Cycling
Can ex-biathlete Lipowitz shock the Tour? Former pro Rick Zabel weighs in
Four reasons why Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe’s Florian Lipowitz could shake up the Tour de France on his debut, with expert insight from a veteran of the race.
Florian Lipowitz is about to ride his very first Tour de France for Red Bull – BORA - hansgrohe – and the 24-year old is already being called one of the most exciting new talents in the race. Off the bike, he’s quiet and humble. On the bike, he climbs mountains so easily it looks like he’s out for a relaxed ride. Even cycling star Primož Roglič says he makes it look effortless.
The hype around the former biathlete is building. It’s not just fans saying it. German cycling expert and former pro Rick Zabel, who raced the Tour de France with Team Katusha-Alpecin and Israel Start-Up Nation between 2017 and 2022, told us: “Of course I'm super happy that with Lipo we have someone who can finish in the top five and maybe even dream of the podium.”
Four-time Tour de France rider Rick Zabel
© Fellusch/Red Bull Content Pool
Lipowitz can dream of the podium at the Tour
Coming from someone who knows what it takes to ride the Tour, that’s a big deal!
Here are four reasons why a top-five finish isn’t out of reach for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe’s Tour debutant:
01
From La Vuelta to a powerful spring season
Lipowitz finished seventh overall at La Vuelta 2024
© Kristof Ramon/Red Bull Content Pool
Lipowitz first caught everyone’s attention when he finished seventh overall in the 2024 Vuelta a España, one of cycling’s biggest and toughest races. The next spring, he proved it wasn’t an accident. He finished second at Paris-Nice, a key early-season race, and came very close to the podium in the challenging Tour of the Basque Country, missing third place by just eight seconds, less than a blink of the eye in a race lasting several days.
On top of that, he shone at the Critérium du Dauphiné, another major race used by many top riders to prepare for the Tour de France. There, he was the best young rider and finished in the top three overall.
All these consistent performances show that Lipowitz is in great shape at exactly the right moment, right before the biggest race of the year.
Explore more Tour de France stories
02
Lipowitz as Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe's secret weapon
Lipowitz in the new Tour de France kit
© Maximilian Fries/Red Bull Content Pool
There was a lot of talk about who would lead Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe at the Tour de France. The team chose Primož Roglič, a five-time Grand Tour winner, as captain. He’s supported by team-mate Aleksandr Vlasov. Lipowitz has a special 'joker' role – with less pressure, but the freedom to make a big impact through bold breakaways, especially in the second week.
As Rolf Aldag, Sporting Director of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, explains, “Flo will be riding alongside Primož Roglič. His role will then become clear over the course of the Tour de France.”
Flo's role will become clear over the course of the Tour
03
Special preparation for Lipowitz
Florian Lipowitz side by side with team captain Primož Roglič
© Maximilian Fries/Red Bull Content Pool
Anyone who’s checked out the 2025 Tour de France route knows it favours riders who can do everything well. Big names like Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel will likely have the edge, especially with nearly 44km of time trials across two stages with hilly terrain. What about Lipowitz? That’s still to be seen.
Before the Tour, Lipowitz focused on improving his time trial skills. He was the first top pro to train in the Catesby Tunnel, a place designed to help riders improve their aerodynamics. The result? He averaged 47.9kph in a long time trial at the Critérium du Dauphiné, showing his hard work is paying off.
04
Lipowitz knows some of the Tour’s hardest climbs
Florian Lipowitz resting after a stage at the Vuelta 2024
© Kristof Ramon / Red Bull Content Pool
A lesson many first-time Tour de France riders learn the hard way: racing in other big tours like the Giro d’Italia or La Vuelta, even if they finish in the top 10, doesn’t replace the experience of completing the toughest race in the world.
So what’s special about Lipowitz? He’s already familiar with some of the Tour’s hardest climbs and terrain.
For example, the steep mountain passes like Col de la Madeleine and Croix de Fer showed up this year at the Critérium du Dauphiné, the same way they’ll appear in the Tour, especially during a key mountain stage from Vif to Col de la Loze.
Cycling fans often call the Dauphiné a “mini Tour de France” because of how tough it is, especially the last three stages, which have nearly 10,800 meters of climbing. That makes it a perfect warm-up for the brutal Pyrenees mountains the riders will face between stages 12 and 14 of the Tour.