It sounded almost impossible at first—and yet Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe proved it can be done by turning a plane into a training partner. In Mallorca this week, the team pushed the envelope with a bold, unconventional drill: nine riders harnessed for a human-powered plane launch, coaxing a glider into the air using nothing but collective effort.
The operation required meticulous communication. The riders couldn’t see the glider, and pilot Andy Hediger immediately lost visual contact after takeoff, making every hand signal and line of dialogue essential to keep the plan on course.
Florian Lipowitz, who finished on the Tour de France podium in 2025, reflected on the moment:
"When I first heard about this project, I didn’t think it was possible. Launching a plane? It seemed impossible. Nothing like this has ever been done in road cycling." Lipowitz’s surprise underscored the novelty—and the nerve—of attempting such a stunt.
The team released behind-the-scenes footage showing cyclists pulling the glider into flight, a world-first feat that drew attention online. Each rider sustained roughly 650 watts for 90 seconds, a power output that Dan Bigham, the team’s Head of Engineering, described as a performance comparable to a race-winning move, just with the added challenge of coordinating with teammates to maintain peloton cohesion while defying gravity.
A critical breakthrough came with the harness system. The apparatus had to be invented from scratch, with countless hours poured into its design and testing. Bigham noted that, based on data and modeling, about 500 watts per rider would be needed to launch the plane. Yet the team didn’t stop at the minimum—every extra watt translated into more altitude, and seeing Andy Hediger lift the glider to 100 meters was a particularly notable milestone.
As the team looks ahead, top signings for 2026, including Remco Evenepoel, Lipowitz, and Primož Roglič, are expected to outline their race plans during a team media day later today. Their collaboration at this camp signals the kind of ambition and innovation the squad plans to bring to the season ahead.
And this is where some readers might push back: Is treating a plane-like launch as a training drill appropriate or necessary in elite sport? What does it say about the line between competition and spectacle when teams pursue such extreme experiments? Share your take in the comments: would you call this groundbreaking teamwork or a risky distraction from racing?_
