Bahrain-Victorious terminate rider's contract after Covid rule breaches

Bahrain-Victorious have terminated the contract of one of their riders, Alejandro Osorio, for "multiple contract breaches".

The Colombian had only joined the WorldTour team at the beginning of this year, and raced just eight times. 

The team posted on Twitter: "Bahrain Victorious have terminated their agreement with Alejandro Osorio following multiple contract breaches. The team wishes Alejandro the best for his future."

The squad's manager, Milan Erzen told VeloNews that it was connected to Covid policies, explaining that he put the team in "difficult situations" by going outside the Covid bubble.

Speaking to Telemedellín at the Clásica de Rionegro this week, Osorio said he "didn't feel welcome" at the team. He joined from Caja Rural in the off-season, and his contract was officially ended last week after the appropriate forms were sent to the cycling's governing body, the UCI.

"I prepared really well, trained well, but the truth is I didn't feel welcome," the 23-year-old said. I see a team as a family, but it was work, work, work, I didn't feel support and that's how the problems started."

Ezren said that there were "some things you can't accept" and Osorio had gone too far after warnings had been made.

“He can come out with his explanation and if he wants to talk he can explain,” he said.

“It’s not one thing but from the beginning, he made many wrong things and we can’t accept that. He put riders and staff in difficult situations. Especially about COVID and everything.”

“The letter went to the UCI one week and that’s it. Some things you can’t accept. We have 100 people on our team and the rules are for everyone. We gave him one warning after a couple of things but he made them again. 

"So we decided to terminate the contract. It’s more than during the races; he went outside the COVID bubble. We have all the documents.”

His last race for Bahrain-Victorious was Strade Bianche last month.