Germany’s cycling star Florian Lipowitz is set to return to racing next week following his serious crash at the Tour de France. The 25-year-old will line up at the Giro della Toscana on 9 September, after which Lipowitz could compete in three further Italian one-day races within four days. A decision on this will only be made after his comeback race.
One serious option now is to compete in the Road Cycling World Championships in Montreal at the end of the month. With 3,800 metres of climbing over 273.7 kilometres, the course isn’t exceptionally tough, but it suits Lipowitz’s climbing abilities. The almost certain withdrawal of Tadej Pogacar is likely to boost Lipowitz’s chances of winning a medal. The Slovenian defending champion suffered a serious crash during the Vuelta a España and only underwent surgery on his broken collarbone on Monday.
Focusing on the toughness of the race rather than the results
“Of course, the World Championships are a race that appeals to me. But one thing is clear to me: if I’m not in the right form, I don’t want to take a starting place away from any other rider. We have lots of strong German riders who are well suited to the course in Montreal,” said Lipowitz.
The first few races will now serve as a fitness check. “Above all, I’m looking forward to putting on a race number again and competing. After seven weeks without competition, I can’t yet know exactly where I stand. That’s exactly what we want to find out. For me, these first races aren’t about the result. I want to see how my body reacts to the demands of racing,” said Lipowitz.
The Swabian-born cyclist crashed during the individual time trial at the Tour de France following a riding error and broke his collarbone. Following his races in Italy, discussions will take place regarding the detailed race schedule for the remainder of the season. There is still enough time before the World Championships to build up his form.
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