The two young riders from BORA – hansgrohe’s talent pool will be receiving their first pro contract. Alexander Hajek (20, Austria) and Emil Herzog (18, Germany) will ride for the German WorldTeam from 1st January. Both will be joining Cian Uijtdebroeks and Luis-Joe Lührs in the new team - this quartet took the first steps in their careers together in Team Auto Eder in 2021.
With the signing of Alexander Hajek and Emil Herzog, BORA - hansgrohe continues the path of its own talent development. Both riders were nurtured in the junior squad, Team Auto Eder, where they celebrated their first major successes. Emil Herzog rode to the Junior World Champion title in the 2022 road race. Alex Hajek showed that challenging classics and climbing stages suit him best. Herzog, who is racing both MTB and road races this season, also feels at home on this terrain.
Ralph Denk, BORA - hansgrohe Team Manager: "Alex and Emil are two great talents whose careers we have been actively involved in for years. Like Cian and Luis-Joe, they show how we scout and sustainably promote talent with our Team Auto Eder. We have decided to bring both into the WorldTour as early as next season. Within our structure, they will find the ideal environment to develop step by step and also succeed at the elite level."
Alexander Hajek, who will compete for Austria in the U23 World Championships road race in Glasgow on Saturday, says: "For me, it’s very special to make the step up to the WorldTour with BORA - hansgrohe. It’s even better because I was already part of Team Auto Eder and got a first glimpse of the team there. I'm looking forward to making this step and am excited to see what the future holds."
Emil Herzog says: "It's a dream come true. I had great years with Team Auto Eder and I am looking forward to starting my pro career with BORA - hansgrohe. It will be a big step, but I'm sure I've chosen the right environment for it."