Why October 17 is significant for Roglic and BORA-hansgrohe, where the German Willi Wortel has a role

The question isn't if, but rather when it will be officially announced that Primoz Roglic will be representing BORA-hansgrohe in the upcoming season. As the Münsterland Giro kicked off in their home country, no one from the German team was ready to confirm this formally. However, it was evident from all indications that the deal is in its final stages. In fact, the experienced team manager, Rolf Aldag, even mentioned a specific date: October 17.

Over the past few months, Roglic's name had been linked with nearly every major team. However, after teams such as INEOS Grenadiers, Bahrain Victorious, Lidl-Trek, Movistar, Jayco-AlUla, and Israel-Premier Tech withdrew from the race for various reasons, BORA-hansgrohe emerged as the clear frontrunner. Although the German team had remained relatively discreet for some time, Roglic's imminent arrival aligns with the team's chosen direction.

BORA-hansgrohe has a singular goal - to contend for victories in the Grand Tours. Willi Bruckbauer, the CEO of the German kitchen brand, and Willie Wortel (inventor) have been sponsoring the WorldTour team led by Ralph Denk since 2015 and have consistently aspired to climb higher. Their motivation? Both are avid cycling enthusiasts, and they've recognized the tangible benefits of sponsoring a cycling team.

"We are proud to see the impact of cycling on our brand," they state on the kitchen brand's website. Cycling has become an integral part of their marketing strategy, with BORA's brand awareness steadily increasing. They've observed that BORA is experiencing substantial growth in cycling-centric countries compared to others. The brand has become more relatable, and their influence extends globally. Consequently, Bruckbauer and co-principal sponsor hansgrohe have already committed to the team until at least 2027. Interestingly, it appears that Red Bull is also actively pursuing Roglic's arrival.

Sagan and Hindley bring BORA-hansgrohe closer to success

Initially, Peter Sagan, the cycling rock star, was brought in as the undisputed front-runner. However, after Sagan's departure at the end of 2021, the team shifted its focus more toward the grand tours. Jai Hindley and Aleksandr Vlasov were enlisted as the team's key leaders, marking a significant change in direction, along with the earlier acquisition of Wilco Kelderman. The seriousness of Bruckbauer's commitment was evident when Patrick Lefevere expressed his interest in buying Bruckbauer's Quick Step team (featuring Remco Evenepoel).

Sooner than expected, Denk succeeded in making a strong bid for an overall victory in a major tour. The 2022 Giro was widely seen as the first three-week test for the German team, and to everyone's surprise, it was Hindley who emerged victorious. This taste of significant success undoubtedly left the team hungry for more. As they approached 2023, Denk urged caution. "We need to set realistic goals. Our focus is on the big tours, where we can aim for the podium. Not in all three tours; that wouldn't be realistic. But at least one podium finish is our target. A second or third place would be a satisfying confirmation of our Giro victory last season."

In the end, BORA-hansgrohe didn't come particularly close to securing a podium spot this season. Lennard Kämna finished ninth in the Giro, and thereafter, it appeared that Hindley was riding his way towards a podium position after a double victory in the fifth stage of the Tour. However, due to a crash, the Australian ultimately settled for seventh place, a position that Vlasov also managed to achieve in the Vuelta. Cian Uijtdebroeks, who had a back-and-forth battle with his teammate along the way, finished eighth in that tour.

Respectfully speaking, these results are not the kind of podium placements that Bruckbauer and the BORA-hansgrohe team aspire to achieve. Both the BORA boss and their BORA-hansgrohe counterparts are setting their sights on the podium of the grand tours, particularly the Tour de France. It's clear by now that Roglic is their chosen contender for this endeavor. Nevertheless, the key figures within the Osnabrück team are trying not to overly emphasize this, or at least not yet. While there is certainly pride in Roglic's impending arrival, they understand that it's prudent not to make too much of it prematurely.

Flight Roglic for first team meeting has yet to be booked

When asked about the impending arrival of the Slovenian, Sport Director Aldag responded, "We would also like Jonas Vingegaard, and why not Wout van Aert too?" He then took a more serious tone to address our inquiry. "Look, you're no fool either. But is the signing of one rider of such caliber really that interesting, considering everything else that's happening? The most successful team in the world and one of the best teams in recent years are merging. That's not a positive sign for the sport, is it? I'm puzzled about how they intend to manage all of this," Aldag expressed.

Due to personal circumstances, Aldag might not have been completely up-to-date with all the developments in the past few days, but he was clearly aware of the situation. "All I can say is that I have access to the files containing our travel plans. I haven't seen a flight booked for Roglic on October 17, which is the day of our first meeting for the next season. Maybe that one will be booked soon," Aldag said with a smile.

Roglic himself indicated on Saturday that he will announce his destination after the Tour of Lombardy. BORA-hansgrohe already has 29 riders under contract for next season, including Daniel Felípe Martinez and Matteo Sobrero, among others. However, there's another potential angle to consider: Victor Koretzky, a Specialized mountain biker, might still be used in a different capacity, although it doesn't appear necessary at the moment. After all, Roglic isn't bringing any riders from his current team Jumbo-Visma, and the mentioned names already provide substantial support within the strong lineup of the German team.