“The operation went well” – Jan Ullrich gives positive Florian Lipowitz update after private exchange following Tour de France crash
Cycling
Jan Ullrich has revealed a reassuring private exchange with Florian Lipowitz after the crash that brought the German’s second successive Tour de France podium challenge to an abrupt end.
Lipowitz underwent surgery on a broken right collarbone after sliding out during Tuesday’s individual time trial from Evian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains. Ullrich sent the 25-year-old a lengthy voice message while he was in hospital and, despite not expecting an immediate response, soon heard back from him.
“I sent him a very, very long voice message,” Ullrich said on the Ulle & Rick podcast. “I didn’t expect him to see it already, especially while he was still in hospital. He replied and said: ‘Thank you for the message. The operation went well.’”
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe team manager Ralph Denk also confirmed that Lipowitz was recovering well after the operation. “The collarbone is broken and he was treated surgically last night,” Denk said. “He is still in hospital and is expected to remain there for another night. He is doing well and I have already been able to speak to him personally.”
Ullrich left shocked by Lipowitz’s Tour exit
Lipowitz had been riding another strong Tour after finishing third in 2025. He remained firmly involved in the battle for the final podium place and was gaining time on Paul Seixas and Isaac del Toro before the crash.
“He had been riding a really strong Tour,” Ullrich said. “In the time trial, he was already several seconds ahead of Paul Seixas, his biggest rival for the podium, and he was also faster than Isaac del Toro.”
The crash ended that challenge in an instant and left Ullrich visibly shaken by what had happened.
“This isn’t just a downer, it’s a real shock. I was genuinely shocked,” the 1997 Tour de France winner said. “For Florian personally, for his team and for all the cycling fans, not only in Germany but around the world because he has so many supporters, it is a real shock.”
Zabel described the incident as “a huge shock for German cycling”, with Lipowitz having established himself as the country’s leading Grand Tour contender over the previous two seasons.
His withdrawal also removed one of the central figures from the fight for third place. Lipowitz had entered the time trial looking capable of closing further on Seixas and Del Toro, only for the crash to bring both his stage and Tour to an immediate end.
Jan Ullrich in the Maillot Jaune
Ullrich sees no obvious riding error
Ullrich did not believe Lipowitz had made a clear technical mistake in the corner.
“You can see how quickly it can happen,” he said. “One moment you have triumph and happiness, then suddenly, in a tenth of a second, the front wheel slips away. I didn’t really see a riding error there either.”
The German appeared to lose grip as he moved through the bend, with little time to react before hitting the ground. Ullrich’s assessment was that the crash reflected the fine margins of a Tour de France time trial rather than an obvious lapse in judgement.
Lipowitz had been riding at full speed in pursuit of the podium and was producing one of his strongest time checks of the day. The difference between gaining time and leaving the race came down to a single corner.
Denk said the disappointment remained considerable but stressed that Lipowitz’s mood had not completely dropped.
“We have already joked again that this is simply part of it,” he said. “He is not the only great rider this has happened to. He will come back.”
Return later this season remains possible
No date has been set for Lipowitz’s return, although Denk believes he could race again before the end of the year. “With injuries like this, I would normally expect to see him back on the bike and racing again this year,” he said. “But exactly when and how is far too early to say.”
The first priority will be allowing the collarbone to heal before Lipowitz resumes training. His response to Ullrich confirmed that the operation had gone as planned, while Denk’s update suggested there had been no immediate complications.
Lipowitz leaves the Tour without the podium result he had been chasing, but with another three weeks that strengthened his status among the leading general classification riders. His season may not be over, although Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe will wait for the early stages of his recovery before deciding when he can return.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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