OPINION: Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe are the real deal, and it’s only a matter of time before they are cycling’s next super team
Cycling
When Red Bull was announced as a major sponsor of BORA – hansgrohe, the cycling world took notice. A brand known for turning sporting projects into supreme winning machines was now investing in professional cycling at the highest level, but what did this mean for competitors? With the signing of Primoz Roglic as the team’s new leader for 2024, expectations were high, and although the season didn’t go perfectly, the foundation has now been laid.
To me, the trajectory is clear: Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe is on its way to becoming the sport’s next super team. That doesn’t mean I think that in the next two or three seasons they’re going to put the likes of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard down the pecking order, no, but I do believe they mean serious business.
The 2024 season was a year of transition, growth, and lessons. Roglic, despite early struggles, reminded everyone why he remains one of the world’s top stage racers. Elsewhere, new stars began to emerge, and with whispers of a Remco Evenepoel transfer in 2026, the future looks increasingly bright.
For those doubting Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe’s long-term ambitions, a look at Red Bull’s sporting history tells you everything you need to know. This isn’t a short-term project, it’s a blueprint for glory, and let me show you why.
2024: Vuelta success covers up Tour de France horror
BORA – hansgrohe’s first year with Red Bull backing was supposed to be a statement of intent, but the results weren’t quite what they had envisioned early on. The arrival of Primoz Roglic meant the team finally had a Grand Tour leader capable of winning grand tours, yet their campaign in July in France didn’t go to plan.
The Tour was a disaster by the team’s own high standards. Roglic was not at his peak, the team structure around him wasn’t strong enough, and their tactics failed to unsettle Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, or Remco Evenepoel. Compared to UAE Team Emirates and Visma | Lease a Bike, BORA simply didn’t have the depth or firepower to compete for the yellow jersey. Oh, and of course, Roglic is still cursed at the Tour, and crashed once again.
However, what separates great teams from good ones is how they respond to setbacks. Roglic returned at the Vuelta a Espana, where he was significantly stronger and secured his record equalling fourth Vuelta title.
The team learned a lot from their Tour de France struggles, and team boss Ralph Denk has already spoken about the changes needed to reach the next level. With the financial muscle of Red Bull, they won’t just be making small adjustments, they’ll be making big, structural changes to ensure they are genuine Tour contenders in 2025 and beyond.
Roglic getting on, but getting better?
At 35 years old, Primoz Roglic is approaching the age where most Grand Tour contenders begin to decline. However, the Slovenian has shown no signs of slowing down just yet, and both he and the team believe he can still win the Tour de France. Or do they?
The statistics, of course, suggest otherwise. No rider has won their first Tour de France after the age of 34 since 1922, and recent history shows that the winners of the yellow jersey are only getting younger and younger. Pogacar, Evenepoel, and Vingegaard are all in their mid-20s and in all honesty that trio looked head and shoulders above the rest last July.
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But Roglic has never followed conventional trends. The former ski jumper came into cycling late, meaning he has far fewer racing years in his legs compared to other riders his age, and his performances in the 2024 Vuelta prove he still has the engine to compete with the best.
Even Roglic himself has acknowledged that he is "really getting old," but his mindset remains one of constant improvement. Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe have built their team around him, and in the short term, their success will largely depend on whether he can win a second Giro d’Italia this year, as well as a more successful Tour de France.
Red Bull’s sporting track record
Red Bull has a reputation for turning investments into unrelenting dominance. Whether it’s in motorsport, football, or now cycling, they don’t just participate, they win.
When Red Bull Racing entered Formula 1 in 2005, they were just another midfield team. Within five years, they won their first World Championship with Sebastian Vettel in 2010. Fast forward to 2024, and they have won eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships, making them one of the most dominant teams in F1 history. Of course much of this is down to Vettel and Max Verstappen’s incredible ability, but the infrastructure, resources, and knowledge that Red Bull brings to the table is truly elite.
Red Bull also took over SV Austria Salzburg in 2005, rebranding them as Red Bull Salzburg. Since then, they have won 14 Austrian Bundesliga titles and 9 Austrian Cups, establishing themselves as the undisputed powerhouse of Austrian football.
Then there’s RB Leipzig, founded in 2009. In just 15 years, they have reached the Bundesliga top two, played in the Champions League, and won multiple DFB-Pokal trophies. No they’ve not quite reached the heights of their Austrian and F1 sister teams, but they are up against Bayern Munich in that league after all.
