| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1973-11-01)1 November 1973 (age 51) Bad Aibling,Bavaria, Germany |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe |
| Discipline | Road cycling |
| Role | General manager |
| Managerial teams | |
| 2000–? | Ralph Denk Racing |
| 2010– | Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe |
Ralph Denk (born 1 November 1973)[1] is a German cycling team manager, and former cyclist, who is the founder and manager of theBora–HansgroheUCI WorldTeam cycling team.[2] As a cyclist, Denk won multipleBavarian Regional Championships.
Denk began cycling at the age of twelve. He won multipleBavarian Regional Championships,[3] and competed in stage races including theBayern Rundfahrt.[4] Predominately an amateur cyclist, Denk also rode as a professional cyclist in 1999.[4] In 2000, Denk set up a bicycle shop and an eponymously named cycling team, Ralph Denk Racing.[1] Ralph Denk Racing competed at the 2000 and 2001UCI Mountain Bike World Cups,[5][6] and prior to the 2005 season,Roel Paulissen signed for the team.[7]
In late 2009, Denk founded cycling teamTeam NetApp (now known asBora–Hansgrohe);[3] Team NetApp started competing in the 2010 season.[8] In 2012, the team was first awarded a wildcard place at theGiro d'Italia, the team's firstGrand Tour entry.[8] In 2013, they received a wildcard entry for theVuelta a España, and in 2014, the team was awarded its first wildcard place at theTour de France.[8] In 2019, Denk criticised theWorld Anti-Doping Agency for granting too many drugs exemptions forcortisone andsalbutamol.[9]
After Denk chose to withdraw Bora–Hansgrohe from the2020 Bretagne Classic Ouest–France due to a positiveCOVID-19 test, Denk was critical of the COVID-19 testing process, as the rider's turned out to be afalse positive. He suggested that theUnion Cycliste Internationale should be using A and B sample tests, as they do for drug testing.[10][11] Prior to the2020 Tour de France, Denk signed a contract extension with Bora–Hansgrohe's sponsors until 2024.[12] In November 2020, Denk was critical of suggestions that the2021 UCI World Tour would be primarily in Europe due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[13] In March 2021, Denk was critical of race protocols after Bora-Hansgrohe were forced to miss theGent–Wevelgem andDwars door Vlaanderen events after 17 members of the team were put into isolation following one positive test at theE3 Saxo Bank Classic.[14]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
