The first full season of Red Bull in cycling had far to being ideal. While on the GC part, Florian Lipowitz secured a Tour podium, it's been far from enough to salvage the unfulfilling impression left by the team's 2025 campaign. In particular the team's ambitious Classics lineup left a lot to be desired. Despite the strong recruitments of Oier Lazkano, Mick & Tim van Dijke, or Laurence Pithie, the German formation failed to deliver any noteworthy results on cobbles.
Regardless of the unsatisfactory 2025, the team remains committed to the plan they set out before the previous season, making only one change in their Classics team; Gianni Vermeersch replaces the doping-sanctioned Oier Lazkano. Otherwise, the pressure to perform remains on the Van Dijke twins, Pithie and sprinter Jordi Meeus.
One of the aspects that didn't work well the past year was team cohesion. The group of riders gathered from various teams ahead of the season often acted as individual units, which ultimately didn't benefit any of them. Hopefully, the arrival of former Belgian national team coach Sven Vanthourenhout and ex-pro Tony Gallopin as new Sports directors should put things in order.
"They exude a lot of calm," Mick van Dijke said in an interview captured by WielerFlits. "That calmness, and also their tactical approach, can help us, especially because we're more attuned as a core group after last season. Our spring core is also stronger and broader now than in 2025."
More pawns in the finale
The main leaders were often scattered across the peloton, creating perfect grounds for the rival teams to make their move. "Back then, you often saw us with only two riders in the final, sometimes even after fifty or sixty kilometers of racing. That makes it difficult to play the collective game against the other teams."
"Next year, we hope to reach the finals with more pawns," adds Tim van Dijke.
Mick van Dijke will try to improve his 18th place at Paris-Roubaix from last spring
Anyone can become a leader
There will be plenty opportunities for both, granted that they prove to have the corresponding level. At races like Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix, everyone will be once given freedom, if they play their cards well.
"That's true, that's nice, continues Tim, "but with Pithie and Jordi Meeus in some races, we also have a fast man with us. Arne Marit has joined us, and Callum Thornley from the development team is also someone to keep an eye on. Such a strong team gives us energy. Enough pawns to create something."
Rather than selfishness, Mick van Dijke hopes that the inner competition for leadership will help eachother grow, profitting as a team. "That's also our strength, and we have to work hard for it. We have to create that team spirit. We don't have an absolute leader in our team. That creates opportunities, Tim and I see that too. It's up to us to be the best versions of ourselves again this spring."
Then the goal for 2026 is clear for the twins; to improve and eventually gain that trust of their teammates through performance: "Hopefully, we can take another step forward. At times, we'll also be given a free role. That depends on the squad and the race situation. But if we feel it's not for us that day, we're not the last to admit it and try to help a teammate win. That's how it should be, I think."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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