at intersections.

NEVER RIDE AGAINST TRAFFIC

always yield to pedestrians.

Ride with traffic to avoid potential crashes.

FOLLOWS ALL TRAFFIC LAWS

DO NOT DODGE BETWEEN PARKED CARS

USE HAND SIGNALS

Use hand signals to tell what you intend to do. Be predictable.

BEWARE OF PARKED CAR DOORS- THEY CAN OPEN AT ANYTIME

EAT WELL Boosting your immunity power is very important as it helps to maintain your health and fight off cold during the winter season. Weight gain is what

Ride in a straight line at least 5 feet away from parked cars.

RIDE IN SINGLE FILE

Except when passing

BE ALERT

Scan the road. Always know your surroundings.

most riders worry about but what could be more harmful is being too lean and being counterproductive. Eating well throughout is a given and gives you an excuse to eat more cake!

CHECK YOUR BIKES!

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

Team Bahrain Merida takes great pride to be associated with all our great sponsors. We are truly grateful for their generous support and confidence in our abilities. Each of the sponsors made it possible for the team to achieve remarkable results. Your work and your ongoing support mean a great deal to us. To all our sponsors and partners, we say... Thank You!

Interview: HH Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa

SHAPING THE SPORTS SPHERE Winning the first place in the IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Championship in the amateur and military slot and heading to KONA, His Highness Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa gives us insights on striving towards success. His Highness shares his thoughts on Team Bahrain Merida’s debut season and invigorates the promising talents in Bahrain.

Th y o is a d

e n u m b e r o f Ba h r a i n i u th s g e t t in g in to s p o r t s i n c r e a s i n g e v e r y y e a r . In d i t i o n t o t h i s , t h e r e ’s a m a s s iv e s h if t o f life s t y le in Ba h r a i n f o r t h e p a s t f o u r y e a r s m o v in g in to a h e a lth ie r a n d a c t i v e l i f e s t y l e . Ho w d o y o u th in k y o u b e c a m e th e in s p ir a t io n b e h in d r a is in g a w ar e n e s s i n s p o r t s , h e al t h a n d f itn e s s in th e c o u n t r y ? Wh a t i m p a c t d o y o u t h i n k y o u h a v e m a d e to th e y o u th ?

citizens by providing opportunities where they can get the skill set required in becoming future leaders of the country. This is one of His Majesty, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s vision for the Bahraini youth. Sports are a perfect base to cultivate and nurture these traits in the youth. They’ll learn how to accept responsibility and put their best effort for the good of the whole. It will help them understand the importance of dedication, effort and teamwork to succeed.

It made me happy and fulfilled to see Bahraini youth getting involved in sports, and I am grateful that I inspire them somehow. My primary goal is to support the youth in reaching their dreams and becoming better

There’s an adage that says, “Practice what you preach.” Telling people what to do without doing it yourself is not an efficient way of shifting people’s view. Hence, I have to set an example of what I preach, and that is, to be into

the sports that I love and live a healthy and active lifestyle.

Te a m Ba h r a i n Me r i d a w a s la u n c h e d la s t y e a r w ith Ni b a l i b e i n g t h e m a i n l e a d e r o f t h e g r o u p . Wh a t c a n y o u s a y a b o u t h is p e r fo r m a n c e i n Gi r o a n d t h e t e a m f o r t h e r e s t o f t h e s e a s o n i n 2017? Nibali is a very strong rider in the team. He gave his best and had performed well in the individual time trial during the Giro d’Italia. It was a thrilling race, and I have seen all the team riders perform brilliantly throughout the race. It was one of the world’s toughest track and race. With Team Bahrain Merida finishing third in the Giro, it is already a huge accomplishment for a whole new team that was just established. Being their debut season, the team’s performance in 2017 was a great start and a good milestone. I am amazed at the massive number of people all over the world following the Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling team. One of their main achievements in the first year was for Bahrain to be a recognised name across the globe in the field of cycling. I am looking forward to the team to be more popular and achieving more podium wins this season. The team always had the constant support of their sponsors without whom their success would have been impossible.

Th i s y e fo r th e Fr a n c e th e te a

a r, th e te p o d iu m , h o w d o m w ill p e

a m is i n To u y o u th rfo rm

a im in g r d e in k ?

I hope the team will have a podium finish in Tour de France and I believe the team is equipped with all the skills and the right people to achieve this goal. The team is constantly training and has always given their finest performance in every race. I think the team will do well. Like any other sport, the podium must not be the primary aim. It’s all about giving your best.

Like any other sport, the podium must not be the primary aim. It’s all about giving your best.

Ne w s p o r t s a r e b e i n g in t r o d u c e d e v e r y y e a r w h ic h u s u a lly t a k e s s o m e t im e fo r p e o p le to e m b r a c e , h o w e v e r , MMA i s b e c o m i n g a w e l l -k n o w n s p o r t i n Ba h r a i n . La s t y e a r w a s a d e f i n i n g y e a r f o r MMA w i t h t h e f i r s t IMMAF h e l d i n Ba h r a i n , a n d t h e f i r s t e v e n t h e ld o u t o f V e g a s . Wh a t c a n y o u s a y a b o u t t h i s s p o r t ? Ar e t h e r e a n y o t h e r u p c o m i n g s p o r t s t hat w ill b e in t r o d u c e d th is y e a r ? My brother, His Highness Shaikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Khalifa is very passionate about MMA sport and is an MMA athlete as well. It is through his vision in MMA that the Brave Combat Week including the 2017 IMMAF World Championships and Brave 9 was held in Bahrain last year. With the support and tireless efforts of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, the Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation and KHK MMA, the event became one of the most successful sporting events in 2017 calendar. Although this is a combat sport, it also has its benefits from boosting selfconfidence, discipline to humility. We will continue to promote new sports that will benefit the youth the country’s economy through sports tourism.

De c e m b e r 2017 h a s b e e n a d e f in in g m o m e n t fo r y o u in a c h ie v in g y o u r g o a l fo r a s l o t t o Ko n a . IRONMAN h a d o f fe r e d a s lo t to

y o u b e fo re . d e c lin e t h e m o tiv a te s y g e t t in g it th e ffo rts ?

Wh y o ffe r o u to ro u g

d id a n d w o h y o

y o w rk u r

u h a t o n o w n

I was very grateful to receive such an offer before. However, I would like to earn that spot through my own efforts just like everybody else. It has been a challenge for me to get the slot and I told myself that I could do it. I wanted to know what everyone else was going through and understand my limits as to what I can and cannot do. Every race I joined last year was a stepping stone towards that goal. I trained hard and tried to set a higher target in each race until I finally reached where I wanted to be.

