'A new direction' – Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe part ways with Chief of Sports Rolf Aldag ahead of expected overhaul with Remco Evenepoel

Following Florian Lipowitz's podium finish at the Tour de France, Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe have announced that their Chief of Sports, Rolf Aldag, will depart the team, as they enter a new chapter after four years of transformation.

Aldag's departure further points to the reported arrival of Remco Evenepoel as a marquee transfer to the German squad, with former Belgian national coach Sven Vanthourenhout quickly announced as Aldag's replacement.

Team manager Ralph Denk confirmed that the squad is be looking to change "direction", with a revamp certainly on the way and Remco Evenepoel widely expected to join the team for 2026.

"For the next chapter of our story, we have jointly decided to bring in fresh impetus and take a new direction," Denk said.

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Aldag mutually agreed to end their collaboration at the end of this month, leaving the door open for big changes from August 1, which could include Evenepoel and his compatriot, though the former officially has a contract with Soudal-QuickStep.

Vanthourenhout was quick to confirm he would soon join Red Bull.

"I’ve always been passionate about working with purpose and ambition, and I’m eager to contribute to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s ongoing journey," the Belgian said.

Vanthourenhout told Sporza he would be "involved in all departments, from the development team to the WorldTour team." However the team said he would begin his role with the development squad at the Tour Alsace, which starts on Wednesday.

Vanthourenhout will focus on U23 level races in 2025 before taking on the role of Sports Director at WorldTour races in 2026.

Latest reports from Belgian newspaper La DH Les Sports+ and La Gazzetta dello Sport suggest that Evenepoel's deal with Red Bull is done but it would require a three-party agreement between Evenepoel, Soudal-QuickStep and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. This has not yet been confirmed, with Soudal at least publicly denying any deal.

If Evenepoel, who abandoned the Tour mid-way through, was to join, he would instantly become the team's Grand Tour leader, with Lipowitz and Primož Roglič in similar roles.

Highlights of the years Aldag oversaw at Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe include Jai Hindley's overall victory at the 2022 Giro d'Italia, Roglič's Vuelta a España comeback triumph last season, and Lipowitz winning the best young rider's white jersey and finishing third at the latest Tour.

Having previously worked for Canyon-SRAM, Dimension Data, Ettix-QuickStep, and HTC Highroad, Aldag help Bora-Hansgrohe transform from their previous focus on Peter Sagan and sprints into one of the best stage-racing teams in the peloton. The arrival of Red Bull as a sponsor and team owner has lifted the team's ambitions even higher.

"With the White Jersey win and podium placement by Florian Lipowitz at this year’s Tour de France, we have reached the goals we set four years ago. Accordingly, we have jointly decided that now is the right time for both parties to pursue new challenges," said Aldag via the Red Bull team website.

"My time at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe has been deeply formative, both personally and professionally. Together, we successfully navigated the complex transition from a sprint-focused team to one built around stage racing, and celebrated major victories – always with a clear vision in mind.

"I am proud of what we achieved as a team. Now is the moment to take a new path. I wish the team continued success and all the best for the future."

Team manager Ralph Denk thanked Aldag for his dedication to the team and what he helped them to achieve in the past four seasons, but he will now be looking at the next chapter and how he can try to succeed in his ultimate goal of winning the Tour de France.

"Rolf took on responsibility during a time of transition and helped drive our team forward both athletically and structurally. We are deeply grateful for his dedication. He has left a lasting impact – both in sporting terms and on a personal level," said Denk.

"This chapter ends now that we have achieved our objectives, but the path we walked together has left its mark. Rolf was instrumental in shaping our team – it was a period defined by determination and a deep passion for cycling. We look back on these years with great respect and gratitude and sincerely wish Rolf all the best in whatever lies ahead."