"I stepped up from last year" - Florian Lipowitz didn't get the cherry on top, but put Tadej Pogacar close to the limit

The 2026 Tour de Romandie saw Tadej Pogacar dominate the race but behind him there wasn't much daylight. Florian Lipowitz returned to the race where he showed himself to the world two years ago, and was able to take a lot of motivation from the way he put the World Champion under pressure on the final day of racing.

On stage 1 Lipowitz was able to follow Pogacar's pace up the climb to Ovronnaz; whilst on stage 4 he was dropped but was within distance after the three ascents of the Jaunpass. Whilst the 35-second gap put Pogacar in quite a secure position, the Slovenian - carrying a few extra kilograms from the classics - couldn't afford not to be at his best.

Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe played their cards to hunt the stage win, with Jan Tratnik and Finn Fisher-Black joining the days breakaway. After UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Bahrain - Victorious closed that down, it was up to Lipowitz to carry the team's ambitions.

“The plan was to just follow Tadej’s wheel. But I felt really good during the day. When we hit the last five kilometers, I thought there was nothing to lose," Lipowitz said in a post-race interview with CyclingPro.net.

The German rider has been riding very well throughout the Swiss race and with his second place more than safe, he went on the attack on several occasions. He successfully dropped the rest of the field, but Pogacar held firm on his wheel. In a sprint finish the Slovenian always had the upper hand, and took the win, but not without a major effort.

“On the finish line I just tried, like two years ago, to go all out from the start of the last kicker," Lipowitz explained. Pogacar also admitted in his post-race interview that 'it was a fight to the finish line'.

Lipowitz finished second on the stage and overall classification. "I think I can be super happy and proud of how this week was.” At the end of the day, whilst not a win, he can take motivation from his proximity to Pogacar.

It can also be argued that it supports his argument for Tour de France leadership in the German team; whilst Remco Evenepoel was not able to follow Pogacar in the two instances where the two raced together (Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège).

“I think he was also quite on the limit. But I was just really happy to be with him and to have a chance to compete with him," he admits. "Chapeau to him for another win. Still, I’m super proud of how we raced today.”

After podiums at the Volta a Catalunya, Itzulia Basque Country and Tour de Romandie - against Jonas Vingegaard, Paul Seixas and Tadej Pogacar respectively - Lipowitz can be happy with a spring where he looked at his best, remained consistent and healthy. Potentially, it will help him step up ahead of the Tour de France.

“From Catalunya, it went pretty well, training wise, and from race to race I felt better. Definitely, I think I stepped up from last year. We just need to continue with the things we’re doing," he added. At the Tour Auvergne - Rhòne Alpes, he will have another crucial test, although all so far have had positive results.

But firstly, some rest and an altitude camp. “I’m looking forward to having some rest. Then we’ll build up to the Tour. For sure, these three podiums give some confidence.”