“Florian Lipowitz is more capable of taking on Pogacar and Vingegaard at the Tour de France” – Expert claims Red Bull are backing the wrong horse with Remco Evenepoel

Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe’s high-profile signing of Remco Evenepoel has sent shockwaves through the World Tour, but not everyone is convinced it’s the right call. Veteran Eurosport commentator Karsten Migels believes the German super-team may be overlooking the Tour-winning potential of homegrown star Florian Lipowitz in favour of a bigger name.

“I think Florian is more capable of taking on Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard at the Tour de France,” Migels told Eurosport firmly in his analysis. “Remco has proven he can win a Grand Tour at the Vuelta, but the Tour is a different beast.”

Lipowitz’s breakout 2025 campaign, headlined by a podium finish and the young rider’s jersey in Paris, marked a historic moment for German cycling. But the arrival of Evenepoel — one of the sport’s three global superstars — and the continuing presence of Primoz Roglic now sets up a leadership dilemma at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe heading into 2026.

Evenepoel joins the team with Olympic titles, multiple time trial rainbow jerseys and a Vuelta victory to his name. He also arrives with an expectation to lead. “Remco comes with a certain demand,” team boss Ralph Denk said when announcing the signing. “He doesn’t want to just ride — he wants to shape the race.”

That ambition could come at the expense of Lipowitz, who has carried the German team’s GC hopes over the past season. “I hope they still give him the chance to build on what he’s achieved,” Migels said. “But with Red Bull now involved as an Austrian sponsor, it might not be their top priority to see Lipowitz back on the Tour podium.”

Roglic, meanwhile, remains an ever-present factor. Though now entering the later stages of his career, the Slovenian is still a proven Grand Tour winner with expectations to lead at the biggest races. That leaves three riders with major ambitions and only one undisputed leadership slot at the Tour.

Migels is blunt in his assessment of the Belgian’s arrival. “I didn’t fully understand the signing,” he said. “They could have built on the project they already had — on Florian and the younger riders at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe.”

Migels also suggested that, while Evenepoel is a formidable talent, the Tour might not be where he shines brightest. “I doubt whether Remco can remain that stable mentally and physically over three weeks at the Tour. With Florian, expectations need to be kept realistic, of course, but I’m convinced he’ll be more capable than Remco of putting Pogacar and Vingegaard under pressure.”

With new management behind the scenes and three Grand Tour leaders in one team, 2026 could prove decisive for the long-term direction of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. Will the team back its German rising star, double down on its marquee Belgian signing, or lean once more on Roglic’s experience? One thing is clear: for Migels, Lipowitz has earned the right to lead. “He has the ability to carry the flag for German cycling,” the commentator concluded. “But he needs the platform to do it.”