UCI WorldTeam BORA – hansgrohe and Red Bull have confirmed the 2023 winners of Red Bull Junior Brothers. Launched earlier this year, the international talent scouting program is aimed at finding the next generation of professional road cyclists.
Patrick Casey from Ireland and Anatol Friedl from Austria will receive a contract with BORA-hansgrohe’s U19 team, Team Auto Eder, and a Red Bull athlete partnership deal. This is the first year the program has taken place, and Red Bull has confirmed it will continue to run in 2024.
Dr Christian Schrot, Head of Scouting & Development at BORA – hansgrohe, said “Patrick and Anatol showcased all round natural talent as individuals, and the one thing that really impressed us was their incredible determination and stamina.
“You can see they really want this and have the passion and drive to make it happen so it made our decision really easy. Cycling is not an easy sport, it takes guts and grit and that’s something that Patrick and Anatol have.”
Patrick Casey said “I’m just very proud and really happy to have won it. It hasn’t set in quite yet and it probably won’t until next year when I’m racing with the team and racing in the Red Bull helmet. When I’ve met everyone and experienced it, it will probably sink in a bit more and I’ll probably understand what it means, but for now I’m just over the moon.
“For me I’d say the end goal is the same as everyone else, I want to do this professionally, be a professional cyclist and race in a World Tour. Race the biggest races at the highest level, that’s why I’m here.”
Anatol Friedl said “I’m just really happy that the work that I’ve done has paid off. I never really thought I’d make it here, but the week of the performance camp was really fun and I had a good time.
“I got into cycling through my father and just had great fun. I did my first race when I was five years old which led to me starting to train harder and through the winter as well. My goal is to be a professional and win pro races.”
www.redbull.com/juniorbrothers
