Mallorca has always been good for premieres: 15 years ago, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, then Team NetApp, celebrated its racing debut here. In 2010, the Trofeo Palma provided the perfect backdrop for the first race day in the team's history. Wednesday marks another milestone for the team on the Balearic Island. The riders of the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies will wear a start number on their jerseys for the first time.
January 29 will be a very special race day for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. In just a few weeks, the German team has formed its own U23 squad, bridging the gap between juniors and professionals. The result is a team that is oriented towards the WorldTour in terms of equipment, training conditions and personnel. Eleven top young talents, including junior world champion Lorenzo Finn, want to take the next step in their careers and develop into WorldTour professionals. The anticipation for their first race day is accordingly high.
Ralph Denk
“Now the time has come: after weeks of preparation, we are finally racing. I am very proud that we have completed this huge project in such a short time. I would like to thank John Wakefield and his team. Hats off to them for mastering this ambitious challenge. The rookies are very important to us as a team because we believe in developing young talent. I was at our very first race day 15 years ago and I will of course be at the premiere of our rookies on Wednesday.”
The Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies extensively tested the roads of Mallorca during their pre-season preparations. In December they spent two weeks on the island together with the WorldTour pros. The riders also spent their training camp in Mallorca at the beginning of the year. All eleven rookies will get their chance in the five individual races of the Mallorca Challenge. They will compete in a daily changing line-up together with the WorldTour riders of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe.