Once a junior rider with the BORA - hansgrohe U19 Team Auto Eder, the Austrian Alexander Hajek is competing in his first professional season this year. At the Tour of Turkey, the climber has now showcased his talent for the first time.
“I felt really good. Frankly, I wouldn’t have minded if the climb had been even longer,” said an enthusiastic Alexander Hajek at the finish of this year’s Tour of Turkey queen stage. Just moments before, he had delivered his most impressive performance in the pro peloton so far. On the challenging 14-kilometre-long final climb up to Manisa, the young Austrian clinched ninth place, only a few seconds behind stage winner Frank van den Broek. “Securing my first top-ten finish as a professional is particularly gratifying,” Hajek said. Two days later, he finished the stage race on the Bosporus in seventh overall – another top result for the youngster.
At just 20 years of age, Hajek, whom everyone on the team simply calls “Alex”, is one of the youngest riders at BORA - hansgrohe, and one who comes from our talent factory, Team GRENKE - Auto Eder. In 2021, he spent a season in our U19 team before moving through stints with Trinity Racing (2022) and Tirol KTM Cycling Team (2023). Now with BORA - hansgrohe, he has made the leap to the WorldTour. “Alex was already one of the best climbers in the junior ranks. As a lightweight, he is naturally suited for long climbs. Seeing him perform like this so early in his professional career is a testament to our youth program,” says Christian Schrot, Sports Director of the BORA - hansgrohe U19 team.
Hajek had already hinted in recent weeks that a top placement among the professionals was only a matter of time: At the Amstel Gold Race two weeks ago, he was part of the day's breakaway group and led the pack for 144 kilometres. Shane Archbold, the Sports Director of BORA - hansgrohe at the race in Turkey, was also pleased: “He really put in a very strong performance. The Tour of Turkey may not be a WorldTour event, but at 20 years old, he has certainly shown his potential here.”
“It was really cool that I had the chance to compete for the general classification for the first time,” Hajek says. “Having the opportunity to ride with the former Team Auto Eder definitely helped me. It allowed me to familiarise myself with the professional structures early on as a junior — and thus, I was able to adapt quickly in the last months.” In the coming weeks, the Austrian plans to build on his performances in Turkey: “My next race will be the Tour of Hungary, which also features a mountain finish. I’ve learned in Turkey that stage races suit me well. This is certainly a good sign for the future.”
Photos: Sprint Cycling Agency