Tour de France: Lipowitz annoys Tour stars: “I tried my shot”

After his first exclamation mark at the Tour de France, Florian Lipowitz was warmly welcomed by team boss Ralph Denk. Already on the second day, the German hope carrier annoyed the stars of the bike scene with a courageous attack, even if classic king Mathieu van der Poel ended up on his terrain in the furious final in Boulogne-sur-Mer and won the yellow jersle with his victory before the tour stars Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard.

“I tried my shot at the end, unfortunately it didn’t work. But I’m happy to arrive with the group,” said Lipowitz in the ARD. The failed start was forgotten on the 112nd tour of France when the entire team had been left behind and Lipowitz and captain Primoz Roglic had received 39 seconds.

Attack 800 meters before the finish ended

Suddenly Lipowitz had started in the final of the longest stage of this year with 209.1 kilometers and had provided an alarm mood at Pogacar and Co. The undertaking was over 800 meters before the finish line. Lipowitz hadn’t felt good at the start of the tour. “After the Dauphiné tour, I needed a little break. I took out the last three days before the tour. I think I need two or three days to get back in,” said the 24-year-old.

He received an extra praise from captain Primoz Roglic: “He is very strong. Chapeau. He did a great job.” Sports director Rolf Aldag also spoke of a “strong performance”, but also warned: “As nice as this for German cycling fans can be said: Let’s go into great euphoria, so dangerous for the athlete Lipowitz.”

First exchange of blows of the favorites

In contrast, the Dutch ex-world champion van der Poel, who tore the yellow jersey in the tricky final in the tricky final. Previously, the first exchange of blows of the tour favorites had occurred. In the end, Pogacar landed a point victory. Through his second place, he collected two bonus seconds as Vingegaard and already took the second overall behind van der Poel, who replaced his Belgian team -mate Jasper Philipsen in the yellow jersey.

“It was super difficult. I was really motivated. It was time to win my second tour stage. It is a dream for the team with the yellow jerseys on the first two days. Everything that is coming is a bonus,” said van der Poel.

Against the classic specialist, everyone was powerless on the small ramp. The winner of Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix showed his whole class and sprinted to victory on the rising home straight on the Boulevard Auguste Mariette. Just like in 2021, when he also won on the second stage at the Mur-de-Brittany and wore the yellow jersey for six days.

Bad weather: start 15 minutes later

Flowing rain at the start in Lauwin-Planque, later wind and a treacherous route profile with more than 2000 meters of altitude were difficult for the drivers. The start had to be postponed by 15 minutes due to the bad weather, the teams had been stuck on the chaotic journey.

Again and again it came on the way to Boulogne-sur-Mer, where Erik Zabel got his eleventh of twelve stage wins in 2001. The German Red Bull team around Lipowitz was spared. Safety is doing this time, but Captain Roglic also accepts a loss of time.

Red Bull team defends careful tactics

On the first stage, the entire Red Bull team had lost the connection-and put criticism for it. Roglic and Lipowitz were driven in Lille with 39 seconds. “We are always accused, we fall so often, this time we prevented it. (…) The 30 seconds will not decide the tour, a heavy fall,” said sports director Rolf Aldag the march route for the hectic first week.

At the Giro d’Italia, Roglic had to give up the race after several falls, and his last three tour participants also ended prematurely. This time the Slovenian gets more relaxed: “I don’t have to prove anything anymore. I want to arrive in Paris and drink some champagne.”

On Monday, the sprinters can hope for a classic mass arrival again. The third stage leads over 178.3 kilometers from Valenciennes to the port city of Dunkirchen, where the final is completely flat.