Talk about an original teambuilding exercise: during their training camp in Mallorca, Red Bull–BORA–Hansgrohe took their sponsor’s slogan to an entirely new level.
Nine riders clipped into specially designed harnesses, formed a perfectly aligned train, and—while sprinting flat out—towed a freakin’ glider into the sky.
The concept sounded wild enough, but the execution demanded absolute precision. Permits, safety checks, engineering, the connection points on the bikes—everything had to be flawless. “A huge team worked on this, especially behind the scenes,” Red Bull Hansgrohe’s Jordi Meeus said to Sporza. “There were so many details to consider. But in the end, it all came together.”
On the runway, the riders delivered an all-out effort. Together they produced roughly 6,500 watts, accelerating up to 54 km/h and holding that power for about 90 seconds. The challenge was staying locked in formation. The riders had to keep in a straight line, none drifting even a few centimeters—until the glider’s wheels finally lifted and pilot Andy Hediger began climbing into open air.
Remco Evenepoel to join Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe in 2026
“It was short but unbelievably tough. We suffered, no doubt,” Meeus said. “But when the plane actually took off… that was a goosebumps moment.”
Aero specialist Dan Bigham served as the mastermind behind the operation, solving the critical question: how do you balance the forces of nine riders pushing at maximum power without the train stretching, wobbling, or snapping out of alignment?
The answer was a custom-built harness system and meticulous preparation. The Brit, who left Ineos – Grenadiers in September and was quickly snatched up by the German squad made it happen.
The payoff: a world first. Never before has an aircraft been launched into flight using only human power, according to the team. A stunt sitting somewhere between cycling and aviation—and arguably the most outrageous teambuilding session the peloton has ever witnessed. (It sure beats Astana’s rap videos.)
Remco Evenepoel ya tiene lista su herramienta para el 2026. 🔥💯 pic.twitter.com/BIs9SZHW9G
— ESPN Ciclismo (@ESPNCiclismo) December 9, 2025
Although it took nine riders to pull it off– new recruit Remco Evenepoel wasn’t one of them. The double Olympic champion joined his new teammates riding his new Red Bull–BORA–Hansgrohe Specialized bike this week (albeit still in his Soudal Quick-Step kit for another few weeks.)
Check out the wild training session below. (Please note: at no point did we explicitly use the obvious “Red Bull gives you wings” joke. That would be far too easy — and here at Canadian Cycling Magazine, we pride ourselves on professionalism.)