Red Bull acquires controlling stake in Bora-Hansgrohe

Red Bull has acquired a controlling stake in the company that owns Bora-Hansgrohe, according to a merger notification published by Austria’s Federal Competition Authority.

The authority, which examines and approves potential mergers to ensure compliance with competition law, said that Red Bull GmbH, based in Austria, has indirectly acquired a 51% stake in RD pro cycling GmbH & Co KG and RD Beteiligungs GmbH, which owns the Bora-Hansgrohe WorldTour team.

Team manager Ralph Denk previously owned the majority stake in the company.

"Red Bull is planning to expand its involvement in road cycling and is aiming for a partnership with Bora-Hansgrohe. By becoming a partner in Team Manager Ralph Denk's operating company, Red Bull strives to complement the team's portfolio of existing long-term main sponsors, who will remain on a long-term basis. The planned joint venture has been notified to the relevant antitrust authority," Bora-Hansgrohe said in a statement released after the news became public.

The merger between the companies is subject to confirmation from the Federal Competition Authority, after a process during which other individuals and businesses may object to the move. That process will end on January 26.

"We ask for your understanding that we will not comment further on the planned joint venture, as we do not wish to anticipate the ongoing review by the Austrian antitrust authority," Bora's statement concluded.

Red Bull and Bora-Hansgrohe have been working together for some time, this year running the ‘Red Bull Junior Brothers’ scouting programme. The drinks brand and marketing company was also reportedly heavily involved in the team’s signing of Primož Roglič this off-season, with the Slovenian spotted at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre just outside Salzburg whilst talks were ongoing.

Bora-Hansgrohe is also home to Red Bull athlete Anton Palzer, who made the switch to cycling from ski mountaineering, where he was also supported by Red Bull.

Read more:

• Bora-Hansgrohe confirm arrival of 'inspirational' Primož Roglič
• Anton Palzer: If Chris Froome or Primož Roglič tried my SkiMo times, I'm sure they wouldn't survive this

It is not clear what it will mean for the management, or naming rights, of the Bora-Hansgrohe team going forward, and how Red Bull will be incorporated as a sponsor.

Red Bull has a long and recognisable history in sport, owning an F1 team as well as several football teams, including Germany’s RB Leipzig and Austria’s FC Red Bull Salzburg.

The company also sponsors hundreds of individual athletes, including several in cycling. Most are concentrated within the off-road world, particularly mountain biking, but the likes of Wout van Aert, Blanka Vas and Tom Pidcock are all Red Bull athletes, and will often be seen sporting special Red Bull helmets, though only Van Aert is usually permitted by his team to wear his in road races.

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Red Bull's involvement in cycling slightly waned in 2023 after it lost broadcast rights to the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, so its increased collaboration with Bora-Hansgrohe appears to be a re-upping of its presence in the cycling world.