"I don’t have any specific expectations" - Red Bull - BORA ease Lorenzo Finn into World Tour debut
Cycling
Lorenzo Finn is a former under-23 World Champion and, despite his young age of 19, raced with the goal of stepping up at elite level in 2026. Next year he turns pro with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe but is under no serious pressure from team management.
“Developing our own talent is a key part of our strategy. Our goal is to offer young riders a clear pathway all the way to the WorldTour," the team's Chief of Sports Zak Dempster said in a press release.
The piece allured to the team's success in developing young riders, something that is more and more crucial in modern cycling - as teams now fight to try and get the best talents straight out of the junior rankings. Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe is no exception, as they have developed Finn through the GRENKE - Auto Eder junior team, and have had him race for the team's under-23 structure for two years.
“Lorenzo is the first rider to have followed that pathway from the junior ranks onwards. It confirms that our concept works," Dempster adds. "At the same time, it sends a clear message to the best young riders around the world: if you want to develop over the long term, Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe offers the right environment and conditions.”
Lorenzo Finn is making his way into the elite ranks in 2027
A dream coming true for Finn
Whilst the move to the World Tour had long been known, it is nevertheless a major step in the career of the Italian. “Becoming a professional is a dream that is now coming true," he said.
"You have to take a moment to pause and tell yourself: I haven’t reached my ultimate goal yet, but I’ve made it as a professional. It’s something I’ve wanted since I was a child".
Finn had won the junior World Championships in Zurich, 2024; and last year won the under-23 Worlds in Kigali as a first-year under-23 rider. This year, Finn was the first rider in history to win the under-23 Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in the same year, proving himself to be the category's top climber, and an incredibly consistent rider.
For much of the year however, he has raced with the elite team, which features two stages and a GC win at the Sibiu Cycling Tour, the elite World Championships in Montréal and a presence at many of the Italian autumn classics - where amongst others, he finished 11th at the Giro dell'Emilia.
An important 2027
"Now I mustn’t put too much pressure on myself. First, I need to get used to the level. I don’t have any specific expectations for my first year as a pro," Finn has said, as he readies himself to team up with the likes of Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz.
"I want to keep developing throughout the season and help the team. I still have time. I’m a long way from reaching my full potential. But I’ve reached a level where I can be confident in myself. Now I feel 100 per cent ready to take the next step.”
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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