Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe is making a serious move into cyclocross, investing in a dedicated development programme aimed at producing the next generation of cycling stars.
The German WorldTour powerhouse has put former Belgian national coach Sven Vanthourenhout in charge of the project, which initially concentrates on junior riders rather than established elite professionals.
Among its young recruits are junior world champion Delano Heeren, promising Belgian Lars Peers, Italian Matteo Gualtieri and Germany’s Benjamin Huber.
The investment goes well beyond providing bikes and clothing. Riders benefit from dedicated mechanics, support staff, equipment and race-day facilities, with the operation expected to expand around Christmas when Gianni Vermeersch and U23 rider Michiel Mouris join the cyclocross programme.
Vanthourenhout believes the discipline is essential to developing complete cyclists, pointing to the success of Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock as evidence of the benefits of racing across disciplines.
Although comparisons with Alpecin–Premier Tech are inevitable, Vanthourenhout insists Red Bull is not attempting to copy the Roodhooft brothers’ established model.
The programme is already producing results. Sixteen-year-old Peers won Sunday’s junior Superprestige race at Overijse, while Heeren finished second at Heerderstrand the previous day.
For a sport increasingly influenced by major road teams, Red Bull’s arrival represents another significant development. And with its financial resources and commitment to developing young riders, this could be just the beginning.
