"You need a lot of money to be one of the best" - Ralph Denk talks the transformation Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe and how Primoz Roglic can lead the team forward
Cycling
Cycling News recently spoke to Ralph Denk, the CEO of Red
Bull – BORA – hansgrohe, about the team's transformation since Red Bull
acquired a 51% stake in its management. Reflecting on the decision, Denk
expressed his satisfaction with the partnership and the opportunities it has
unlocked.
"To be honest, you need a lot of money to be one of the
best. I also had some conversations and negotiations with investors in Arabian
countries. But for me, this did not really feel right," Denk shared.
"Then I had conversations with Red Bull which is just
45 minutes from my hometown," he continued, "in Bavaria, we speak the
same language, and the same dialogue, and I had a really good feeling. I think
after six months, I made the right decision to aim so high."
The partnership with Red Bull has already borne fruit, with
the team enjoying a successful season capped by Primoz Roglic winning the Vuelta
a Espana in September. Reflecting on the benefits of Red Bull’s involvement,
Denk highlighted the all round support they provide.
"[Red Bull] are very supportive in different areas:
sports performance, mental performance, in technical things where there is a
link between cycling and Formula One, but also in nutrition, which we believe
could be maybe a game changer," Denk explained.
He added, "There's also a lot of areas where we can
invest now. Our resources, finance-wise, were always limited in the past, it
was not always easy for me to guide the team the right way and always make
balanced decisions. But now the potential is massive."
Despite selling a majority stake, Denk emphasised that his
leadership role remains unchanged.
"I as the CEO, can decide more or less everything. This was important for
me, to be a real decision-taker and leader, not just on paper because I have
done this before," he explained.
"I take always the finance risk and everything – from
that point, really nothing has changed for me. But on the other side, we have
the huge support and the potential of Red Bull."
However, the partnership’s first year was not without
challenges. Denk candidly admitted the team’s struggles during the Tour de
France, "Our partners had big expectations for the Tour de France, and we
messed it up totally. It was our worst TDF since 2014 which was our first Tour
de France as a team," he said.
"The Tour was hard for us, but we stayed calm, prepared
well for the Vuelta, believed in ourselves and created success. It was a nice
comeback story," Denk reflected.
A key highlight of 2024 was the addition of Primoz Roglic,
whose integration into the team came with its own challenges.
"I think Primoz's second year will be more successful
than the first because when he arrived here, he had never seen a different
environment to Jumbo-Visma. It's the first time in his cycling career he saw
the different environment of a team, which is a lot to work with," said
Denk.
"This was definitely a culture shock. Every team has
their own DNA and their own approach but I think we managed it well and now he
is strongly integrated."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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