cycling: Team presentations 2017: BORA-hansgrohe – More than Peter Sagan

Cycling: Let's get to one of the big highlights for the coming season in our team presentations - not only from a German point of view. Although there is still no official confirmation that the previous Bora-Argon 18 team will be on the WorldTour as BORA-hansgrohe 2017, the UCI's granting of the corresponding license seems to be a formality, not least because of star commitments such as Peter Sagan and Rafal Majka.

BORA-hansgrohe 2017: Transfers

BORA-hansgrohe 2017: team bikes and equipment

There are still a few question marks when it comes to the technical equipment of the BORA-hansgrohe team. What is certain, however, is that the cooperation with the previous co-name sponsor and bike supplier Argon 18 will end at the end of 2016 and that in the coming years will be on the road with material from US manufacturer Specialized instead. The entry of the bicycle giant into the German racing team was quite surprising and quite a few suspect that the Californians had a hand in the top commitments of Sagan and Majka.

However, nothing is known about the other technical equipment of the team for 2017. The new jerseys will be presented in Spain on December 13th - there might also be more info about the components in the upcoming season. In the past, people used Vision's Shimano drivetrain and wheels. It is not unlikely that the latter will come from Roval for the next few years - after all, behind the name is none other than bike outfitter Specialized.

Update December 2016: Finally there are the first pictures of the BORA-hansgrohe team bikes:

General: First pictures! BORA-hansgrohe team bike Specialized Venge ViAS – special paint job for Peter Sagan

Published: 27. December 2016

Rainbow glitter is the order of the day for Peter Sagan's customized S-Works Venge ViAS...

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BORA-hansgrohe 2017: restart with a bang

The team will not only change the name and outfitter for the coming season. The squad was also completely turned upside down. Of all the existing teams, Bora-hansgrohe will definitely have done the most. A look back at the past season will therefore give us little information about how things could go in 2017. Sam Bennett was able to win victories in well-known races. For example, the Irishman won a stage at the Critérium International and Paris-Bourges. Phil Bauhaus was victorious in a section of the Tour of Denmark. Unfortunately, none of the team's ten wins this season was broadcast on German television. Nevertheless, Bora-hansgrohe was certainly able to make a good impression on the German audience, because the fierce performance at the Tour de France should be remembered by all fans. Just like the two second places at the Vuelta a Espana by Rüdiger Selig and Michael Schwarzmann. But these around 30 podium finishes in lesser-known races will not be a benchmark for the coming season. The World Tour license and some big-name commitments saw ambitions soar. Combative appearances are therefore no longer sufficient. Good results are required.

Of course, the two newcomers from Team Tinkoff will have to take care of that. Peter Sagan and Rafal Majka should be familiar to all cycling fans. With Peter Sagan, not only the current world and European champion joins the German team, but also the five-time winner of the green jersey of the Tour de France. He will focus on this jersey again, but at the same time want to expand his palmarès in the classics. The focus will again be on the Ronde van Vlaanderen, but also on Paris-Roubaix, where Marcus Burghardt will be at his side.

Rafal Majka will not be at the start of the Tour de France with him. The Pole will focus on the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana, where he is aiming for at least a podium finish. An old acquaintance is assigned to the Tour de France: Leopold König is returning to Team Sky after an instructive experience. He can certainly be credited with a top 10 placement. Emanuel Buchmann could be at his side to help.

But the young German still has to take a big step forward. This is also expected from Pascal Ackermann. The reigning German champion in the U23 class is considered a huge sprinter talent. Matteo Pelucchi will also keep in front of mass arrivals. The Italian comes from Team IAM and has already shown several times that he can compete with well-known drivers over the final meters. We don't want to ignore two drivers in the squad analysis who unfortunately no longer belong to the team: Bartosz Huzarski, like Dominik Nerz, ended his career and thus left Bora-hansgrohe.