“We decided not to ride the Tour de France with Primoz Roglic” – Red Bull shape Maillot Jaune plan around Evenepoel & Lipowitz in bid to topple Pogacar
Cycling
Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe are not trying to become the best team in the world. At least, not in the traditional sense. As the team moves into 2026 with its biggest names now aligned around the Tour de France, Ralph Denk has made it clear that the project is being built around something slightly different: attraction, entertainment, and a structure that can carry stars like Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz into the heart of the Maillot Jaune fight.
“Our goal is to be the most attractive team in the world,” Denk said in conversation with Marca. “What does being attractive mean? Performing well, winning races, and developing great talents, such as Lorenzo Finn, Giulio Pellizzari, Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz.”
He added that, for him, “entertainment is also part of the game; it is even a little more important than simply being the best team in the world. But it is no secret: we want to win big races.”
That philosophy now sits behind a clear shift in how Red Bull are shaping their biggest objective of 2026: the Tour de France. The decision to remove Primoz Roglic from those plans is not a snub. It is a statement about where the team believe their strongest chance now lies.
Lipowitz’s rise and why he matters
The roots of this shift go back to 2025. Denk admitted that the team’s season leaned heavily on one race and one rider. “We saved our season thanks to a very good Tour de France from Florian Lipowitz, because this race has enormous value in our sport,” he said. “We also did well at the Vuelta, where we even won a stage. However, in the classics we can and must do better.”
That Tour performance did more than rescue a year. It quietly changed Lipowitz’s status inside the team. What had looked like a supporting role suddenly became evidence that he could be trusted in cycling’s biggest arena. With Evenepoel arriving as a marquee signing, Red Bull now have two riders who, in very different ways, can carry a Grand Tour.
That is why Denk’s focus is not on hierarchy, but on balance. “Our aim is to start with a dual strategy to have more chances,” he said when asked about Tour leadership. “For me, it is very important that Florian and Remco are happy in this constellation.” He pointed to early-season racing as a testing ground, noting that in Catalunya “both will race together and we will see how the battle goes; for now, I am quite calm.”
Those words matter because they show how carefully Red Bull are trying to manage ambition. Evenepoel arrives as a global star. Lipowitz arrives as a rider who has already delivered for the team on the Tour’s biggest stage. The plan is not to crown one too early, but to let performance and circumstance decide.
Why Roglic is being kept away from the Tour
That same logic explains the most striking line of the interview. When discussing Roglic’s future, Denk was blunt: “That is why we decided not to ride the Tour de France with him, because we want to focus completely on the Vuelta.”
It is not a judgement on Roglic’s level. Denk called him “very professional” and argued that, because he started cycling later, “he can compete at the highest level for more years than other riders.” He even said he trusts that Roglic “can win a fifth Vuelta a Espana,” as long as his preparation is perfect.
But Red Bull no longer want to split their biggest resources across too many fronts. With Evenepoel and Lipowitz shaping the Tour project, Roglic becomes the centre of gravity for the Vuelta. That separation gives the team two clear peaks rather than one diluted one.
A Tour plan built around attraction
Put together, Denk’s comments outline a team that is trying to be something more than efficient. Red Bull’s arrival has brought money, but also a different mindset. Winning matters, but so does how those wins look, who delivers them, and whether the project feels exciting rather than functional.
That is why Evenepoel and Lipowitz sit at the centre of the Tour strategy. One brings global profile and explosive style. The other brings credibility earned in the race that still defines careers. Roglic, instead of being forced into that same frame, is being given his own stage later in the year.
Red Bull are not hiding their ambition. They want big races, big names, and big moments. But, as Denk made clear, they want to be remembered not just for trophies, but for how they go about chasing them.
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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- He lives in Monaco
Rafionain-Glas03-11-2026 - It's also highly significant for Lorenzo Finn as he won there last year. Also Mateo Ramírez and Henrique Bravo if they goRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- This is a phenomenal course design. I do wish that they'd stretch these tours for the women to at least 2 weeks.RidesHills03-11-2026
- This is an amazing route, honestly. Let's hope that it attracts riders to make it a compelling and competitive race. Side bar amusement: going to Slovenia and passing pretty close to Pogačar's house. I wonder if they were tempting him to get all 3 jerseys at once after winning the Tour and Vuelta. After all, only a very few have ever had all three at the same time (Froome being the last).RidesHills03-11-2026
- He was a child two years agoRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route aswell. Col d'Arpy is a toughieRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- Let Torito have a shot at itRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route, much more exciting than the Tour de France. Monte Livata is an interesting one, because they experimented with it at the 2026 Baby Giro, and it was fantastic. 4 km at 10%, then 10 km at 6.5% made for a great spectacle. The stage 16 is horrible. Montaner is also used in the U23s, in Giro del BelvedereRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- I remember when Mark went through that. He was really experiencing lows and thought about quiting many times. It took him a long time to recover. I, like many others were overjoyed when he came back. I hope Lafay has been tested. I wish him the best.Paggss03-11-2026
- That sucks for him. I've always wondered what guys like him do after retiring from cycling - go back to uni? He's still a very young manCrashjames03-11-2026
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