Two individuals, Lipowitz and Roglic, excel in the Pyrenees mountain range during a cycling race, showcasing their impressive fitness and skills.
In the upcoming mountain stages of the 2025 Tour de France, the Red-Bull-Team's top riders, Primoz Roglic and Florian Lipowitz, are set to challenge each other in the challenging Pyrenees.
Primoz Roglic, a four-time Vuelta winner and the current leader of the Red-Bull-Team, has reached southern France without a crash, achieving the team's goal. The team's more defensive strategy in the first eleven stages has paid off, with Roglic recording his best result so far in Stage 12, finishing ninth. However, his performance has been relatively quiet compared to previous years, and his specific goals for the Tour are not entirely clear.
Meanwhile, Florian Lipowitz, a young sensation ranked 24 years old, has demonstrated strong potential, particularly in the mountain stages. His third-place finish on Stage 12, behind Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, showcases his ability to compete with top riders. Lipowitz is currently ranked higher than Roglic in the general classification.
Red-Bull-Team chief Ralph Denk is eagerly awaiting the performances of his two top riders in the challenging mountain stages. Denk described the development of Lipowitz into a top cyclist as his "heart project." He is very satisfied with the performances of both riders so far, but admitted that the team had concerns about Roglic's susceptibility to crashes.
As the Pyrenees mountain stages provide a first indication of each rider's performance in the Tour de France, it will be a tough fight to determine which rider, Roglic or Lipowitz, or both, will perform better. Denk stated that Roglic is primarily their man, but if it's not going well, he will speak up beforehand, and they will have to discuss it.
Today, Lipowitz and Roglic will climb 180.6 kilometers and 3,850 meters of altitude to the finish line in Hautacam. On Friday, a short but challenging mountain time trial over 10.9 kilometers with a steep final climb to the airport in Peyragudes awaits on the Tour program.
The Red-Bull-Team is in a comfortable position, as both Roglic and Lipowitz are in the top ten of the Tour de France. Denk expressed that they want to see progress with both riders, or at least one of them, in the upcoming stages. Despite being 35 years old and ranked ninth in the general classification, seven seconds behind Lipowitz, Roglic continues to lead the team.
Lipowitz's sixth place in the time trial in Caen has impressed Denk greatly. The team aims to move forward with both riders, or at least one of them, in the upcoming stages. Predicting who will have the better performance between Lipowitz and Roglic involves analyzing their recent performances and team strategies.
With Lipowitz's growing confidence and ability to compete with top contenders, he seems to be enjoying a strong resurgence and could potentially outperform Roglic in the mountain stages. On the other hand, Roglic's performance will depend on how he continues to build momentum and whether he can match his usual level of excellence in the mountains. The race is on in the Pyrenees!
The Red-Bull-Team's riders, Primoz Roglic and Florian Lipowitz, will face each other in the challenging Pyrenees mountain stages during the 2025 Tour de France, as both are preparing for a tough battle to outperform each other. Florian Lipowitz, known for his strong potential in mountain stages, has already shown his capabilities by finishing third in Stage 12, while Roglic, the team's leader, currently ranks higher in the general classification despite being less vocal about his specific goals.
