At the 2025 Challenge Mallorca, the newly formed U23 team Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies made a strong first impression. Over five race days, the young talents had the opportunity to gain valuable experience alongside WorldTour riders – a chance they made the most of.
Racing shoulder to shoulder with WorldTour pros for the first time – the Challenge Mallorca marked the debut of the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies on the big stage of professional cycling. Over five days, the eleven riders had the opportunity to gain top-level race experience alongside the WorldTour team. They had to adapt to both the longer race distances and the higher average speeds that come with competing at this level.
The impressive result: Davide Donati (19th at Trofeo Palma) and Luke Tuckwell (19th at Trofeo Serra Tramuntana) both finished in the top 20. The rookies proved they were not only physically but also tactically up to the challenge. They positioned themselves smartly, supported the WorldTour riders at crucial moments, and followed race strategies with discipline.
John Wakefield, Director of Development, was impressed: “Right from the start, our rookies displayed race awareness, positioned themselves smartly, and made an impact at key moments. They showed strong teamwork and great commitment to executing the race plan, providing support to our WorldTour riders exactly when it was needed. Therefore, the Mallorca Challenge was an invaluable and, above all, successful test for our rookies.”
The next race for the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies will be the Umag Classic in Croatia on March 5th.
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