Ar e th e Ko n th in

y o u lo Wo r l d a th is k y o u

o k in g Cha m y e a r? w ill d

fo rw pi o n Ho w o in t

I am incredibly excited to be participating in the World Championship in Kona. I have been preparing from now to get ready for it. My primary goal in Kona is to finish the race and beat the target that I have set for myself. That alone will be a great achievement for me.

Y o u r Hi g h n o fte n s e e n m o s t a re a s y o u s h a re s tip s fo r th e

e s r id in o m re

s , y o u a re in g a r o u n d in Ba h r a i n . Ca n e Cy c l e Sa f e a d e rs ?

Before going out for a ride make sure that your bike is properly maintained and you have the proper gears with you. Keep on the right lane of the road and respect the motorists as respect goes both ways.

a rd to s h ip in d o y o u h e ra c e ? JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

UCI World Tour

105 TH EDITION

TOUR DE FRANCE SET TO BEGIN! The crest of the UCI World Tour, Tour de France, is every rider’s dream of winning. Built on legend, Le Tour is a race within a race. This year Alpe d’Huez and ParisRoubaix cobbles return for the 2018 race.

he most significant annual event around the corner sees riders battling it out for the yellow, green, white and polka-dot Tour de France jerseys. For the first time since 2015, the route sees the ascent of the Alpe d’Huez and ParisRoubaix cobbles and 65km road stage in the Pyrénées.

trial. The race is set to finish

The 2018 Tour de France begins on Saturday, July 7 with the Grand Départ in the Vendée region in the west of France. Tour de France is in the 105th edition of the race.

feature summit finishes and a

TOUR DE FRANCE 2018 ROUTE

and Col d’Aubisque. The last

The opening stage will start

between Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle

in Cholet on stage three.The race will head into Brittany, and the first uphill finish will take place on stage six on the Mûr de Bretagne on stage six. Stage nine is a 154km route including 21.7km of cobbles, with a finish in Roubaix. There will be three days in the mountains including a stage featuring Alpe d’Huez. In the Pyrénées the race will short stage 17, at 65km finishing atop the Col-de-Portet. The main stage will be stage 19 – a 200km route taking in the Col d’Aspin, Col du Tourmalet, but not the least, the day will feature a time trial of 31km

in Noirmoutier-en-l’Île and

and Espelette. In total there are

is one of the two flat stages.

21 stages, and the 2018 Tour de

Sprinters will pedal it out for the

France will finish in Paris where

most coveted jersey - the yellow

the winner will be crowned on

jersey before a 35km team time

the Champs-Élysées.

TOUR DE FRANCE 2018 ROUTE

Dates

July 7-29, 2018

21 STAGES RIDERS The Tour de France’s peloton has been reduced to 176 riders since the Grand Tour teams will field eight riders rather than nine from this year. Chris Froome will be targeting to join five-time champions Merckx, Hinault, Anquetil and Indurain, while Vincenzo Nibali is lining up to win his second Tour de France. Team Bahrain Merida has the utmost confidence in Vincenzo Nibali as he targets the Tour de France for yet another yellow jersey in 2018. With the Tour de France 2018 route revealed, different

team riders had varied opinions and reactions. Nairo Quintana riding for team Moviestar who is one of cycling’s foremost climbers hopes to bounce back from 2017’s disappointment. He announced that he was confident as he’s ridden a lot through the stages in the north that looked tough. Backed by his team who have the characteristics for those stages they are hoping for a win. Chris Froome from Team Sky called it the mountain stages “brutal”. He considered Alpe d’Huez to be the most challenging with around 5000m of climbing. Romain Bardet on the other hand seemed positive as he

considered the route to be for all-rounders. It’s not enough to be the best on one terrain; rather cyclist would have to excel everywhere. He considered the route to be varied and balanced. Mark Cavendish from Team Dimension Data reviewed the route as absolutely brutal and one of the toughest route he has ever seen. Team Groupama-FDJ looked positive and welcomed the mountain stages. The tour de France is set to test every aspect of cycling for these riders.

Grand DEpart

Noirmoutier-en l’Île, Vendée Finish

Paris, France Tour de France Jerseys Yellow Overall classification leader Green Points classification leader Polka-doT King of the Mountains classification leader White Best young rider classification leader JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

THE FULL 2018 UCI WORLDTOUR CALENDAR Don’t forget to check out the 2018 season top-level WorldTour races released by the Union CyclisteInternationale (UCI). There are no major changes in the men’s 2018 calendar, with the 37 races kicking off with the Santos Tour Down Under in Australia over January 16-21. The series of dates concludes on October 16-21 with the Tour of Guangxi in China. TOUR

DATE

FLAG

TOUR

DATE

JANUARY 16th-21st 28th

MAY

Santos Tour Down Under

AUS

Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race

AUS

FEBRUARY 21st-25th 24th

Abu Dhabi Tour

UAE

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite

BEL

MARCH

Eschborn-Frankfurt - Rund um den Finanzplatz

GER

05th-27th

Giro d’Italia

ITA

13th-19th

Amgen Tour of California

USA

01st

JUNE 03rd-10th

Critérium du Dauphiné

FRA

09th-17th

Tour de Suisse

SUI

StradeBianche

ITA

04th-11th

Paris-Nice

FRA

07th-13th

Tirreno-Adriatico

ITA

17th

Milano-Sanremo

ITA

Volta Ciclista a Catalunya

ESP

04th-10th

23rd

Record Bank E3 Harelbeke

BEL

25th

Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields

BEL

28th

Dwars door Vlaanderen - A travers la Flandre

BEL

03rd

19th-25th

FLAG

APRIL

JULY 07th-29th 29th

Tour de France

FRA

Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic

GBR

AUGUST

ClasicaCiclista San Sebastian

ESP

04th

Tour de Pologne

POL

13th-19th

Binck Bank Tour

---

Euro Eyes Cyclassics Hamburg

GER

La Vueltaciclista a España

ESP

Bretagne Classic - Ouest- France

FRA

19th 25th-16th Sep 26th

Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres

BEL

VueltaCiclista al Pais Vasco

ESP

07th

Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec

CAN

08th

Paris-Roubaix

FRA

09th

Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal

CAN

15th

Amstel Gold Race

NED

18th

La FlècheWallonne

BEL

01st

JeuxOlympiques de la Jeunesse / Youth Olympic Games

ARG

22nd

Liège-Bastogne-Liège

BEL

09th-14th

Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey

ITA

Tour de Romandie

SUI

13th

Il Lombardia

TUR

Gree-Tour of Guangxi

CHN

01st 02nd-7th

24th- 29th

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

16th-21st

PEDAL POWER ALL THE WAY! It’s that time of the year again, where New Year resolutions are made and staying fit makes the top of the list. More and more people are taking up the sport of cycling to stay fit this year. This being the 2018 UCI World Tour season, riders get to learn from the pros.

1 TRACK Y OURSELF

Training apps quickly track your rides and motivate you to stay fitter.

2 EARLY

START AND RIDE

Morning is a prime time to pedal it out. An energetic start to the day always helps.

Y OURSELF UP 3 SET TO SUCCEED A balance of physical and mental preparation to achieve your goals is important.

IS NON5RIDING NEGOTIABLE You took up a responsibility to yourself so live up to it.

4GET RIGHT TO IT

Don’t get distracted, when it’s that time for riding, go, get your bike and ride!

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

Interview: Brent Copeland

THE MAN BEHIND TEAM BAHRAIN MERIDA The man behind Team Bahrain Merida, Brent Copeland strives to equip his team with the best as they compete in the UCI World Tour 2018. Being the general manager of the Pro Cycling Team, Brent takes pride in his team, giving the athletes top priority by investing in their training. He relentlessly aims to position Bahrain on the map as one of the most competitive in the world of cycling. Brent gave us a preview of the team for 2018 season.

One of the major benefits of this training camp is that the technical staff get together to precisely plan the rider’s and staff’s race programs. It is very crucial as it sets the base of the rider’s and staff’s working days for the season. With this, the team’s goals are then identified together with the management.

GOALS

e have recently completed our first training camp of the year on the beautiful Island of Hvar in Croatia. The first training camp is always a good indication of the team’s performance for the year. It is also the only time that the complete team, both staff and riders reunite during the season. I am pleased with all the staff for their excellent organisation and to our sponsors who have continuously supported us. Through their efforts, we had concluded a successful training camp. The riders received a great deal of quality training, and the staff was able to organise everything that is needed to be done for 2018.

Our priority is in setting the team’s goals meticulously, as the ambitions are what drives the riders and staff members. At Team Bahrain Merida, each job is equally important. Thus, we set goals to be achieved for every department and not just for the riders themselves.

UCI WORLD TOUR 2018 There isn’t any particular goal to be achieved as there are several varying objectives. Having a star rider like Vincenzo Nibali on the team means that some of our primary goals for the 2018 season will be focusing on his race program. At the training camp, we have recently announced Vincenzo riding the Tour de France. We can say that a podium place in this race is one of the team’s main goals of the season.

It is always vital for a team to start out well. Our technical staff have done a great job of putting together as always, a good team to start in Australia for the first World Tour race of the season, with the likes of the Izaguirre brothers. They will be racing along with our new sensational rider Domenico Pozzovivo. The races in the Middle East are a significant part of our season. Every year, these races are becoming evidently important on the international racing calendar. We have put the best possible team together for the tour of Dubai, the Tour of Oman and the Abu Dhabi Tour which always makes for some exciting racing.

PROMISING RIDERS Sonny Colbrelli has also shown his enthusiasm for the classics of the north in Belgium. We are anticipating some good results and visibility in these races particularly the Tour of Flanders with Sonny and Paris-Roubaix with Heinrich Haussler who has fully recovered from his injury. With important riders on our team such as the Izaguirre brothers, namely Jon and Gorka, we have set exciting new goals for the team. We aim at competing in the shorter stage races of the season where they are some of the best riders in the world for this kind of racing. Paris-Nice, Tirreno Adriatico, Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco, Tour de Romandie and the

Tour of Switzerland are going to be important races for the brothers. Announced during our training camp, Domenico Pozzovivo will be the team’s captain at the Giro d’Italia. We have full confidence in his capabilities, and we believe he’ll do his part to the best of his ability. The Ardenne classics remains the highlight of the racing season. This year we will be participating

there with a very competitive team. At the classic race Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Nibali hopes and aims at giving his best. With the support of the team that we have put together, this particular race will be quite an exhilarating one for the team.

FUTURE Y OUNG TALENT Our young and international riders are the future of our team whether they are on the

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

team now or will be joining us shortly. Our goal is in mainly investing in them, such as Padun. At a young of 22, we believe that Mohoric is going to be a huge surprise this year. Having been around for many years, he still shows promises of improvement. Team Bahrain Merida aims to be as international as possible. Bringing on a Bahraini cyclist to the professional ranks is at the top of our list with the help of everyone in Bahrain. We are relentlessly working on making this a reality, as it is of utmost importance to us.

2018 WIN For 2018, Team Bahrain Merida is looking at more victories as far as numbers are concerned. If the riders do not sustain injuries like in 2017, we have a good possibility of beating our previous record of 11 victories, 17 second places and 26 third places. Although this is an incredible number,

Our philosophy is to always strive and work hard in all areas in order to climb higher in all rankings and to showcase Team Bahrain Merida name across the globe.

we still believe that with less injured riders, the number of victories will increase. In turn, elevating the overall team classification on the World Tour will increase. The anticipated results would boost the team roster that we have put together. The team

is very well balanced for the new season which will assure some thrilling racing. Our philosophy is always to strive and work hard in all areas, to

climb higher in all rankings, and to showcase the Team Bahrain Merida name across the globe.

LEGENDS CLIMBER ( GRIMPEUR) Can ride especially well on highly inclined roads, like those among hills or mountains.

The UCI WorldTour 2018 is here, and it’s that time of the year to stand up and cheer for your home team. Training relentlessly, Team Bahrain Merida is all set for pedalling it out for some of the most prestigious events. Equipped with new jersey’s and new riders added to the team, Team Bahrain Merida has the perfect blend of young talents and international legends with great experience. Get to know the cycling pros as your root for them all the way!

CLASSICS SPECIALIST ( PUNCHEUR) Specialises in rolling terrain with short but steep climbs. A Classics rider usually has a bigger or at least more muscular frame than the average Pro which facilitates a greater sustained power output a f lat and rolling terrain.

VINCENZO

NIBALI

ITALY

TIME TRIALIST Can maintain high speeds for long periods of time, to maximise performance during individual or team time trials.

SPRINTER Can finish a race very explosively by accelerating quickly to a high speed.

DOMESTIQUE Works for the benefit of his team and leader. In French, domestique translates as “servant”.

ALL-ROUNDER ( ROULEUR) Excels in both climbing and time trialing, and may also be a decent sprinter. All-rounders are usually Team Leaders in both stage races and classics cycle races.

26 *PCS and World Ranking as of 07 Jan 2017

7 PCS RANKING 6 UCI WORLD RANKING POINTS BY SPECIALTY ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2017 RESULTS Il Lombardia (1.UWT) 2nd GC Vuelta a España (2.UWT) GC Tour of Croatia (2.1) stage Vuelta a España (2.UWT) stage Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) Leader in: 1dTour of Croatia

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS 21.01 Vuelta a San Juan Internacional more 17.03 Milano-Sanremo more 15.04 Amstel Gold Race more 18.04 La Flèche Wallonne more 22.04 Liège - Bastogne - Liège more 03.06 Critérium du Dauphiné more 07.07 Tour de France more 25.08 La Vuelta ciclista a España

3524 7934 3626 595

DOMENICO

35 PCS RANKING 35 UCI WORLD RANKING

POZZOVIVO ITALY POINTS BY SPECIALTY ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS 1 16.01 Santos Tour Down Under 04.05 Giro d’Italia 07.07 Tour de France

2017 RESULTS

1913 4648 915 314

Italian climber Domenico Pozzovivo is a well-established road racing cyclist. One mustn’t be deceived by his small stature as it enables him to possess the qualities of a pure climbing specialist! Despite his age, this UCI 2017 World Tour season is one of the best in his career, with impressive results. He finished third overall at Tour of Alps, fourth at Tour of Swiss, sixth at Giro d’Italia, sixth at Tour de Pologne, ninth at Abu Dhabi Tour and tenth at TirrenoAdriatico. Having many astounding results to prove his skills, it was the 2017 season that convinced Bahrain Merida management to sign him and give him the chance to be one of the leaders in 2018 and 2019 as well as supporting his new team-mates in Bahrain Merida.

stage Tour de Suisse (2.UWT) 6th GC Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 4th GC Tour de Suisse (2.UWT) 3rd GC Tour of the Alps (2.HC) 6th GC Tour de Pologne (2.UWT)

GORKA

218 PCS RANKING 346 UCI WORLD RANKING

IZAGIRRE SPAIN POINTS BY SPECIALTY ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

719 1198 994 331

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS 16.01 Santos Tour Down Under 13.02 Tour of Oman 04.03 Paris-Nice 02.04 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco 24.04 Tour de Romandie 07.07 Tour de France

2017 RESULTS Stage Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta (1.1) 4th GC Paris-Nice (2.UWT) 2nd stage Santos Tour Down Under (2.UWT) 3rd stage Giro d’Italia (2.UWT)

Izagirre brothers join forces as Gorka moves to Bahrain Merida from Movistar. It will be the third time in their careers that the Izagirre brothers will ride on the same WorldTour team after Movistar and Euskaltel-Euskadi. Gorka has a remarkable list of professional cycling achievements. He won 1st Stage of Vuelta a España in 2014, and he was second in Time Trial on National Road Championships in 2015. That same year he placed 8th overall on Tour Down Under and ninth overall in ParisNice. In 2016 he was fifth overall in Dubai Tour and in 2017 he won the eighth Stage of Giro d’Italia, he won Klasika Primavera and was fourth overall in Paris-Nice. The team will upgrade their team roster with him especially helping Vincenzo on Grand Tours.He is believed to play an important role being a member of the team.

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

MATEJ

MOHORIC SLOVENIA POINTS BY SPECIALTY ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

705 817 614 131

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS 21.02 Abu Dhabi Tour 17.03 Milano-Sanremo 19.03 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 04.05 Giro d’Italia

131 PCS RANKING 139 UCI WORLD RANKING Double World Champion, junior and U23 category Slovenian rider Matej Mohoric joins Bahrain Merida for the UCI WorldTour 2018. The 22-year-old cyclist signed with Cannondale and was fifth on Road race in National Road Championships. He achieved the same result also in 2015 and that year he even came sixth in Japan Cup. In 2016 he signed with Lampre-Merida, and he was second in Time Trial in National Road Championships, he won the sixth Stage of Tour of Hainan and was third overall in the same race. In 2017 he joined UAE Team Emirates. He was third in Road race on National Road Championships this year and eighth on Trofeoc Laigueglia.

2017 RESULTS stage Vuelta a España (2.UWT) Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Challenge 6th GC Gree - Tour of Guangxi (2.UWT) 4th stage Vuelta a España (2.UWT) 8th Trofeo Laigueglia (1.HC)

KRISTIJAN

920 PCS RANKING 1340 UCI WORLD RANKING

KOREN

SLOVENIA POINTS BY SPECIALTY ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS 13.02 Tour of Oman 04.03 Paris-Nice 17.03 Milano-Sanremo 15.04 Amstel Gold Race 17.04 Tour of Croatia 07.07 Tour de France

676 469 1079 387

KristijanKoren is a 30 years old cyclist from Slovenia who turned professional in 2010 with Liquigas–Doimo. He remained with them for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons and accomplished some significant results. In 2011 he was third in National Road Championships Time Trial and 6th Overall at Tour of Slovenia. In 2012 he was third overall at Tour of Slovenia and also won fourth Stage in this same race. In 2014 he was second at Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli, fourth overall at Tour of Slovenia and came in top 10 in some other races that same year. From 2015 he is with Cannondale-Drapac. This season he came eighth on National Road Championship Road race and was also on the start list for the 2017 Giro d’Italia.

2017 RESULTS 128th GC Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 69th GC Paris-Nice (2.UWT) 28th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (1.UWT) 79th Record Bank E3 Harelbeke (1.UWT) 86th GC Tour de Romandie (2.UWT)

28 *PCS and World Ranking as of 07 Jan 2017

MARK

822 PCS RANKING 675 UCI WORLD RANKING

PADUN UKRAINE POINTS BY SPECIALTY ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

40 87 294 0

Bahrain Merida signed a deal with 21-yearold Ukrainian Mark Padun who rode for feeder squad Colpack in 2017. Padun rode with the WorldTour team as a stagiaire stating in August, competing in a series of one-day races and winning the Grand Prix Capodarco Comunita Di Capodarco. Mark Padun won the Trofeo Piva, the GP Capodarco and one stage of Giro d’Italia under 23, where he also took fifth place in the overall classification. Moreover, he took other important results, as the second place at the Flecha du Sud in Luxembourg.

