Nibali linked to Bahrain-based team for 2017

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MILAN (VN) — A new team from the Middle East island nation of Bahrain is quietly taking shape with eyes on Vincenzo Nibali and the UCI WorldTour. In these days, Prince Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa is reportedly sorting out sponsors and the team’s management.

The prince announced in February he is starting a top-level team via his Instagram account:

Prince Nasser had been linked with Bjarne Riis’ new team and with team Tinkoff, but it appears he will begin a team from scratch and apply for a WorldTour license for 2017. One or possibly two spots will be open, with Oleg Tinkov folding his Tinkoff team and IAM Cycling’s future uncertain.

If it happens, the UCI would have its first WorldTour team from the Middle East after seeing the region host top-level events like the Tour of Qatar and the Abu Dhabi Tour. To make it possible, Slovenian Erzen Milan has been reaching out to cycling agents and companies.

Milan raced for several years and opened a development center in …

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