U23
A new era: Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe unveils its U23 squad for 2027
14 riders make up the squad for the Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe development team’s third season, including four riders stepping up from the organisation’s own junior team and three new signings.
The best development team in professional cycling – according to the 2026 UCI ranking, that is the Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies. No other U23 team was as successful last season, and no other U23 squad won as many races, including the overall titles at the Giro Next Gen and the Tour de l’Avenir, two of the most prestigious stage races on the U23 calendar. The reward: no fewer than four riders have earned promotion to the WorldTour team, Sebastian Putz (Austria) and Davide Donati, Lorenzo Finn and Alessio Magagnotti (all Italy). For the development squad, 2027 marks therefore the start of a new era. Without its former leaders, the third season in the team’s short history will be about preparing a new generation of talent for professional cycling.
In 2026 we had clear win-makers; in 2027 we’ll be significantly more versatile, which will certainly also have an impact on our tactical approach in the races.
The core of the new squad is made up of seven riders who already raced for the Rookies in 2026: Noah Lindholm Møller Andersen (Denmark), Gustave Blanc (France), Max Bock (Germany), Paul Fietzke (Germany), Anatol Friedl (Austria), and Michiel Mouris and Gijs Schoonvelde (both Netherlands). They are joined by Julius Birkedal (Denmark), Karl Herzog (Germany), Enzo Hincapie (USA) and Georgs Tjumins (Latvia), who step up from grenke – Auto Eder, the Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe junior team. The new signings are Enrico Andrea Balliana (Italy), Nicolas Ginter (Switzerland) and Owen Kings (Germany). The squad thus reflects Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe’s entire development pathway, from the juniors through the Rookies to the WorldTour.
“Seeing four of our riders move up to the WorldTour this winter is a great compliment to our project and a strong sign that our approach works. However, the departures of Donati, Finn, Magagnotti and Putz also mark a turning point for the Rookies. In 2026 we had clear winners. In 2027 we are much more versatile, and that will certainly affect our tactical approach in races too. But the goal remains the same: to develop our talents and bring them to the WorldTour.” – Tim Meeusen, Director of Development
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies 2027
- Balliana, Enrico Andrea (Italy, 18 years old)
- Birkedal, Julius (Denmark, 17)
- Blanc, Gustave (France, 19)
- Bock, Max (Germany, 21)
- Fietzke, Paul (Germany, 20)
- Friedl, Anatol (Austria, 19)
- Ginter, Nicolas (Switzerland, 20)
- Herzog, Karl (Germany, 18)
- Hincapie, Enzo (USA, 18)
- Kings, Owen (Germany, 18)
- Lindholm Møller Andersen, Noah (Denmark, 19)
- Mouris, Michiel (Netherlands, 19)
- Schoonvelde, Gijs (Netherlands, 19)
- Tjumins, Georgs (Latvia, 18)
The Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe 2027 line-up
© RBH
About the Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies
The Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies were founded in 2025 as the U23 development team of Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe. Together with the junior team grenke – Auto Eder, they form the foundation of the WorldTour team. The aim is to guide young riders carefully towards the WorldTour and prepare them for professional cycling. Seven former Rookies are part of Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe’s WorldTour roster for 2027.
