"Things like today shouldn't happen" - Red Bull - BORA Hangrohe's team time trial worry for Evenepoel and Lipowitz at Tour de France
Cycling
It's no secret that the opening stage of the 2026 Tour de France has been circled and underlined by Red Bull - BORA Hansgrohe as a golden chance to get one of their team leaders into the yellow jersey from the very first day. But after Tuesday's stage of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, they know they've work to do.
The team time trial is sure to dominate headlines in the build-up to the July 4th Grand Depart, with the streets of Barcelona set to form the tracks for the teams to form trains to protect their general classification leaders - before launching them to the finish line as quickly as possible.
For Red Bull, it's an opportunity. With the best time trial rider in the world in Remco Evenepoel at the line, they know with a strong team and fellow leader Florian Lipowitz, there's a good chance to compete for the stage win - and thus the yellow jersey.
But in yesterday's team time trial at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes - a dress rehearsal without the stars of the show Evenepoel and Lipowitz present - things didn't go to plan for the German team. A fifth place finish and "a lot of mistakes" left rider Maxim Van Gils frustrated after the stage.
Van Gils' puts it "bluntly"
“I think we didn’t ride a good time trial, to put it bluntly. We made a lot of mistakes along the way. That cannot happen in Barcelona,” Van Gils told Sporza.
The team finished in fifth place, but lost 41 seconds to stage winners Team Visma | Lease a Bike in what was a disappointment for the team. Netcompany Ineos looked strong as they finished nine seconds adrift while EF Education-EasyPost held onto Alex Baudin's yellow jersey with an impressive showing.
Van Gils is preparing to be a part of the team trial unit at the Tour and knows that mistakes won't cut it for the real deal next month - insisting that stress led to changeovers at unplanned moments and in the wrong direction.
"It is allowed here, there is no Remco (Evenepoel) and no Lipo (Florian Lipowitz). But when those guys are there after spending a month at altitude, things like today shouldn't happen."
Van Gils pinpoints stress as cause for mistakes
He added: "I think stress might have gotten the better of some. There were changeovers at the wrong moments and in the wrong direction. In a time trial, you lose a few seconds like that, and in such a short time trial, that shouldn't happen."
The ASO format for team time trials make them even more crucial. The first rider across the finish line for each team sets the team's time for stage win honours. However, every rider's individual time finishing is their time in the general classification, making it crucial for teams with general classification ambitions.
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We've seen some teams treat the format as a prolonged lead-out for their GC men, while others have been able to put down strong times while still finishing with numbers. As Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Paul Seixas and Evenepoel all come in with different preparations, fans will only get answers when riders are on the road next month.
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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- Sure, little fella.awp02-11-2026
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- Why should he 'let it go' ! Because you said so? Anytime LA Doper is called out is a win win !frieders302-11-2026
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- 'The Slovenian has collected four Tour de France titles' ... '[Kieran Wood's] ... 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'. i would say that is pretty inaccurate accurate coverage, kieran wood ... too bad that AI's knowledge often lags several months behind ... but proof reading is certainly part of accurate coverage, isn't it? but fortunately does Kieran Wood place 'strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.' i would say the fifth tdf title is pretty new (and even verified) information, so feel free to update this article.Ketterechts01-11-2026
- You are wrong, they are already working on his new tt position. And yes, Trump does love you 😂👍🏼awp01-11-2026
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Rafionain-Glas01-11-2026 - Perhaps he has what Mark Cavendish had, the Epstein-Barr Virus. It caused him severe and unexplained chronic fatigue. I hope he gets better.
parisbound0001-11-2026
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