"Rolf Aldag, the Chief of Sports for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, departs as the team prepares for a anticipated restructuring with Remco Evenepoel at the helm"
In a significant shake-up for the cycling world, Remco Evenepoel has officially announced his transfer to Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe, starting from the 2026 season. This move comes after seven successful seasons with Soudal Quick-Step.
The transfer, which finalised recently despite earlier speculation and complex negotiations, sees Evenepoel leaving Soudal Quick-Step and joining forces with Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe. The Belgian rider is widely expected to take on the role of the team's Grand Tour leader, alongside Primož Roglič and Florian Lipowitz.
This move is accompanied by a change in the team's management. Rolf Aldag, the Chief of Sports, has departed Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe, marking the beginning of a new strategic direction for the team. Sven Vanthourenhout, the former Belgian national coach and a key figure in Evenepoel's past successes, including World and Olympic championships, has been appointed as Aldag's replacement.
Vanthourenhout is expected to play a central role in guiding the team's new focus on stage racing, leveraging his past successes with Evenepoel. Along with Evenepoel, several key figures from his current entourage, including directeur sportif Klaas Lodewyck and some riders like Mattia Cattaneo and Gianni Moscon, are also moving to Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe, effectively creating a "team within a team" focused on Grand Tour ambitions.
Primož Roglič, one of the team’s current Grand Tour leaders, has welcomed Evenepoel’s signing, emphasising Evenepoel’s special talent and the potential for great achievements together. Sven Vanthourenhout has expressed his passion to contribute to Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe's ongoing journey.
Soudal-QuickStep has publicly denied any deal regarding Evenepoel joining Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. The latest reports suggest a potential three-party agreement between Remco Evenepoel, Soudal-Quick-Step, and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe for Evenepoel to join the team.
Rolf Aldag's departure was announced with a statement on the Red Bull team website, stating that they have reached the goals they set four years ago. Aldag helped Bora-Hansgrohe transform from a sprint-focused team to one of the best stage-racing teams in the peloton. His tenure saw significant achievements, including Jai Hindley's overall victory at the 2022 Giro d'Italia and Florian Lipowitz's best young rider's white jersey and third place at the latest Tour de France.
Ralph Denk, the team manager, confirmed that Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe is looking to change direction. The arrival of Red Bull as a sponsor and team owner has lifted Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe's ambitions even higher, setting the stage for an exciting new chapter in the team's history.
With Evenepoel joining and Vanthourenhout taking over as Sports Director, Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe is poised to make a strong impact in the world of cycling. Sven Vanthourenhout will join Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe and begin his role with the development squad at the Tour Alsace.
[1] Evenepoel to join Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe in 2026
[2] Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe part ways with Rolf Aldag
[3] Evenepoel to Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe: The transfer saga explained
[4] Sven Vanthourenhout named as Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe's new Sports Director
[5] Evenepoel's entourage to join Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe
Road cycling and sports are intertwined in the transfer of Remco Evenepoel to Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe, as Evenepool, a renowned road cyclist, signs a contract to join the team for the 2026 season. Primož Roglič and Florian Lipowitz, two respected sportsmen on the team, have welcomed Evenepoel's arrival, setting the stage for a strong impact in the world of cycling.
