"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."
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