Is Roglic in the spotlight again? Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe seeks an unexpected secret weapon

Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe made a name for itself this year with the arrival of Red Bull as its new main sponsor. There has been much discussion about it, and the ambitions are endless. But how do you start? By gradually bringing in new and better riders, for example. Top talents Giulio Pellizzari, Jan Tratnik, and brothers Mick and Tim van Dijke from Visma | Lease a Bike, as well as Finn Fisher-Black from UAE Team Emirates and Laurence Pithie and Oier Lazkano for the spring season.

These are strong riders, but for those paying attention, it’s clear that a major leader for the Grand Tours is missing. Rumors about Remco Evenepoel spread like wildfire, but they were recently put to rest by the Belgian himself. Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe is set to continue with Roglic in 2025. Behind him, they have Jai Hindley, Aleksandr Vlasov, Daniel Felipe Martínez, and Florian Lipowitz. "Everyone is eager to have the new Pogacar; where do I sign?" Denk says, with a telling smile.

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To beat Pogacar, you need someone who can be just as good. Visma | Lease a Bike has Jonas Vingegaard, Soudal-Quick Step retains Evenepoel, and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe had hoped for Roglic. The 34-year-old Slovenian had a solid season, with stage wins and overall victories in the Dauphiné and the Vuelta. However, he faced numerous crashes, which affected his performance in the Tour de France. Denk asserts that even a fit Roglic wouldn't have been able to match his compatriot. "Pogacar is truly extraterrestrial; the entire cycling world agrees on that. We have to deal with it and find a smart way around it. In his current form, it's nearly impossible to beat him."

Thus, the German cycling team is not panicking in their search for new riders. Denk emphasizes that Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe has very strong leaders and a well-founded plan to develop the Pogacar of the future. "It's difficult, but we are investing heavily in talent development and have set up a development team. With world champion Lorenzo Finn, we have one of the best in his age group in the under-19 category, and with Lipowitz and Giulio Pellizzari, we have young men who have performed quite well, right?"

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It sounds like no major leader will be announced in the final months of the year. But who would that even be? Tom Pidcock is on a collision course with INEOS Grenadiers and has often been linked to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, but Denk’s response is telling: "Is he better than the names you’ve mentioned? You never know when a great talent will emerge, but when it does, development often happens quickly. We've seen that with Remco and Tadej."

So it’s better to make do with the resources at hand. And the roster Denk has isn't too shabby. Roglic as the leader, Martínez as the number two in the Giro d'Italia, Vlasov is usually reliable if he stays on his bike, and then there’s Hindley. The 28-year-old Australian won the Giro in 2022 and is frequently seen in the team’s press photos just behind Roglic. "It hasn’t been that long since he won the Giro—just two years ago. We believe he can win another Grand Tour, but that requires a very good preparation and a healthy Jai. That’s what we need to work on," says Denk.

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Hindley struggled after his excellent 2022 season, facing crashes and physical discomfort. This all began during the Tour de France, where he won a stage, wore the yellow jersey, and remarkably finished seventh after a crash in the second week. In 2024, he served as a shadow leader behind Roglic in the Tour, but it didn’t work out. "I didn’t have a great year; in fact, it was quite terrible. I was often sick and faced setbacks, but that’s how cycling goes sometimes. Hopefully, I can bounce back next year," says the always cheerful climber.

"We are already busy preparing for 2025, with health being a crucial component. If we can get that sorted, the rest will follow," continues Hindley, receiving support from Denk. "We still believe in Jai; we didn’t extend his contract until the end of 2026 for nothing. He started the season well with a third place in Tirreno, but then the health issues began. And let’s be honest: there aren’t many races in the second half of the year that suit him. After the Tour de France, we couldn’t get him ready for the Vuelta, so we shifted to plan B, focusing on one-day races. I think he did okay, especially in Canada. But Jai is and remains a Grand Tour rider. Hopefully, he can be more stable next year, and we can uncover the reasons behind his health problems. We have some ideas about that, so hopefully, it works."

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If Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe can get all their leaders in shape, there are opportunities ahead. However, Denk doesn’t expect them to directly challenge Pogacar. Wherever the Slovenian races, the German team has become a mere supporting cast. "Still, I would ultimately say it has been a good season for us. We not only won the Vuelta a España but also the Dauphiné and the Tour of Slovenia. We finished second in the Giro d’Italia... We knew the classics would be tough, but the results were better than expected. Jordi Meeus finished third in Gent-Wevelgem and made the podium in Brugge-De Panne. It looks like we’re going to finish in the top five of the UCI Team Ranking, which is a nice first step with Red Bull on board."

The ambitions for 2025 are even higher. Winning seems 'easier' if the leaders aren't all sent to the Tour as they were in 2024. "We need to talk to Primoz about next season. How did he come out of this year? What are the courses like? Then we can make decisions," says Denk when asked if Hindley and Vlasov might get more chances to find success in other races. Hindley is open to a return to the Giro, a race in which he not only won in 2022 but also finished second in 2020. "I love the Giro, but we’ll see," he concludes.