Bahrain Victorious Secures Victory at Trofeo Laigueglia as Santiago Buitrago and Antonio Tiberi Dominate Final Climb

Bahrain Victorious riders Santiago Buitrago and Antonio Tiberi outmaneuver Romain Grégoire in Italy, signaling a dominant start to the 2026 spring cycling season.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 5, 2026, 8:28 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from IDLprocycling.com

A Tactical Masterclass on Italian Roads

The Bahrain Victorious squad demonstrated a sophisticated level of coordination during Wednesday’s Trofeo Laigueglia, a race that notably lacked a live television or online broadcast. Santiago Buitrago emerged as the primary beneficiary of this collective effort, securing his first victory of the 2026 campaign after a quiet start to the year at the Tour Down Under. The 26 year old Colombian, who previously resided in the race’s host town, leveraged his intimate knowledge of the local terrain to launch a decisive move on the final climb. This maneuver effectively fractured the lead group and forced his rivals into a defensive posture they could not maintain.

A Strategic Shift Toward European Dominance

This latest success follows a string of consistent performances for the team, including Antonio Tiberi’s stage win and second place overall finish at the UAE Tour. According to sports director Gorazd Štangelj, the team entered the race with a flexible leadership structure, allowing the riders to communicate and adapt their roles based on real time developments. This fluid approach allowed the duo of Buitrago and Tiberi to isolate their strongest competitors, ensuring that the team’s momentum from the Middle Eastern races transitioned successfully to the more technical European spring circuit.

Neutralizing the Threat of Romain Grégoire

The primary challenge for the Bahrain duo came in the form of Romain Grégoire, the 23 year old Frenchman representing Groupama–FDJ. Recognizing Grégoire’s superior speed in a potential sprint finish, Buitrago and Tiberi coordinated their attacks on the final ascent to deplete the Frenchman’s reserves. Buitrago noted that the objective was to take the sting out of Grégoire’s legs before the finish line approached. While Grégoire managed to salvage a second place finish by out-sprinting Tiberi, he admitted that he was physically unable to match the initial acceleration provided by the Colombian winner.