Red Bull problem sporting boundaries – their newest venture is not any totally different
Red Bull are no strangers to pushing boundaries.
In 2012, Felix Baumgartner climbed to the stratosphere, peered back down to the earth, and jumped. Paul Steiner, in 2023, dared to walk between two planes soaring 2,000ft above the ground – both under the winged brand.
Red Bull and extreme activities became almost intertwined but, it wasn’t long until Dietrich Mateschitz’s global empire moved into more contemporary sports. Red Bull invested in football, most notably with RB Leipzig, and into Formula One.
READ MORE: Meet the UK cyclist who won the opportunity of a lifetime with Red Bull and a Tour de France team
READ MORE: Yorkshire cyclist handed opportunity of a lifetime by Red Bull and Tour de France team
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Their move into cycling, however, was more drawn out. It started with freestyle riders, and then mountain biking, before cross-discipline athletes like Wout van Aert brought the wings to the road.
And their latest project has kept one eye on the future – as they look to find cycling’s next superstar.
What do you think of Red Bull’s involvement in sport? Let us know in the comments section
Athletes from around the world logged onto Strava or Zwift – an indoor cycling program – and competed on segments with the carrot of a pro contract.
These segments range from Australia to Colombia and France to Italy. There are even two on these shores: the ascents of Great Dun Fell, and Wyrose from Ambleside.
And the 12 lucky athletes who have been selected have been put through their paces in Austria for the past week. Two Brits were pedalling around the foothills of the Alps – Isaac Oliver and Louis Herring.
“I think it’s a really good opportunity for riders from all over the world,” Oliver admitted when asked about the Red Bull Junior Brothers program.
“Maybe if you’re not in mainland Europe, it’s hard to get a place on the big development teams, and I think it’s a good pathway for people that don’t have the opportunities that others have to get into the sport!”
And Herring agreed: “It really excels your pathway. It gives you that extra jump on everyone else who’s still working their way through the races and trying to get noticed by teams!”
The prize on offer is almost worth it’s weight in gold – a spot on the development team of Tour de France regulars Bora-Hansgrohe and a contract with Red Bull, earning them the right to wear the illusive helmet.
Yorkshireman Patrick Casey, who won last year’s competition, joked to Daily Star Sport earlier this year: “It’s definitely a nice list of names to be amongst [Red Bull athletes]. But I wouldn’t say like, I put myself on their level, just because we have the same helmet designer!”
Herring said: “I think everyone’s everyone knows the Red Bull helmets, sponsoring some of the best riders in the world. Even though they’ve come relatively late compared to their other sports, I think that’s making a really big impact.”
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
While Oliver said: “Obviously everyone wants to put on a Red Bull helmet… they’re really cool!”
Anton Palzer, who is already in the professional peloton, can’t help but agree with the youngsters, when speaking in 2023: “Red Bull are the company in sport? It’s like, every young athlete has heroes. And if you’ve watched YouTube videos, most of the good guys have a Red Bull helmet!”
The 2024 winners were announced on Friday: Georgs Tjumins and Karl Herzog earned themselves a contract BORA-Hansgrohe’s U19 team, Team GRENKE – Auto Eder.
