"We're not going to buy out big contracts": Denk on the renewed RedBull-BORA-hansgrohe and link with Van Aert and Evenepoel

BORA-hansgrohe manager Ralph Denk provided more clarity on the impending partnership with energy drink giant RedBull at a press conference two days before the start of the Giro d'Italia. Last January, the team of Primoz Roglic announced that a long-term agreement had been signed with the Austrian brand, details of which are now being revealed.

In early January, news of RedBull's involvement suddenly broke. "Red Bull plans to expand its involvement in road cycling and aims to partner with BORA-hansgrohe. By becoming a partner in team manager Denk's company, Red Bull seeks to complement the portfolio of the team's existing main sponsors for the long term, who will remain on a long-term basis," it was announced at the time.

A few months later, images of a potential new team outfit that closely resembled Max Verstappen's Formula 1 outfit was leaked, while names like Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert, and more specifically Jan Tratnik, Laurence Pithie, and Giulio Pellizzari surfaced in the rumor mill. Naturally, Denk could not divulge much about this on Thursday, as the cycling transfer market is officially closed until August 1. "Just about everyone has been linked to us, but the big names are still under contract. It is not our ambition to buy out contracts from other teams."

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BORA hansgrohe manager Denk provides more information about RedBull

On the eve of the first major tour of 2024, he was able to share some additional details. "I want to update the entire cycling world on our joint venture with RedBull. The deal is done, with all the paperwork and such completed. From this point, we can look forward. We got the green light at the end of January and wrapped things up within a few weeks, which we are obviously very pleased about. I must also thank BORA and hansgrohe, as they too believe in the project for the future. Both companies will remain on board, which is excellent news."

"Why did we start this? Big victories drive us," Denk states plainly. "With RedBull coming on board, we can chase these ambitions. And it's not just about the Tour de France. Generally, we want to realize our potential in the medium to long term, which we now have with RedBull. The fact that they chose to invest in my project makes me a proud man." The team will continue to ride under a German license, despite RedBull's Austrian roots. "Because we remain an international team."

"From the Tour, we will have a new name: RedBull-BORA-hansgrohe, with three name partners. This also means a new identity for us in terms of apparel, bikes, helmets, and so on. There’s a lot of work in it, but for us, it's very motivating. Our entire structure will be adjusted, including a new development team and a higher budget. This way, we can train our own talents, and now we have the stability to do so. A significant portion of the funds will also go towards enhancing team performance."