OFFICIAL: Young Red Bull-BORA Hansgrohe climber and former national champion leaves team for Bardiani-CSF 7 Saber
Cycling
Red Bull - BORA Hansgrohe climber Alexander Hajek will leave the team at the end of the season, joining ProTeam Bardiani-CSF 7 Saber after a cahllenging 2026 season that saw him struggle to reach the heights of his previous season.
Joining the German team at just 20-years-old, the Austrian was crowned national champion in 2024 and showed great promise as he finished seventh overall at the Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye, tenth at the Coppa Sabatini and fourteenth at the Tour of Guangxi that year.
However, after taking fourth place overall at the Tour de Hongrie, eighth at the Czech Tour and tenth at the CRO Race in 2025, his 2026 season was less successful as he finds himself leaving the team at 23-years-old.
A strong climber, Hajek hopes to re-ignite his 2024 momentum at the Italian ProTeam: “Joining Bardiani means a lot to me. After a challenging 2026 season, I am grateful to the team for believing in me and giving me this opportunity," Hajek said in the announcement.
Hajek leaves Red Bull after three seasons
Hajek excited for new challenge
"I am excited to start this new chapter and take on the challenges that lie ahead. It is also a great honour to join a professional team with such a unique history in cycling. I am proud to become part of this tradition and to represent the team at the highest level."
Hajek hopes to add victories to his locker as he looks to bounce back with his new team: "As a rider, I would describe myself as a climber who also has a good punch on short, steep climbs. I am particularly looking forward to seeing what I can achieve in stage races, where I have been able to compete at the front in recent years.
"My goals for the upcoming season are to continue developing as a rider, become more competitive in bigger races, achieve strong results and, hopefully, take some victories along the way. Most importantly, I want to keep learning, improving and contributing to the team’s success.”
Hajek rode several WorldTour races with Red Bull during his three year stint, but is yet to make his Grand Tour debut. However, he will not do so with Bardiani next season after the team finished outside the top 30 in the UCI ranking - making them ineligible for a wildcard selection at all three Grand Tours.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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