"We sleep above 2,300 metres, descend on the bike to take in oxygen, then climb back up": Lipowitz presents what it takes to fight for Tour podium
Cycling
Florian Lipowitz approaches his build-up to the upcoming 2026 Tour de France as one of the marquee names in the peloton. At Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe they know the rivalry will be fierce, with Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard as the main favourites, alongside a rapidly rising Paul Seixas. The German rider, third in last year’s Grande Boucle, will be one of those looking to take on the two kings this summer
At 25, Lipowitz heads to the Tour after cementing his place among the best stage racers. His spring performances, especially podiums at Itzulia and the Tour de Romandie, have strengthened his case to fight again for the top spots in the general classification.
He is currently based in Sierra Nevada, putting the finishing touches to his preparation for the French race. There he is training at altitude with his team in conditions as demanding as they are standard in modern cycling.
"Overall, very good," Lipowitz describes his summer residence in an interview for Eurosport. "The weather is fantastic. An altitude camp is always demanding, of course. You have to be mentally ready to spend three weeks here. There’s not much more than eating, sleeping, and training. But the atmosphere is great and the preparation is going well."
He also detailed how these training blocks unfold and the importance of acclimatisation to reach the Tour de France in peak condition: "We sleep just over 2,300 metres. For the first three or four days, we stay at a relatively high altitude. There’s even a road that goes up to 3,000 metres. We try to acclimatise as quickly as possible. When interval work starts, we ride down to get a bit more oxygen. Then we climb back up."
Beyond the purely sporting aspect, Lipowitz also spoke about the crucial support he receives from his partner, mountain biker Antonia Weeger. For the German, sharing the same profession greatly eases day-to-day life and understanding of the demands of pro cycling.
"It’s definitely great when your partner understands everything you have to endure as an athlete. She understands me very well and is very considerate. She helps me a lot and makes life a bit easier. That’s why it’s always tough when I go to an altitude camp for three weeks, but of course, you also know we’ll see each other again afterwards. Still, those three weeks are quite a challenge."
Podium pressure in Paris
Lipowitz acknowledged that not everything was straightforward after his surprise podium at the 2025 Tour de France. The German admitted he went through a tricky period both physically and mentally after that major result.
"The whole spring season gave me confidence. I had some difficulties after last year’s Tour de France. I was a long way off for Catalunya, so I was very worried beforehand. Fortunately, things kept getting better with each race."
The German believes his recent performances have fully restored his confidence ahead of the season’s main target. "Finishing the first big racing block with the Tour de Romandie was a great experience and gave me a lot of confidence for the Tour build-up."
Florian Lipowitz, a Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe star
Pogacar and Vingegaard, the big favourites
During the Tour de Romandie, Lipowitz even dared to attack Pogacar on a summit finish, a move that underlined the German’s competitive growth against the sport’s leading lights. However, he was cautious when assessing that initiative.
"Pogacar mainly raced one-day events before the Ardennes Classics, so I expect to see a different Pogacar at the Tour.”
With more experience, greater confidence, and after overcoming last season’s emotional fatigue, Florian Lipowitz now approaches the Tour de France feeling he has taken a definitive step forward in his career. "I’ve grown as a person," the German acknowledged, determined to prove that last year’s podium was no fluke.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- I hope he rides a bitmij15-11-2026
- Greatest athlete this world has ever produced ! LOL ... you definitely are a comdian ! Cycling is so sprecialized and you think he's the greatest athlete ever ! Still laughing !frieders315-11-2026
- b.s. headline. Jonas wasn't told anything, it is just a pundit telling him what to do. the actual article is not even close to the insinuation of the headline.mij15-11-2026
- I think Roglic could have beaten Sepp. not Jonas. I was referring to Sepp.mij15-11-2026
- I'm deeply sick of this guy and his unwillingness to race seriously for more than a month or two. I'll never respect riders who do that. Seixas will be stronger than him next season, and maybe Del Toro as well. I don't even think he'll finish on the podium at any GT where Pogi, Seixas, and Del Toro are racing.megasmacky15-11-2026
- Not a chance in hell.megasmacky15-11-2026
- If you go watch some races from last season other riders that have never caught Jonas...are now catching him. Some are just riding away from him and he can't hold the wheelmd197514-11-2026
- He just doesn't have the desire anymore. I read an article earlier today that said he almost retired last year. His reasoning was he is away from home to much. Visma was able to keep him riding by allowing him to skip certain camps. So, while currently Visma is doing altitude work...Jonas is at home. Which means 2 things. 1- He maybe fresher than other riders. But, not the condition. 2-Is a somewhat slap in the face to others on the team that are supposed to help him win. Yet feel like he hasn't done what they have so perhaps they don't provide as good of protection or they ride more for theme (which the team may not notice).md197514-11-2026
- Roglic could not have won anyway, after Jonas followed him when Roglic decided it was his turn for a stage win. Jonas had already attacked Kuss twice, so it was Jonas who was within seconds of taking the lead before Kuss was 'gifted' the win. It felt a bit like Roglic was being thrown under the bus when the team made his unhappiness public.Hills3314-11-2026
- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
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