TakeTourlast week
Liam Slock signs for Bahrain Victorious as more than Classics reinforcement — Rod Ellingworth calls him a rider who "brings strength to all areas of our race programme, from one day races to stage races." A 40km solo attempt on Stage 8 of the Tour de France, caught just 1.3km from the line, is the kind of breakaway instinct that doesn't fit a domestique job description.
His first pro win at GP Gippingen tells the same story with better slapstick: Slock beat Richard Carapaz and Aleksandr Vlasov in the sprint, then crashed while celebrating and still crossed first. That's a rider who commits, whether the finish line is a sprint or a solo move with 40km still to go. Add a time trial profile suited to flat and rolling courses, and Bahrain Victorious isn't just buying a Classics helper — they're buying a rider who can contribute across formats for two seasons, reuniting him with former Lotto-Intermarché teammate Alec Segaert along the way.
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