Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz will co-lead Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe at the Tour de France, the team confirmed on Friday morning.
The news was expected, but still significant, as Red Bull will line up with the two third-placed riders from the last two editions. They will be joined by Jai Hindley, Maxim Van Gils, Mattia Cattaneo, Jan Tratnik, Nico Denz and Tim van Dijke.
“The Tour is no longer won by an exceptional rider alone, but by an exceptional team,” Zak Dempster, chief of sports at Red Bull, said. “We believe we are bringing one of the most complete squads to the start. With Remco and Florian, we have two leaders who have already proven they can stand on the Tour podium. Their different strengths give us tactical options that could prove decisive.”
The team have already expressed that the road will decide who is the out-and-out leader at the Tour, but going in with two solid GC options will allow them to challenge other teams in a different way.
In fact, while he is competing as a super domestique, Jai Hindley is another GC options, having finished third at the Giro d’Italia already this season.
“Remco is still the team leader and Florian Lipowitz is a bit of the second man but in terms of sporting performance, they are on equal footing,” team boss Ralph Denk told Het Laatste Nieuws and Het Nieuwsblad this week.
“Eventually, there will come a day when one or the other feels better. Then they will have to fight it out between themselves on the road. I am convinced that this can work.”
Lipowitz has had the better season in general classification terms, finishing on the podium at the Tour de Romandie, Itzulia Basque Country and the Volta a Catalunya, and winning the Tour of Slovenia while Evenepoel won Valenciana and finished fifth at Catalunya.
Evenepoel finished third at the 2024 Tour de France, but faded after winning the individual time trial at last year’s race, eventually leaving the race on stage 14. He hasn’t raced since Liège-Bastogne-Liège, preferring to train away from competition.
Lipowtiz, meanwhile, impressed on his way to third overall last year. That might have been 11 minutes behind winner Tadej Pogačar, and over six minutes behind Jonas Vingegaard, but it showed promise.
“The strength of this roster goes far beyond Remco and Florian,” sports director Patxi Vila said.
“We have experienced climbers, strong all-rounders and riders capable of taking responsibility in every race situation. Every Tour develops its own dynamic, and with this team we have an answer to almost every possible scenario.”
