"I didn’t really take it personally": Jordi Meeus holds no grudges as Red Bull - BORA splits its sprint trains

After years working as an elite leadout man, Danny van Poppel will return to sprinting for his own results in 2026. It will be the first time since joining Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe in 2022 that he is granted that status.

The plan became public during the NIBC Tour of Holland, where Van Poppel explained that discussions during the 2025 Tour de France led to a new long-term vision. “It looks very good for the future. Especially with my champion’s jersey, I said: ‘I’ll wait for the world-class sprinter I hopefully get one day. For less, I won’t do it anymore,’” van Poppel said at the time.

Those words imply the sprinter of his team, who is Jordi Meeus, cannot be considerd as a world-class one. Harsh words to hear a teammate say about you, perhaps, but Meeus said he did not take Van Poppel’s comments personally.

“I didn’t really take it personally. I know myself that I’m not the fastest in the peloton. I also know that it’s difficult for me to win from the second wheel. I need to come from behind with speed. That’s how I’ve won most of my sprints,” Meeus said to Wielerflits.

He also admitted that he knows there are other sprinters with more power than him. “I don’t think I’m lying if I say that the chances are bigger when Jasper Philipsen or Olav Kooij come out of Danny’s wheel than when I do.”

Meeus and Van Poppel will compete in different races next year, and to support the new setup, Red Bull has recruited multiple riders. Arne Marit, coming from Intermarché, is expected to be Meeus' right-hand, while Van Poppel will work with Haimar Etxeberria. Jarrad Drizners also joined the roster, underlining the team’s commitment to sprinting despite also having a strong climbing core built around new signing Remco Evenepoel, Florian Lipowitz and Primoz Roglic.