"We tried to attack but maybe I spent a bit too much energy" - Florian Lipowitz continues a strong ride at Itzulia Basque Country
Cycling
The Itzulia Basque Country has been a great experience for Florian Lipowitz so far. After discovering his time trialing abilities on the opening day, the leader of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe continues to operate at the top of general classification after crucial third stage where the previous GC was thrown into the mixer.
"It was a super hard day," begins Lipowitz in post-race interview with Cycling Pro Net. The selection was ruthless with some leaders quickly isolated at the forefront of the race. "After half of the race I think every team had just a few guys left in the peloton."
For Lipowitz, this was an opportunity to play his own card, however it quickly backfired: "We tried to attack and maybe I spent a bit too much energy. But I thought maybe I could ride away and some guys would join," he explained.
When the young German's offensive was countered, he switched to a more defensive strategy with teammate Aleksander Vlasov as his shield. "In the end I was super happy to have Alex still there and he did an amazing job like the whole team did today. I'm happy that I was in the group fighting for win today, but in the end I think that short kicker didn't suit me so well."
After three stages, Lipowitz's position in the general classification gives a reason to mild optimism. Thanks to one bonification second gathered at an intermediate sprint, the 24-year-old moved up to 2nd overall.
Itzulia Basque Country GC after stage 3:
| Position | Rider | Team | Time |
| 01 | Schachmann Max | Soudal Quick-Step | 08:17:47 |
| 02 | Lipowitz Florian | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 04 |
| 03 | Almeida Joao | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | + 04 |
| 04 | Van Wilder Ilan | Soudal Quick-Step | + 15 |
| 05 | Skjelmose Mattias | Lidl-Trek | + 16 |
| 06 | Kelderman Wilco | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | + 37 |
| 07 | Grégoire Romain | Groupama-FDJ | + 40 |
| 08 | Cras Steff | Team TotalEnergies | + 46 |
| 09 | Aranburu Alex | Cofidis | + 01:03 |
| 10 | Mas Enric | Movistar Team | + 01:14 |
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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