Florian Lipowitz benefits from Red Bull's secret weapon to shine in Dauphiné time trial

While all eyes were on Remco Evenepoel, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard during the Criterium du Dauphiné stage 4 time trial, another rider put in a strong performance. Behind the super-human trio (and Matteo Jorgenson), Florian Lipowitz rode excellent chrono to arrive 5th on the day. The former biathlete is revealed to have had one ace up his sleeve - the Catesby Tunnel.

The Catesby Tunnel is a disused railway tunnel in England, that has been repurposed as a vehicle testing facility. And thanks to parternship with Red Bull, it was now also allowed to Florian Lipowitz to work on his time trial skill set in this unique setting.

"The Catesby Tunnel underwent extensive redevelopment a few years ago and has since become a truly unique testing environment," Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe explained in a press release. "Measuring 2,740 meters in length, perfectly straight, with flawless asphalt, stable climate conditions, and complete wind stillness – it offers near-perfect conditions for aerodynamic engineers: controlled, repeatable, and precise."  

And so it's only a matter of time before other top riders join Lipowitz and visit this facility. "We test in a wide range of conditions, but the reason we come here to Catesby Tunnel is the level of control. There are no headwinds, tailwinds, crosswinds, or hard-to-measure gradient changes. It allows us to be extremely precise with our measurements – exactly what we need when we’re focusing on the smallest details."

"The conditions are absolutely exceptional – completely stable and ideal for aero testing. We were able to test a lot of things and gained some exciting insights that could help us become even faster."

Lipowitz's time trial performance in Dauphiné stage 4 was a perfect example of why this approach paid off. "It was a very difficult time trial, especially with that climb. It was also very hot. But I'm happy with my performance, especially after riding in the lead group the day before. This will help us move forward," he said in a brief reaction.

Thanks to his ride, the 24-year-old German rider moves up to 2nd overall, only four second shy of new leader Remco Evenepoel. But for example Tadej Pogacar is more than half a minute further in the provisional standings, giving Lipowitz good odds for a possible top-5 finish.