The pattern is clear: when Red Bull gets involved, success follows. If history repeats itself, Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe will not just become a good cycling team, they are destined to become one of the best.
The Remco Evenepoel question
While Roglic remains the team’s current leader, the long-term plan may involve a younger superstar. Rumours are growing that Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe is preparing for Remco Evenepoel’s arrival in 2026.
The Belgian has been linked with a move away from Soudal – Quick-Step, and many believe that BORA’s winter transfers were carefully designed to lay the groundwork for his arrival. Had it not been for Tadej Pogacar’s historic season, Evenepoel would likely have been the year’s best rider, as he backed up his debut Tour de France podium by becoming the first man to win Olympic gold in the road race and time trial at the same games.
Denk has remained mysterious about the situation, but he hasn’t ruled out the possibility, saying: “Evenepoel would fit in well with us, but he has made it clear where he sees his future.”
For now, Evenepoel is staying with Quick-Step, but 2026 is still a long way away. If Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe can prove they are ready to fight for Tour de France victories, Evenepoel might see them as the perfect destination.
If he joins, the team’s transformation could be complete, as they will draw closer to challenging UAE Team Emirates and Visma | Lease a Bike at the biggest races in the world.
While much of the attention has been on Grand Tour riders, Red Bull - BORA – hansgrohe’s strength in other areas should not be overlooked. Sam Welsford has had a very strong start to the year in 2025, and he will be hoping for more success as the year goes on.
Welsford himself admitted that the team learned a lot from their 2024 struggles, and those lessons are already paying off. If he continues his upward trajectory, he could establish himself as one of the best sprinters in the world.
Having depth beyond just Grand Tour contenders is crucial. UAE Team Emirates has Juan Ayuso, João Almeida, Adam Yates and Marc Soler supporting Pogacar. And Team Visma | Lease a Bike have built a dominant classics team alongside their Grand Tour riders, because Wout van Aert is no normal ‘domestique!’
For Red Bull - BORA – hansgrohe to become a true super team, they will need riders like Welsford, Aleksandr Vlasov, and Jai Hindley to step up and deliver across multiple races. Perhaps that statement is a little unfair on Hindley, who had a difficult year in 2024, but he is after all a grand tour winner in his own right and could certainly bounce back in 2025.
Red Bull - BORA – hansgrohe might not be a super team just yet, but everything is pointing towards them becoming one. The backing of Red Bull, the presence of a Grand Tour leader in Roglic and a whole crop of other talent would suggest they’re going in the right direction. The rumours regarding the potential arrival of Remco Evenepoel are, for now, just rumours, but even without him the team currently looks the most likely to close the gap to the top two teams in the long run.
They have already learned valuable lessons from their 2024 Tour de France struggles, and with the resources at their disposal, they will hope not to make the same mistakes again in 2025.
If Red Bull’s past successes are anything to go by, it won’t be long before Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe are right at the forefront of every race that matters.
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- perfect description!
maria2024202422-03-2025 - Tadej awesome, as usual, he's a blessing to the cycling, always fighting, trying all kind of races. His team... mmmm. Fantastic Ganna! and enormous Mathieu. What a race!maria2024202422-03-2025
- That is an awesome podium alright. King of the classics, time trial demi-god, and the best all round road ridermobk22-03-2025
- Possibly the best MSR ever, Chapeau to each of the three, an incredible race to watch!slappers6622-03-2025
- Now that was an entertaining and exciting race finale. Chapeau to Mathieu on another MSR victory.
santiagobenites22-03-2025 - Well that was boring and predictable. Let's hope that the men's race is a little more exciting.santiagobenites22-03-2025
- Exactly, my thought too. Ganna is multi-talented, but a great descender he is not. He was gapped and overtook on the descend by Pidcock last year.
KerisVroom22-03-2025 - You nailed it Mr S.Cyclingsbestfan22-03-2025
- Now everybody knows about it Mads! Compressed brocoli? I know it is supposed to be good for you, but is high on my list of least favourite vegetablesCyclingsbestfan22-03-2025
- Again Armstrong posts get so much more response than any other posts on this site, and it is you guys that are making it easy for them to post more about Armstrong. Just check over the last 6 months and you will see the response is over 10x over other posts. Stop complaining and do not post or hit the like button, you are playing right into there hands.
Senna196022-03-2025