BORA – hansgrohe starts its World Tour campaign. Gandia, December 2016. During the first training camp of the season, the new UCI World Team BORA – hansgrohe, presented it’s official team kit for the 2017 racing season. The team from Raubling, Germany has set ambitious goals for itself for their first season in the UCI World Tour. Along with BORA, who are now entering their 3rd season as main sponsor, the new title sponsor hansgrohe and the new partner Specialized enabled team manager Ralph Denk to build a strong group of riders around UCI double World Champion Peter Sagan. Below you will find quotes from the team manager, sponsors and key riders. Additional information about the riders and sponsors, as well as photos and the new 2017 kit, may be downloaded HERE. „At the first team meeting in October I said that this is going to be a new adventure for all of us. Like BORA is working hard on their cooking revolution, I think with this team we can start a revolution in cycling. For me it is key to have backing from the team and at BORA – hansgrohe I felt comfortable right from the beginning.” – Peter Sagan, UCI double World Champion “I am very happy to be back in the team that gave me the opportunity to turn pro. Obviously, a lot of things changed since I left. BORA – hansgrohe will be one of the biggest World Teams and I am impressed how Ralph manages that significant growth in all the management areas. I also look forward to have a lot of young guns next to me like Emanuel or Patrick. We have ambitious goals, but also a strong roster for 2017.” – Leopold König “Both of us, Leo and myself, can lead a team in a Grand Tour. I will focus on the Tour and the Vuelta next year. At the Tour, with Leo, myself but also with Peter, we can play a big role. For BORA – hansgrohe it will be important how all the new riders can integrate themselves in this new team, but what I saw until now makes me confident that we find the right team spirit very fast.” – Rafal Majka “A lot of things changed in the team. Everything is kind of bigger now, but also a lot more professional in some areas. That is very important because today in cycling just small things decide whether you take a win or not. I am confident that I can learn a lot from experienced professionals like Rafal and Leo. Therefore, I expect to take the next step in my development 2017 with BORA – hansgrohe.” – Emanuel Buchmann “Unbelievable what Ralph managed to set up. For me almost everything is new here in this new World Team. Nutrition, bike fitting, training, equipment, new experiences almost every day. My personal goal for the upcoming season is, first of all to integrate myself well into the team. If also my efforts help BORA – hansgrohe to be successful, then I will be pleased. There is still enough time in the next years to follow my own ambitions.” – Pascal Ackermann “Since 2015, when BORA entered their first season as main sponsor with us, our clear plan was to become a World Team. I already said at the beginning of this season that I think that the Grand Départ 2017 in Düsseldorf is a window of opportunity for German cycling. Together with our new title sponsor hansgrohe and new partner Specialized, we have been able to put together a world class cycling team. With the double UCI World Champion Peter Sagan we have one of the top stars for the first part of the season. For the Grand Tours we have Rafal Majka and Leopold König as key riders. Still the team will also support German speaking talents. This step up to the UCI World Tour means also a lot of changes on the management side. 2016 the team had about 45 employees, now we are up to 75. I think we improved in all areas. What remains is our claim “ride.natural.”, besides a healthy diet and lifestyle, respect and fairness are core values of BORA – hansgrohe.” – Ralph Denk, team manager “Ralph Denk has put together a very well balanced mix of riders from young talents to experienced athletes, of GC specialists, sprinters and all-rounders, our team BORA - hansgrohe will be a great partner to support our revolution in the kitchen, and Peter Sagan and his teammates are the perfect ambassadors to bring the revolution onto the road also. We can’t wait for the new season to start. We initiated our sponsorship activities in the world of cycling almost five years ago and have been title sponsor for the last two years. Now we support our team at the World Tour and will be part of the world’s biggest and most important races. We are extremely proud of this development and of our commitment. But our investment also clearly pays off. In markets having an affinity for cycling our growth is more than 30% higher than in other core markets.” – Willi Bruckbauer, owner BORA The hansgrohe sport sponsorship is part of the brand's international campaign "hansgrohe. Meet the beauty of water." There were several factors that led to sponsorship of a cycling team. The nearly year round and international presence of competitive cycling was the decisive factor for hansgrohe as a global brand. The reach of media coverage of cycling and the team increases the charisma of its brand profile. In addition, there is a large overlap between cycling fans and the hansgrohe premium brand target group. At the same time people strongly identify with athletes and their sport. The "Meet the beauty of water" campaign aims at creating that same emotional bond between the consumer and hansgrohe. hansgrohe products offer outstanding design and consumer- oriented functionality. With hansgrohe products, contact with water is perceived as an experience. To that end, the brand is continually developing new and innovative product solutions for showers, bathrooms and kitchens.” - Philippe Harinck, Sponsorship Project Leader at Hansgrohe Group .