"We decided to turn everything around" - How Red Bull turned heads on Tour de France stage 13 superstitious move
CyclingSaturday, 18 July 2026 at 14:49
The start of stage thirteen of the 2026 Tour de France delivered one of the race’s quirkiest images so far. On the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe bus, cars and kit, everything was flipped: inverted logos, altered race numbers and an aesthetic completely different from the norm. Far from a marketing stunt, the explanation was much simpler: superstition.
The man who lifted the veil was Patxi Vila, the German team’s sports director, who laughed as he explained the reason for the unusual move. “We’re at the start of stage 13 of the 13th Tour de France for this team since it was born as BORA-hansgrohe. As number 13 is always turned upside down for superstition, we decided to turn everything around,” the Spanish sports director told Diario Marca.
Rather than treat 13 as a bad omen, the team chose to make it a playful nod to ward off any potential misfortune. In fact, Vila made it clear the idea was born with exactly that aim.
“It’s not that it brings us bad luck, it’s the opposite. Because it’s stage 13 of the team’s thirteenth Tour, the goal is to make sure it doesn’t bring bad luck,” he joked.
The initiative didn’t go unnoticed in the Tour paddock, and many wondered if it had required a major logistical effort. Patxi Vila met the question with humor before revealing another of the German squad’s secrets.
👀 Patxi Vila nos explica por qué el @RBH_ProCycling lleva toda su indumentaria al revés
— MARCA Polideportivo (@MarcaTMF) July 17, 2026
🗣 "Es la 13.ª etapa del 13.° Tour de Francia del equipo. Por ello, como se le suele dar la vuelta al 13, hemos decidido dar la vuelta a todo"
📹 @nacholabarga pic.twitter.com/ZczjckgeZT
The director reveals the team’s rituals
The sports director opened one of the team vehicles to show a small doll named Pedro, now an amulet inside the camp. “This is Pedro. He’s the one who really brings us good luck,” he said with a laugh.
The story behind the curious companion has a family touch. As Vila explained, the doll was a gift from his two daughters and has since accompanied the team throughout the race. “Pedro is a gift from my daughters and he comes with us every day of the Tour,” he said.
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So, with flipped logos and a small talisman tucked inside the car, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe chose to face the always-feared stage 13 with an extra dose of humor and superstition.
“We’ve got everything set against bad luck: everything is upside down and Pedro is with us too. So all good,” Vila concluded before rolling out for one of the most symbolic days of the 2026 Tour de France.
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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