"If Red Bull backs Remco, they'll be racing for scraps" – Lipowitz fans call for more freedom for German rider in podium battle
Cycling
Florian Lipowitz’s candid assessment of the sporting hierarchy at the Tour de France sparked a lively discussion on Sport1.de’s Facebook page. The high-reach account, followed by around 1.7 million people, put the German’s words at the center of a post.
“We’re fighting for third place. That was clear to us beforehand,” Lipowitz said after Tadej Pogacar’s show of force on the sixth stage in an interview with ARD.
Sport1 commented that Jonas Vingegaard and especially Pogačar currently seemed to be “in a world of their own.” Under the post, numerous users then discussed not only the Slovenian’s dominance, but above all Lipowitz, Red Bull - BORA Hansgrohe’s strategy, and the role of Remco Evenepoel.
Some of the reactions targeted the apparently early decision to aim only for third place. Several users accused Red Bull and the other challengers of putting too little pressure on UAE Team Emirates and Visma | Lease a Bike.
“Everyone rides behind and then wonders when the two drop everyone in the mountains,” wrote one commenter. He also criticized that the favorites Pogačar and Vingegaard had not been consistently challenged right from the start of the Tour.
Sport1 users criticize the defensive stance
Another user was likewise not convinced that third place had to be the highest realistic goal: “Vingegaard will crack. Second place is possible too.”
Other fans assessed the balance of power more soberly. “UAE is simply so strong as a team, no one will be able to keep up,” read one reaction. Another user described Pogačar as practically unassailable due to his “strong and well-drilled team.”
“If Bora [Red Bull - BORA Hansgrohe] backs Remco, they’ll be racing for scraps,” wrote one user. He also claimed that Lipowitz was not allowed to keep pushing on the Tourmalet because the team was taking Evenepoel into consideration.
Another comment was even sharper: “He rode against his captain.”
The reactions show that part of the German audience no longer sees Lipowitz merely as a domestique or a promising talent. Rather, the call is growing to give him a free hand as soon as he looks stronger than Evenepoel in the mountains.
This is precisely the strategic problem for Red Bull. The team must decide how long to stick to a clear hierarchy and from what moment only the actual balance of power on the road should count.
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Fans warn against excessive expectations
At the same time, there were more measured voices under the Sport1.de post. Not everyone already expects Lipowitz to challenge for the Tour victory or even a secure podium spot. “Florian Lipowitz is at the Tour for the second time. Expecting a Tour victory already is far too early,” wrote one user.
Another commenter currently saw the German more as a top-10 candidate: “I haven’t seen that much from Lipo yet. More like top 10, I’d say.”
Nevertheless, the discussion under the high-reach Sport1 post makes clear how much Lipowitz has now moved into the spotlight.
His frank words about the fight for third place were not understood as a sign of lacking ambition. Instead, they sparked a fundamental debate about whether Red Bull is playing its strongest cards correctly—and whether Evenepoel should continue to automatically be above Lipowitz.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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