“We will support Florian and Remco as well as possible” – Red Bull refuse to choose between Evenepoel and Lipowitz despite Tour de France opening-week fireworks
Cycling
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe will carry their dual-leadership gamble into the second week of the Tour de France, with neither Remco Evenepoel nor Florian Lipowitz yet asked to surrender his own podium ambitions.
Evenepoel reaches the first rest day fourth overall, only three seconds behind Isaac del Toro in third, while Lipowitz sits seventh and 33 seconds from the podium.
After an opening week containing a public disagreement, a swift attempt to calm tensions and a conspicuous show of cooperation in the heat, team manager Ralph Denk is still backing both.
“We will support Florian and Remco as well as possible,” Denk said on Red Bull’s team podcast. “If they feel good, then perhaps they will try something themselves.”
Evenepoel’s anger brings the tension into public view
The first real flashpoint arrived after Stage 6, when Evenepoel criticised Lipowitz for failing to provide the lead-out he had requested in the battle for third place at Gavarnie-Gedre.
“I had asked for a lead-out, and I didn’t get one,” Evenepoel said after the stage. “Yes, I was angry, and rightly so. In the Volta a Catalunya, I rode at the front for him for 30 kilometres. I asked him to do one kilometre of work at the front, and that wasn’t possible.”
Denk blamed post-stage emotion and communication problems, while Evenepoel later said the disagreement had been discussed and put behind them. Red Bull also made a point of noting that the pair had sat together at dinner that evening.
Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz at the 2026 Tour de France team presentation
Bottles replace barbs in the heat
Stage 9 to Ussel offered a very different image of Red Bull’s two leaders. With temperatures approaching 40 degrees and the group of favourites reduced in size, Lipowitz dropped back to collect bottles before returning to the front and supplying Evenepoel with water.
“We have to be united at the front,” Lipowitz said in quotes reported by Sport1. “When the bottles are empty, somebody has to go back. With such a small group, it is absolutely no problem at all. You do not waste any energy.”
It was basic teamwork rather than a declaration of loyalty, but the contrast with the argument earlier in the week was hard to miss. Lipowitz had not accepted a permanent domestique role, nor had Evenepoel established himself as the sole protected rider.
Mountains set to decide Red Bull’s pecking order
Lipowitz expects the race itself to provide the answer. “There are harder stages coming now, and then the race will gradually become more selective,” he told Sport1. “Towards the end of the week, when we head towards Le Markstein, there will still be movement in the general classification.”
Denk is anticipating the same process. “I expect it to become a race of elimination for the general classification,” the Red Bull manager said on the team podcast.
Tuesday’s mountainous Stage 10 gives both riders their first opportunity after the rest day, with two category-one climbs offering a sharper test than much of the opening week. Evenepoel begins it with the advantage inside Red Bull, but Lipowitz remains only half a minute behind and firmly within reach of the podium.
Red Bull entered the Tour with two recent third-place finishers and have reached the second week with both still alive in the general classification. Until the mountains provide a compelling reason to choose, the team is keeping both cards in play.
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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- It doesnt take a genius to understand that Pogi is 1 level above and Pogi is younger that Jonas, so Jonas will not win under ordinary circumstances. Pogi has to crack hard for Jonas to win. It doesn't matter whether you defend Jonas or not , facts remain facts. Jonas himself says his numbers are better than 2022/2023, so Jonas is more or less optimized and we are just see the stochastic variation due to other factors. I think he will retire along with Pedersen in WC denmarkabstractengineer13-11-2026
- They only raced each other during the 2026 Tour, but here's a few metrics to look at. Stage 3 (Granollers to Les Angles): Pogačar won the stage, finishing 2 seconds ahead of Vingegaard (2nd). Del Toro finished 24 seconds behind Stage 6 (Pau to Gavarnie-Gedre / Col du Tourmalet): Pogačar won solo, Vingegaard finished 2nd (losing 2:38), and Del Toro finished 3rd (at +2:57, finishing 19 seconds behind Vingegaard). Here, Jonas Vingegaard outclimbed Isaac del Toro by 19 seconds on the mountain stageawp13-11-2026
- your clinging to the past. Jonas was dropped by del toro many times last year and jonas never managed a climbing numers del toro did in dauphine last year -entire year. Trend is also evident theres no discussion your living in the past, its beent he same with jonas for many years now and only developing, meanwhile del toro is rising and developing greatly. This is all obvious stuff and im not even a del toro fan. No point discussing numbers or this i suspect you dont watch much now but rather think its 2022 still cause this aint hard.miguel13-11-2026
- We can go through metrics if you like, Del Toro, who I do admire and support, is not on the same level as Jonas just yet. You will see that in early 2027 if they have any crossover races. I do hope they both race the Giro. You are correct though, Jonas is getting older and will not be able to hand on much longer. I see 2027 as a good year for him. Obviously behind Tadej though.awp13-11-2026
- What wins? Are you LA operating under a pseudonym?mij13-11-2026
- My point is this - Tadej, Remco, Seixas are all the outliers. Many riders don’t hit their peak until 28. It’s way too early to write him off. And the pogi slo guy that hates him - he’s also immature. Ayuso needs time.mij13-11-2026
- Then you need to use ur eyes or head if you have cause del toro already dropped jonas two times and beat him in tdf stages already this year.. Del toro climbed(dauphine) better numbers than jonas did all year too. So ur feelings and wishful thinking doesnt amtter del toro himself has already surpassed jonas infact just facts. Its also very evident for anyone objective that Jonas is declining alot, its just the truth and super obvious.miguel13-11-2026
- None of those victories stand, so there's that,wrsty13-11-2026
- No surprise there; it is British Sycling, yes, with an S
Rafionain-Glas12-11-2026 - I like Del Toro but he's not on the level of Jonas, by a large margin.awp12-11-2026
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