Ibon Ruiz steps up to the WorldTour with Bahrain Victorious

Ibon Ruiz will join Bahrain Victorious in 2027 on a two-year contract running through the end of 2028. The 27-year-old Basque climber leaves Equipo Kern Pharma, the structure where he developed and began his professional career in 2020, to make his WorldTour debut.

Ruiz earned the move with his most consistent season yet. He won the 2026 Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes and finished second overall at the Route d'Occitanie, results that underlined his ability on demanding mountain terrain. His record also includes third place at the 2025 Clasica Jaen and two mountains classifications.

Bahrain Victorious sees him as an aggressive breakaway rider and a dependable climber for stage races and one-day events. The signing adds further Spanish depth to a squad in which Pello Bilbao has long been one of the leading references.