{"id":807936,"date":"2026-07-17T13:46:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T13:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/807936\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T13:46:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T13:46:10","slug":"red-bull-bora-hansgrohe-tried-to-go-upside-down-for-lucky-stage-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/807936\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Bull\u2013BORA\u2013hansgrohe tried to go upside down for lucky Stage 13"},"content":{"rendered":"

Remco Evenepoel and his Red Bull\u2013BORA\u2013hansgrohe teammates won\u2019t be able roll out in a special-edition kit for Friday\u2019s Stage 13 of the Tour de France, but they tried. The team put together a cool jersey with nearly every design element turned upside down. (Even the team cars had it, too!)<\/p>\n

If you follow pro cycling, (which I guess you do, since you\u2019re here) you know that this is a playful reference to cycling\u2019s long-standing superstition of flipping race number 13 upside down for good luck.<\/p>\n

If a rider has that number, he always pins it the other way around to thwart any bad vibes. Or something.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s more to it than just a fun gag: It also marks the team\u2019s 13th appearance at the Tour. In 2014, then known as Team NetApp\u2013Endura, it was a Pro Continental (now UCI ProTeam) squad. That year, Leopold K\u00f6nig finished an impressive seventh overall. During that Tour, the team announced it had secured BORA as a title sponsor, and the team continued to expand.<\/p>\n

No dice on 13<\/p>\n

According to Sporza, the squad had hoped to race in specially designed jerseys for Stage 13, but those were not approved. Instead, the riders will wear an alternate kit featuring upside-down logos, text and colours. They do have the Number 13 on their \u201cregular\u201d special edition Tour kit<\/a>, still, though, commenorating the 13th time doing the race.<\/p>\n

Evenepoel isn\u2019t buying into the superstition, though. Because of course he doesn\u2019t believe in things like that. I mean, that seems totally Remco, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me it has usually been a lucky number, so I don\u2019t participate in that superstition,\u201d he told Sporza. They did end up wearing them on the rest day, at least.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 #TDF2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Superstitions, sprint drama and a late-night transformation for Stage 13 \ud83e\uddc2\ud83d\udc08\u200d\u2b1b<\/p>\n

Go inside Stage 12 as the team navigates another fast finale, then see why everything looked a little different the next morning.<\/p>\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Watch now: https:\/\/t.co\/XAIwpxEZxT<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/CzWiFwByMR<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Red Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe (@RBH_ProCycling) July 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Stage 13 is a tough course<\/a>\u2014not necessarily for the GC riders, but definitely not for the sprinters. Probably a break (but who knows anymore?) from Dole to Belfort for a total of 205.8 km. With around 40 km to go, there\u2019s a nasty lump\u2014the Ballon d\u2019Alsace, 9.1 km averaging just under 7 per cent. From the summit, it\u2019s essentially a downhill run to the finish. You can catch the action on FloBikes.com<\/a>, and, as always, check back on Canadian Cycling Magazine for a full report.<\/p>\n

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