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

2017 RESULTS

21.01 Vuelta a San Juan Internacional

GC Flèche du Sud (2.2) Gp Capodarco Comunita Di Capodarco (1.2U) Trofeo Piva (1.2U) stage Giro Ciclistico d’Italia (2.2U) 5th GC Giro Ciclistico d’Italia (2.2U)

HERMAN

PERNSTEINER

AUSTRIA POINTS BY SPECIALTY ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

6 133 3 0

533 PCS RANKING 522 UCI WORLD RANKING Austrian Hermann Pernsteiner joined Bahrain Merida Team for the UCI World Tour 2018. Pernsteiner, a mountain biker, joined Continental team Amplatz BMC and had remained with the squad last season. Pernsteiner’s notable results in 2017 included second at Tour d’Azerbaïdjan, sixth at the Tour of Slovenia, and 12th at the Tour of Austria. Pernsteiner follows in the footsteps of Ondrej Cink in moving from the mountain bike to the WorldTour with Bahrain-Merida and is also targeting hilly stages races.

2017 RESULTS GC Tour d’Azerbaïdjan (2.1) 6th GC Tour of Slovenia (2.1) 12th GC Int. Österreich-Rundfahrt-Tour of Austria (2.1) 15th PRO Ötztaler 5500 (1.1) 6th stage Tour of Slovenia (2.1) Leader in: 1d Tour d’Azerbaïdjan

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

YUKIYA

VALERIO

ARASHIRO

AGNOLI

ITALY

976 2330

JAPAN

383 440

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

507 657 1102 241

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

1130 848 310 622

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

79th GC Vuelta a España (2.UWT) 110th GC Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 60th GC Abu Dhabi Tour (2.UWT)

16.01 Santos Tour Down Under General Classification

109th GC Tour de France (2.UWT) 46th World Championships - Road Race (WC)

16.01 Santos Tour Down Under General Classification

GREGA

MANUELE

BOLE

BOARO

ITALY

821 2770

SLOVENIA

UCI WORLD RANKING

GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

POINTS BY SPECIALTY ONE DAY RACES

494 578

PCS RANKING

182 723 2060 136

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

2017 RESULTS

74th GC Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 13th GC Hammer Sportzone Limburg (2.1) 116th GC Vuelta a España (2.UWT) 115th Milano-Sanremo (1.UWT) 135th GC Tirreno-Adriatico(2.UWT)

16.01 Santos Tour Down Under

14th GC Gree - Tour of Guangxi (2.UWT) 2nd National Championships Slovenia - Road Race (NC) 143rd GC Tour de France (2.UWT)

3 0 *PCS and World Ranking as of 07 Jan 2017

1646 1032 167 1225

BORUT

NICCOLÒ

BOZIC

BONIFAZIO

ITALY

218 346

SLOVENIA

711 1250

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

1008 164 130 1162

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

1835 705 406 1769

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

2017 RESULTS

2nd stage Gree - Tour of Guangxi (2.UWT) 2nd stage 4 Jours de Dunkerque / Tour des Hauts-de-France (2.HC) 3rd stage Santos Tour Down Under (2.UWT)

21.01 Vuelta a San Juan Internacional 24.02 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite 25.02 Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne

6th stage Tour de France (2.UWT) 25th Record Bank E3 Harelbeke (1.UWT) 160th GC Tour de France (2.UWT) 83rd Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields (1.UWT) 120th Cyclassics Hamburg (1.UWT)

IVÁN GARCÍA

SONNY

CORTINA

COLBRELLI

ITALY

33 31

SPAIN

TIME TRIAL SPRINT

359 549

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

POINTS BY SPECIALTY GC

UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

ONE DAY RACES

PCS RANKING

507 657 1102 241

80 53 533 121

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

79th GC Vuelta a España (2.UWT) 110th GC Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 60th GC Abu Dhabi Tour (2.UWT)

16.01 Santos Tour Down Under General Classification

3rd stage Vuelta a España (2.UWT) 5th stage Vuelta a España (2.UWT) 8th European Continental Championships - Road Race (CC) 11th Scheldeprijs (1.HC) 2x 3rd stage Tour of Japan (2.1)

21.01 Vuelta a San Juan Internacional

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

3 1

ENRICO

CHUN

GASPAROTTO

KAI FENG

TAIWAN

1558 2029

ITALY

648 785

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

59 65 576 2

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2901 1167 820 1249

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2017 RESULTS

4th stage Tour of Japan (2.1) 17th GC Tour of Japan (2.1) 102nd GC Santos Tour Down Under (2.UWT)

14th De Brabantse Pijl - La Flèche Brabançonne (1.HC) 76th GC Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 24th Clásica Ciclista San Sebastian (1.UWT) 7th stage Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (2.UWT) 29th GC BinckBank Tour (2.UWT)

ION

HEINRICH

IZAGIRRE

HAUSSLER

AUSTRALIA

832 1312 TIME TRIAL SPRINT

SPAIN

52 40

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

POINTS BY SPECIALTY GC

UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

ONE DAY RACES

PCS RANKING

2531 588 521 2191

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

1021 2691 2138 520

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

15th Cyclassics Hamburg (1.UWT) 20th GC 4 Jours de Dunkerque / Tour des Hauts-de-France(2.HC) 93rd World Championships - Road Race (WC), 76th Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal (1.UWT), 82nd Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (1.UWT)

01.04 Ronde van Vlaanderen Tour des Flandresmore 08.04 Paris-Roubaix more

3rd GC Vuelta al Pais Vasco (2.UWT) 5th GC Tour de Romandie (2.UWT) 6th GC Tour de Suisse (2.UWT) 5th Liège - Bastogne - Liège (1.UWT) 7th GC Paris-Nice (2.UWT

16.01 Santos Tour Down Under 21.02 Abu Dhabi Tour 04.03 Paris-Nice 02.04 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco 24.04 Tour de Romandie 07.07 Tour de France

3 2 *PCS and World Ranking as of 07 Jan 2017

ANTONIO

RAMUNAS

NIBALI

NAVARDAUSKAS

ITALY

LITHUANIA

918 1000

986 2441

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

1007 913 2027 1302

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

55 51 146 0

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

7th GC Vuelta Ciclista a la Provincia de San Juan (2.1) 6th stage Vuelta Ciclista a la Provincia de San Juan (2.1) 7th stage Vuelta Ciclista a la Provincia de San Juan (2.1) 8th stage Vuelta Ciclista a la Provincia de San Juan (2.1)

