“The plan was to follow Pogacar as long as possible... but I was on the limit” – Florian Lipowitz strengthens Red Bull Tour de France leadership case in Romandie
Cycling
Florian Lipowitz delivered the clearest indication yet that he is edging closer to the very top of the sport’s climbing hierarchy, finishing second on the queen stage of the 2026 Tour de Romandie after matching Tadej Pogacar deep into the final ascent of the Jaunpass.
The German ultimately conceded just 14 seconds at the line, but the gap alone does not tell the full story. For much of the decisive climb, Lipowitz was the only rider able to respond to the world champion’s accelerations, holding the wheel longer than any of his rivals before finally reaching his limit in the final kilometre.
Speaking after the stage to Cycling Pro Net, Lipowitz laid out both the simplicity of the plan and the reality of executing it against the strongest rider in the world.
“I was just on the limit”
“The plan was to follow Pogi as long as possible,” Lipowitz said. “But in the last kilometre on the climb I was just on the limit and I couldn’t go deeper anymore.”
That moment proved decisive. When Pogacar made his final move near the summit, Lipowitz could not respond, forced instead into pacing his effort to the top before committing to the descent in a bid to limit the damage. “Then I tried to pace myself,” he added. “But I’m super happy with today and also how we were racing as a team. Big support to the team and I’m super happy.”
It was a ride that underlined both how far Lipowitz has come and how narrow the remaining gap still is.
A race decided by fine margins
The nature of the final climb played directly into Pogacar’s strengths. “I think he knows that I’m not the fastest guy and I like a steady pace,” Lipowitz explained. “I think he just tried in the last kilometre to drop me and it worked quite well for him.”
Even so, the fact that the decisive difference only came in the closing kilometre, and amounted to just seconds rather than minutes, marks a significant step forward in Lipowitz’s development as a Grand Tour contender.
The wider context of the stage reinforces that point. Behind the leading duo, the rest of the general classification contenders were distanced by over a minute, leaving Lipowitz isolated as the only rider able to go toe to toe with Pogacar on the hardest terrain of the race.
Florian Lipowitz at the 2026 Tour de Romandie
Building form towards the Tour
The performance also fits into a broader upward trajectory across the spring. “I was improving race by race,” Lipowitz said. “The preparation to Catalunya was not perfect, but now with the racing I improved a lot.”
That progression has been visible not just in results, but in the way he has raced. Where earlier in the season there were flashes, Romandie has shown consistency, resilience, and the ability to survive deep into the most demanding efforts. “I’m also looking forward to having a break after Romandie and then building up to the Tour,” he added.
Backing up the growing belief
Lipowitz’s ride comes amid growing belief in his potential to challenge at the very highest level. Former professional Jens Voigt recently suggested that the gap to Pogacar may be smaller than it appears, arguing that only marginal gains could bring the two onto equal footing.
Romandie has not closed that gap entirely. Pogacar remains the benchmark, and on the decisive climb he still had the final answer. But what this stage demonstrated, more clearly than any before it this season, is that Lipowitz is now operating within touching distance. Not yet equal, but no longer distant.
And with the Tour de France looming, that distinction may prove more important than ever.
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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