Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe (UCI Code: RBH) is a UCI WorldTeam cycling team established in 2010 with a German license, founded and managed by Ralph Denk. It is sponsored by global energy drinks brand Red Bull, BORA, a German manufacturer of extractor hoods and cooktops, and Hansgrohe, a bathroom fittings manufacturer. Its aim is "improving the image of road cycling in Germany".[2]
The team was formed in 2010 as Team NetApp, a UCI Continental Team with 14 riders. It was promoted to ProContinental Team status after the first season.[3]
For the 2013 season, Team NetApp and British based Endura Racing merged to form NetApp-Endura. The team's 2013 roster consisted of eight riders from Endura, and 12 riders from Team NetApp, as well as NetApp bringing the Pro Continental licence.[4] The eight Endura riders joining were Alexander Wetterhall, Erick Rowsell, Iker Camaño, Jonathan McEvoy, Paul Voß, Russell Downing, Scott Thwaites and Zak Dempster. The nine NetApp riders retained were Jan Barta, Cesare Benedetti, Markus Eichler, Bartosz Huzarski, Blaz Jarc, Leopold Koenig, Daniel Schorn, Andreas Schillinger and Michael Schwarzmann.[5]
On the first rest day of the 2014 Tour de France, 15 July 2014, the team announced they had secured sponsorship with German cooking surface and extractor manufacturer BORA. The team for 2015 onwards, thus becoming known as Team BORA. BORA became the first German team with a German title sponsor in the professional peloton since 2010. Team manager Ralph Denk expressed hope that BORA's backing would help the team achieve their aim of joining the UCI World Tour by 2017.[6]
After the end of the 2014 Tour de France, it was announced that starting in 2015 the team would ride bicycles from Canadian company Argon 18 which would also be the team's second title sponsor.[7] During this relationship, a glass kitchen was installed allowing fans to watch the chef, like a zoo, and advertise the Bora air extractor.[2]
In late June 2016, days before the 2016 Tour de France, the team announced that from 2017 the team name would change from Bora-Argon 18 to Bora–Hansgrohe.[8] Hansgrohe is a bathroom products manufacturer with previous involvement in cyclo-cross, recently sponsoring the Superprestige series.[9] Following the announcement that Peter Sagan would join the team on a three-year deal from 2017, Specialized Bicycle Components announced in August 2016 that they would replace Argon 18 as the team's bike sponsor, having also agreed to a three-year agreement to supply the team's bicycles, helmets, shoes, tires, and wheels.[10]
On 1 August 2017, the team announced the signings of Peter Kennaugh on a two-year deal[11] and Daniel Oss for the 2018 season.[12] As of 2018 approximately 95% of funding comes from sponsorship. In order to develop, team manager Denk aims to reduce this to 50%.[2]
In January 2024 Austrian Federal Competition Authority (FCA) announced Red Bull GmbH's planned acquisition of a controlling interests of 51% in RD pro cycling GmbH & Co KG and RD Beteiligungs GmbH, the owner of BORA-Hansgrohe.[13]
The FCA approved the acquisition on Monday 29 January 2024. Bora-Hansgrohe's manager Ralph Denk stated "the foundations of our partnership with Red Bull are now officially in place. This is the green light we've been waiting for to go ahead with the formalities and many specific parts of the collaboration."[14]
The team was officially renamed Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe ahead of the 2024 Tour de France.[15]
Doping
In July 2017, the team revealed that former rider Ralf Matzka returned an adverse analytical finding for Tamoxifen on March 3, 2016. Matzka did not ride for the team after the Tour of Flanders. Tamoxifen usage can lead to an increase in the concentrations of testosterone within the body.[16]
^ abcWitts, J (2018). "Bora-Hansgrohe at the Tour de France, German Revival". Cyclist. No. 80. pp. 70–78. Bora-Hansgrohe might be best known for their Slovakian superstar, but the team's remit is improving the image of road cycling in its native Germany