16.01 Santos Tour Down Under

102nd GC Vuelta a España (2.UWT) 18th GC Giro della Toscana Memorial Alfredo Martini (2.1) 87th GC Tour de Romandie (2.UWT) 93rd GC Tour de Pologne (2.UWT) 113th GC Vuelta al Pais Vasco (2.UWT)

21.01 Vuelta a San Juan Internacional

FRANCO

DOMEN

PELLIZOTI

NOVAK

SLOVENIA

888 1199 GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

393 645

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

POINTS BY SPECIALTY ONE DAY RACES

ITALY

62 122 287 1

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2017 RESULTS

7th GC Tour of Japan (2.1) 105th GC Vuelta a España (2.UWT) 5th stage Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol (2.HC) 17th GC Tour of Slovenia (2.1) 71st GC Tour de Pologne (2.UWT)

21st GC Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 25th GC Vuelta a España (2.UWT) 5th stage Vuelta a España (2.UWT) 8th stage Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 18th Giro dell’Emilia (1.HC)

2435 3089 1094 924

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

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DAVID

LUKA

PER

PIBERNIK

SLOVENIA

1349 2810

SLOVENIA

573 984

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

112 346 578 34

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

351 164 156 193

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2017 RESULTS

13th GC Hammer Sportzone Limburg (2.1) 93rd Paris-Roubaix (1.UWT) 139th Cyclassics Hamburg (1.UWT) 81st Strade Bianche (1.UWT)

42nd World Championships - Road Race (WC) 13th Clasica de Almeria (1.1) 100th GC Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 33rd Record Bank E3 Harelbeke (1.UWT) 42nd GC BinckBank Tour (2.UWT)

GIOVANNI

KANSTANTSIN

VISCONTI

SIUTSOU

BELARUS

736 921

ITALY

72 90

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY

826 1461 2101 202

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

4737 1663 1513 1262

ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

2017 RESULTS

UPCOMING PARTICIPATIONS

6th GC Tour of Croatia (2.1) 6th stage Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 35th GC Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 16th GC Vuelta Ciclista a la Provincia de San Juan (2.1) 6th stage Tour of Croatia (2.1)

21.01 Vuelta a San Juan Internacional

Giro dell’Emilia (1.HC) 2nd GC Tour of Slovenia (2.1) 2nd GC Giro della Toscana Memorial Alfredo Martini (2.1) 2nd stage Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) 3rd stage Vuelta a España (2.UWT)

06.02 Dubai Tour 13.02 Tour of Oman 04.05 Giro d’Italia

3 4 *PCS and World Ranking as of 07 Jan 2017

MEIYIN

Vincenzo Nibali finished 4th at the 141 km long last stage of Tour of Croatia and won the general classification. This is the first GC victory for Vincenzo Nibali in the BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team jersey. Credits KL â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Photo

WANG

CHINA

1054 657

PCS RANKING UCI WORLD RANKING

POINTS BY SPECIALTY ONE DAY RACES GC TIME TRIAL SPRINT

24 442 221 47

2017 RESULTS 6th Asian Cycling Championships - Road Race (CC) 4th Asian Cycling Championships - ITT (CC) 125th GC Tour de Romandie (2.UWT) 91st GC Gree - Tour of Guangxi (2.UWT)

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

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Sports and Beyond | By: Dr Saqer Al Khalifa

PEDAL TOWARDS A HEALTHIER LIFE! Death is the one-term everybody is not very keen to listen to, but what if I told you that every hour you spend on your bike, adds an extra hour to your life? Wait, does this mean that you could live forever if you cycled endlessly? Not necessarily, but here are some surprising facts about cycling that I bet you have never thought about.

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ycling is relatively new to this region when compared to Europe, where the Tour De France and Giro Italia have existed for more than 100 years! As Bahrain rapidly progress forward, we would be able to compete with them, hopefully in the near future. To do so, read on and note how significant cycling is to you and your community. Statista, an organisation that collates statistics on cycling, has been observing the size of the cycling market for the past few years. Using the information at hand, they were able to estimate that the size of the cycling market will grow from 2016 to 2024 by $17 Billion hitting $64 Billion in size globally. These numbers are very promising, and I believe that we will genuinely surpass it globally, the reason is weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not taking into account the expected growth in the Middle Eastern Market. Here in Bahrain, projects for up to $24 million have been approved for bike only lanes which will create a huge demand and interest in the cycling discipline before 2020. Another interesting fact that was found where when studies also highlighted that cycling works immensely and contributes to a longer life. Picture this, my drive to work is approximately 12kms, and it takes an average of 35 minutes to reach my destination due to traffic. If I ride a bike, I will arrive 10 minutes earlier.

Not only will I have added hours to my life but it also leaves me with extra time to work and help the environment as cycling has less than a tenth of the carbon footprint from a car. Nevertheless, two problems arise; neither are there any bike lanes nor are there any showering facilities at work. Solving this small issue would, in turn, have a massive positive impact on the economy because studies show that on average, bicycles are ten times cheaper than cars. When it comes to health benefits at the National level and the Individual level, there is absolutely no argument that exists to counter the various advantages for health in both levels. Studies indicate that at the National level, cyclists on average take fewer sick leave days from work, which when compared, the productivity of a cyclist at work is better than a non-cyclist. The next time you recruit or encourage your employees to take up a hobby, introspect and be biased towards cyclists. In return, it reduces the health care expenses at the national level. Think about redirecting millions or billions towards education, housing, or other significant public services. Last but not the least, research has shown that middle-aged men who cycle are 30% less likely to suffer from impotence. There you go, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the cherry on the cake. So pick up a bicycle, stop complaining about its price, and go live healthier, happier, longer, and with high productivity.

Sports and Fitness | Gym Training

TRAIN SMARTER NOT HARDER 38

Be it hitting the gym killing 2–3 hours or pumping iron feeling all excited and psyched we’ve all been there, done that! But along the way, a feeling sets in when you don’t seem to be getting the results you were aiming for. MIX IT UP As rock solid as your exercise may seem,mixing up your gym routine is crucial in order to evenly tone your body, and stay safe while exercising.. Having muscle groups that are uneven in strength can lead to compensation, muscle strain, or injury, so focus on staying well rounded.

HIGH INTENSITY INTERV AL High Intensity Interval Training pushes your body hard for short period of time, and repeats the same circuit several times, with a minute break between circuits. Take a oneminute break after completing all three exercises, and repeat the circuit three more times. HIIT is lauded for being the best way to burn fat and reduces your risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease.

FOCUS ON Y OUR FORM Crunches and push ups are among the two most improperly performed exercises. When you do crunches get double the toning power when you keep your abs contracted and flat as you lower back down to the floor, not just on the way up.For a proper push up, make

sure your shoulders are directly over your hands and that you keep your elbows tucked in close to your body as you lower to the ground. For an added challenge, try crossing your ankles.

FUEL UP Healthy food makes for a healthy you, but skimping on calories can be detrimental to your exercise routine. Most

runners swear by a big pasta dinner the night before a big race, while fruit and high fibre crackers make for a great preworkout snack.Since yourbody burns through carbohydrates quickly, working out of more than 90 minutes, must be a combination of carbohydrates and proteinsgiving you longer lasting energy.

TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND MIXED WORKOUT •

Sw i m m i n g We i g h t t r a i n i n g Y o g a • •

TRAINING • u

Do a s m p s a s y o u e c o n d s . Do 6 0 r m p i n g ja Do 20 b s • ju •

DAILY FITNESS HABITS

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Getting fit doesn’t have to require clocking major hours in the gym. Sneak some exercises into your daily life by make your regular habits work double duty.

Making small changes to your workout routine can ensure you get the full benefits without changing your entire life. Add some of these tips into your regular routine and watch as your body changes and you get stronger!

A yoga ball, which will help you build abs strength over time. Keep some 10 or 15 pound weights handy, do sets of curls and overhead presses. These little habits can have major effects, helping you get stronger and fitter with minimal effort.

a n y p u ll c a n in 0 3 e p s o f c k s . u rp e e s .

HEALTHY FOOD •

MUSTAFA ALKHAY AT Level 1 Kettlebell Instructor Level 2 Fitness Instructor @Mustafa2325

Wh o w i t h pe b a n a n a • Gr e e m ix • Oa t m

le w a n u s lic k y o

h e a t to a s t t b u tte r a n d e s g u r t w ith tr a il

e a l w ith b e r r ie s

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

Interview: Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa

EN ROUTE TO SUCCESS Sports in Bahrain have reached the pinnacle in 2017. The previous year saw Bahrain achieve remarkable results in various national and international sports competition. We sat down with Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa for an interview. He also gives us a sneak peek on what the year 2018 awaits for cyclists in Bahrain.

he year 2017 was gratifying and positive as we saw a significant growth on the cycling front in Bahrain. A remarkable number of rides and events took place on the Island. There was significant participation in most events throughout the year.

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2017 CY CLING Y EAR The Cycle Safe Campaign was one initiative where cyclists took to the roads. They aimed to shed light on how cyclists and motorists could share roads safely. This event was a good beginning, and I believe more similar campaigns will be held in 2018 to spread awareness to make Bahrain roads safer for cyclists. For the first time, Bahrain hosted the 2017 Asian Cycling Championships. Bringing an incredible event to this part of the world especially in Bahrain was quite exhilarating. Bahrain now has a stable positioning in the cycling map of Asia and the world of Cycling. We have made a mark in the International Level with the introduction of Team Bahrain Merida in the 2017 UCI World Tour. The dream of having our very own professional cycling team took shape last year. Now we can support and follow our team which is an inspiration to cyclists here. The Pro Cycling Team is a huge triumph for Bahrain as we move forward into a promising 2018. This would be

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some of the highlights of the 2017 year of Cycling!

EV ENTS WITH TEAM BAHRAIN MERIDA The event was quite spectacular because it is not often that people get to ride with the pros. Given the opportunity again, more people would attend such events, and it would be unbelievable. Team Bahrain Merida performed exceptionally well in 2017. We hope that they will gain more exposure and thrive in the 2018 season. More than 300 cyclists came together to raise awareness about breast cancer. In association with Think Pink Bahrain, Team Bahrain Merida gave back to the Bahraini community as they actively supported the campaign. It was not an easy task to pull off such an event, but it spread a lot of awareness about womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health. The campaign did have positive impacts on the community.

BAHRAIN NATIONAL CY CLING TEAM- 2018 The Bahrain National Cycling Team is gearing up for the 18th edition of the Asian Games. It will be during August in Indonesia. With pride, we can say that the National team delivered good results last year. Razan Soboh claimed the bronze medal in the U-23 Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Individual Time Trial category of the Asian Cycling Championship. We look forward to seeing Saad Alsaadi joining the professional team soon.

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

TRIATHLON We saw a significant transformation in the Triathlon competition especially last year. The initial days saw only a few people registering for Triathlons mainly expats. Triathlon has come a long way since then, and we can confidently say that cycling is not far behind.

OPTIMISTIC 2018 CY CLING Y EAR For this year we have a lot of events lined up especially Bahrain MTB BikeFest and Road National Championship during March. Boost Bahrain was set up with a passion for encouraging individuals to embrace sports and lead a healthier lifestyle. In 2017, Bahrain had amateur races, and we plan on lining up more this year. We have observed that these amateur cyclists are strong competitors with great potential. The idea is to get more and more people involved in this open event. We will be emphasising more on the National Team, the 2018 Asian Games and the Asian Cycling Championship in Myanmar in February. Our top junior riders have received medals in the Arab Cycling Championship in the UAE, and we hope they can continue to progress.

TRAINING FOR THE PRO LEV ELS We focus on nurturing and training our riders to reach the professional level. It does not depend on their age instead it is their adaptability to the training regime. The training is intense and requires a high amount of commitment from the riders which is why the training in itself is crucial. The idea of sending them to a development team is to help prepare them better for the next level.

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Training in Bahrain is not ideal for this level of sport hence its necessary to train outside Bahrain all the more. For different riders, there are several things happening simultaneously. We have a continental cycling team registered in Bahrain known as VIB sports. Riders are given the opportunity to take part in the Asia Tour. A rider will be able to race in the Asian Calendar if he is not placed with the development. We have been doing a lot of races across Asia and Africa, Morocco, Turkey where the riders gain exposure. Above and beyond we send them to Europe for the training camp during summer. Bahrain is not an ideal training spot during summer as the conditions are favourable. We instead send our riders to Europe for training and cycling. At present we have around 10 -20 riders ranging from the junior to the elite level.

BAHRAIN CY CLING ASSOCIATION The Bahrain Cycling Association caters to young developing riders between the age of 12 to 18 years. The BCA does not purely focus on cycling but also on football, volleyball making it a mixture of many sports. They have their own training sessions but importantly they target and take part in our events. Riders for the National Team are selected from the association. It is our aim to encourage people to host local events where riders can take part. There are mainly two objectives that we have for this year and they are:

MOUNTAIN BIKE RACING Establishing mountain bike racing in Bahrain is an event we want to bring about. Competing outside may seem difficult due to the nature of the race. At the same time we are focused on road and track cycling.

