"I think Remco had the legs to win the stage, so I feel a bit sorry for that" - Florian Lipowitz admits he is sad not to reward Evenepoel sacrifice in Catalunya

Florian Lipowitz was left reflecting on a missed opportunity after the sixth stage of the Volta a Catalunya, as the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe leader could not convert a decisive team move into victory despite the work of Remco Evenepoel.

The German was part of the select group that formed after a relentless pace on the descent and into the final climb, a move driven largely by Evenepoel’s effort at the front. But when Jonas Vingegaard launched his winning attack, Lipowitz was unable to respond.

“Yeah, I mean, just an amazing job from Remco. I don’t really know what to say. He did an amazing job,” Lipowitz said after the stage in conversation with Cycling Pro Net.

“We went super fast on the last downhill, we saw that there was quite a big gap, and then Remco was pulling in the front and did an amazing job for me,” the German added.

That acceleration on the descent proved to be one of the defining moments of the stage, splitting the race and isolating the main contenders. With Evenepoel driving the pace, Lipowitz was placed in the ideal position to fight for the stage win.

But when the final selection was made on the climb to Queralt, the race slipped away. “I’m a bit sad that I couldn’t follow Jonas,” Lipowitz admitted. “In the end, I think Remco also had the legs to win the stage, so I feel a bit sorry for that.”

Despite that frustration, the German still secured a podium place on the stage and strengthened his position overall, underlining his consistency across the past two days in Catalunya.

Looking beyond the immediate disappointment, Lipowitz pointed to his improving condition as a positive sign heading into the final stages of the race. “Yeah, I feel better day by day,” he said. “Tomorrow is another really hard day, so we’ll see. I hope the legs stay like this, and then we can finish it off well.”

The move that shaped the stage had not come by accident. Lipowitz explained how the team deliberately pushed the pace on the descent, sensing an opportunity to create separation. “We just tried to hit the downhill in the front and go as fast as possible,” he said. “Then the gap opened, and we had to decide what to do, and Remco did a really amazing job.”

Even with that advantage, however, the decisive moment belonged to Vingegaard, whose attack proved too strong to follow. “I tried to follow Jonas’ wheel, but in the end he was stronger,” Lipowitz said. “The gap was not too big, but I got third on the stage, and I think for the GC we are in quite a good position.”

With the general classification still finely poised and another demanding day to come, Lipowitz remains firmly in contention, even if this stage left a sense of what might have been after Evenepoel’s decisive contribution.