Felix Schröder, David Langenbein and Stefan Tabeling, dpa
In the sweltering heat of the Massif Central, on the final stage before the first rest day, Florian Lipowitz hurriedly grabbed water bottles from the team cars. Shortly afterwards, he also gave some to his team-mate Remco Evenepoel.
So far, so normal among professional cyclists. But the fact that French television gleefully broadcast the scene in great detail during the Tour de France did come as a surprise and showed just how closely the pair are being watched following their first row. It caused quite a bit of amusement amongst the German commentators on Eurosport.
Lipowitz himself would rather focus on the tasks ahead. “I think we can be happy with how things have gone so far,” he said. “We can now look ahead.”
Remco has publicly lashed out at Lipowitz
Nevertheless, every appearance by the two captains of the German Red Bull team is being scrutinised with keen interest by cycling experts and fans these days. The duo are in the spotlight, particularly due to the Belgian Olympic champion’s harsh public criticism of Lipowitz following the mountain stage in the Pyrenees. “I asked to lead the pack for a kilometre, but that wasn’t possible,” the 26-year-old had grumbled. The team did not hold a press conference on the rest day.
The outspoken and extremely self-assured Evenepoel alongside the quiet and reserved Lipowitz: there has been heated debate ever since the Belgian was signed as to whether this pairing can work as a dual leadership at the world’s biggest cycling race.
After the gruelling first week of the Tour, Lipowitz spoke mainly about the tough conditions: “Of course, everyone struggled with the temperature,” he said. “It was a tough start to the Tour right from the off. Completely different to last year,” said the rider who finished third in last year’s Tour.
Instagram video receives derisive comments
If you ask around the team, everyone emphasises that the two professionals get on well and that there are no fundamental disagreements. Following his clear statement, Lipowitz made it clear: “I think everything has been sorted out.” During the stage in the Pyrenees, Evenepoel had criticised what he saw as a lack of support from Lipowitz on the final climb. In the chase group’s sprint, the Mexican Isaac del Toro beat Evenepoel to the line.
A video of the two of them on the team coach, which was subsequently posted on social media, was also intended to smooth things over – but it also attracted some derisive comments online. In the video, both can be seen sitting on the team coach. The team member behind the camera says: “Outside the bus, people are waiting for you to have a heated argument.” In unison, they both reply: “No.” And Evenepoel added: “You talk and you forget.” His expression, however, seemed somewhat stony at times. “We need to talk about the hostage video of Evenepoel and Lipowitz,” someone joked on X.
Former professional cyclist and expert Jens Voigt recently told Eurosport that, whilst he understood Evenepoel would have liked to have won the sprint and that he had been frustrated, the following also applied: “The first and only rule is: never, ever, ever criticise your own team.” That was a mistake.
Voigt doubts that the issue is completely off the table. “I fear this is a minor smouldering conflict that can no longer be completely resolved,” said the 54-year-old. It may also have been an attempt by Evenepoel to settle the captaincy issue in his favour with a bold statement.
What happens if Lipowitz proves to be the stronger of the two in the high mountains?
On this final, relatively gentle climb, the Belgian did most of the work in the group of riders behind the dominant Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. And in his speciality, the time trial, he was also stronger than Lipowitz in Barcelona.
On the Tour’s first truly gruelling climb, the Tourmalet, he was unable to keep up with his team-mate – just as had been expected before the race began. There are still a few more climbs of this category to come in the final weeks of the 113th Tour. And that is probably where the battle for the podium will be decided.
Ahead of the rest day, Lipowitz emphasised: “There are some tougher stages coming up now, and I think the field will gradually start to thin out. Towards the end of the week, when we’re heading towards Markstein, there’s bound to be some movement in the general classification again.” It’s quite possible that the question of who will be captain will then sort itself out. And then the Belgian might have to fetch water bottles for Lipowitz.
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