BMX RACING A one day BMX Track Racing event I believe would be popular for cycling as its an Olympic sport as well. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fast sport as the bike is smaller and a short race. With numerous happening simultaneously they will have to manoeuvre through the course and finish. It would be thrilling to watch the race.

Dedication is a key ingredient every athlete must have in sports. The time duration for any cycling race is usually quite long, and people still tend to watch. Sometimes you have to give what the spectator wants and not what the sport needs. Events that we have done in the past have taken place in the middle of the city which is good. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sometimes better to go to the public than expect them to come and watch. Our riders are incredible because of their dedication which is why they reap awards. We may not have the best of things, but our team is very committed. Dedication is a key ingredient every athlete must have in sports. His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa is very much dedicated when it comes to his training. When he wins, he is appreciated for this very aspect. Everyone needs to set a goal be it in any sporting event. More importantly, you must have a role model to look up to for motivation and encouragement. Many triathletes admire and respect his highness.

LET’S LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER Cycle Safe Bahrain will be seen appearing around the Kingdom over the following months. It is an initiative by PowerUp and TriLife to promote safety and awareness for cyclists and motorists sharing the road.

ST AYIN’ SAFE AT

1.5 mtr GIVE 1.5 METRE TO PASS A CYCLIST SHARE THE ROAD SAFETY IS FOR ALL

A MESSAGE FROM

in partnership with

SONNY COLBRELLIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S 2018 MERIDA REACTO

With the start of the UCI World Tour 2018, Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team goes into the new season equipped with the black and gold aero bike.

he World tour is a platform that showcases the latest bike technology and Bahrain Merida goes into the race with three bikes - Merida Scultura, Merida Warp TT and the 2018 version of the Merida Reacto. Making news, the Bahrain Merida team unveiled the latest version of the bike Merida Reacto which is a stylized black and gold aero machine for Italian sprinter Sonny Colbrelli. Representing the Kingdom of Bahrain, the team bike models follow the colour scheme of red, white and now black and gold with the latest upgrade.

MERIDA REACTO Bahrain Merida raced on dark blue versions of the Reacto bike in the previous season. The 2018 season will see the aero frame being updated to improve comfort and aerodynamics and reducing weight. Opting for the black design while retaining the distinctive gold and

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red detailing of the bike, the Reacto continues with the SRM PC-8 head unit that pairs with the SRM Origin crankset. Colbrelli runs 172.5mm cranks and 53/39 Dura-Ace 9000 series chainrings. A Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 groupset is paired with the frameset, with Fulcrum providing the Speed 55T carbon tubular wheels for Colbrelli. Prologo supply the contact points of handlebar

tape, which wrap the Vision Metron 6D bars, and a custom Prologo Scratch 2 Nack saddle. The bike prioritises aerodynamics, and the handlebars are designed to cut through the air, with Merida also positioning it as the ideal choice for those looking to spend time in breakaways.

Prologo Scratch 2 Nack saddles. The bike features an S-Flex seat post design to help absorb shocks and improve comfort.

Vision Metron 6D integrated handlebars.

The bike has a full carbon fork and the team opts to run the SRM speed sensor on the front wheel.

Paired with the Dura-Ace groupset is a SRM Origin power meter contrast with Dura-Ace 9000 series chain rings.

JANUARY 2018 | PowerUp |

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Sports and Fitness | Triathlon

BAHRAIN SET FOR 2018 WORLD TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIP Athletes competed in the most challenging one day event in the world. More than 80,000 athletes competes around the world for qualifying slots with only around 2000 making it to the start line of the race in Kona.

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op athletes and veterans took part in the Ironman 70.3 Middle East Championship 2017. Bahrain offered 40 qualifying slots in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa and ten qualifying military slots in Kona, Hawaii for the 2018 Ironman 70.3 World Championship. His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of Bahrain Olympic Committee, qualified to compete for the first time in the World Professional Championship. Bahrain Endurance athletes put on a valiant finish to their season at the IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Championship, competing hard against one another

in a spirited race to the finish line. The race saw good active participation from Bahrainis who enthusiastically took up the event.

IRONMAN 70. 3 MIDDLE EAST CHAMPIONSHIPS MILITARY LEV EL

His Highness won the first pace in the IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Championship at the amateurs and military levels. He was able to finish the race in 4.12.53 hours and will be heading to Kona. Furthermore, His Highness Shaikh Nasser emerged as champion at Bahrain, GCC and Arab levels. He surpassed all the participants in the championship, among amateurs and professionals in his age group. Meanwhile, Bahraini athlete Sameera Al Bitar was crowned champion of the women’s category, followed by Mai Hajji and Manal Fakhrawi in second and third place respectively.

IRONMAN 70. 3 MIDDLE EAST CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES

Blummenfelt and Lawrence took the IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Championship titles. Both Javier Gomez (ESP) and Daniela

Ryf (SUI) had the opportunity to claim a $1million bonus with another win in Bahrain, but it wouldn’t be their day.

MEN

Javier Gomez started in style and with strong targets, a speedy and solo 21:52 swim seeing him take an early lead of 1:14. He was ahead of the chase group which included the 70.3 debutants, Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR), defending champion Terenzo Bozzone (NZL), Antony Costes (FRA), Pieter Heemeryck (BEL) and Sven Riederer (SUI) among several others. Gomez’ plans of winning quickly evaporated with Bozzone hitting the bike pace that had stunned everyone before. Blummenfelt was three minutes in arrears at the end of the bike leg, with Gomez arriving along with Johann Ackermann (GER) almost seven minutes behind Swiss veteran, Sven Riederer completed the podium, with Gomez taking fourth place after a tough day in which he was seen walking during the run at one point. Respect too for the fifth place of Matt Trautman

(RSA). Given the severity of the bike crash he suffered in January this year, his performance is exceptional. For a few of kilometres, Terenzo held his pace. As the final run lap began, Blummenfelt picked up the pace taking the win with Bozzone arriving at the finish line seconds later. Swiss veteran, Sven Riederer completed the podium, with Gomez taking the fourth place.

THE MAIN RACE

1.9km SW IM 90km BIKE

21.1km R U N

Started in Bahrain Bay it went all the way to Bahrain nternational ircuit in Sakhir and back.

HIS HIGHNESS SHAIKH NASSER

4.12.53 H T otal T ime

28.56 min Swim

2.23 h ycle

1.27 h Run

TOP 10 MEN KIDS TRIATHLON