BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team signs the neo-pro Mark Padun, who has been a trainee in our team since August.
The 21-year-old Ukrainian cyclist was one of the most promising U23 riders from Team Colpack, that is BAHRAIN MERIDA’s development team. Padun did the first race in our jersey in the challenging Coppa Agostoni, where he was in the break for almost 160 km.
“Mark is a very talented young rider. We were aware that he’s got talent and he confirmed his true value at the Agostoni” says Brent Copeland, General Manager of the BAHRAIN MERIDA Team. “We’re very happy now to sign his first professional contract and we are very pleased to have such a talented neo-pro riding for us. We believe that in the professional category he will definitely show his true value. We have been following Mark closely in the past and he has proved what he is worth as a cyclist, a stage win and a 5th overall at the Giro as well as victories and good podium places in other international races show that he has what it takes to think about his move to the professional category.”
“It was a very big pleasure to ride with a big Team like BAHRAIN MERIDA as a trainee and an even bigger pleasure to sign an agreement as a pro rider,” comments Mark Padun. “The debut at the Coppa Agostoni was something special and to be with the team at October Training Camp was very exciting too. There I could experience how precious is for a rider to be supported by such a great staff.”
This year Mark Padun won the Trofeo Piva, the GP Capodarco and one stage of Giro d’Italia Under 23, where he also took 5th place in the overall classification. Moreover, he took other important results, as the second place at the Flecha du Sud in Luxembourg, Last year he won a stage on Giro Valle Aosta, wore pink jersey for 2 days and was 2nd in the overall classification. He also won TT national championship.
“If I think back a year ago, I believed that sooner or later I would succeed in becoming a pro rider,” adds the young Ukrainian cyclist, “but if I go back two years, it was like something impossible. It was my big dream and I went to Italy to make it come true.”
“It is a big surprise for me and my parents too that I joined this team. My family is very proud of me and satisfied with this new great step in my career.”
“I’m a GC rider. Races with a lot of climbs, like Ardennes Classics or Il Lombardia, suit me. I like hors category climbs. Now I’m looking forward to start training with the Team for next year.”
Padun is one of the best riders in U23 in the world, specialized in climbing and everybody in the team is excited to have this young talented rider in our jersey.
