Florian Lipowitz defends Podium Square on 20th stage

Despite the worse falls

Lipowitz defends Podium Square – his sports director warns of 21st stage

The penultimate stage of the Tour de France demanded a lot from the cycling stars. Several drivers plunged. Florian Lipowitz, on the other hand, claimed his placement.

What a 20th stage of the Tour de France: right from the start there were several attacks forward and a restless peloton. In the course of the trip to Pontalier, the situation stabilized, but the weather also demanded a lot from the bike stars around Tadej Pogačar (“UAE Team Emirates XRG”) and Jonas Vingegaard (“Visma-Lease A Bike”). There were some, also heavy, falls through rain-wet asphalt-in the end Kaden Groves (“Alpecin-Deceuninck”) was allowed to cheer for the stage victory.

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The Australian was close to tears after the finish line and accepted his team’s congratulations. Afterwards, tears of joy rolled over to victory.

The German cycling fans can also breathe a sigh of relief and can be happy: Florian Lipowitz arrived well and safely at the finish line and thus defended his third place in the overall classification behind Pogačar and Vingegaard. The two top stars also arrived unscathed. Vingegaard had a defect in the course of the stage. However, this had no negative effects on the Danes, so that he was back in the main field promptly.

Only the last and 21st stage of 132.5 kilometers – which is not undisputed – is still between Lipowitz and the cheers in Paris. Should everything work according to plan on Sunday and the “Red Bora-Bora-Hansgrohe” driver Lipowitz will surely arrive in the capital of France, a German would be on the podium of the Tour de France for the first time since 2006.

Lipowitz ‘sports director, Rolf Aldag, said after the penultimate stage at the ARD microphone that it was necessary to have large groups with direct competitors – such as the overall fourth Oscar onley. He also explained: “In such weather it is really difficult to keep an overview. You managed it very well, so we are satisfied with the day.”

Nevertheless, Aldag said in relation to the last stage: “For everyone, Paris is the very big question of how it will be. It is the first time that you drive via Montmartre. The weather outlook is not sparkling.”

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So far, the last stage has always been that of the sprinter with finish on the Champs-Élysées. However, the route was changed this year – the drivers have to raise Montmartre three times before they are allowed to go to the destination.

Therefore, Rick Zabel T-Online said: “During the tour, the drivers have 20 stages to make out the overall ranking among themselves. Traditionally, the last stage was always the journey over the Champs-élysées. I think that suddenly, because it is also part of the story. Especially for the sprinter, because that was always the big sprinter stage, and now it is taken a bit.”

This also changes the behavior in the peloton and could lead to the fact that there are attacks in Paris, unlike us. Aldag said: “The mountain does it a little differently. Why shouldn’t Pogačar try to win in yellow in Paris.” This possibility does not exist often and the “Bora” sports director could imagine that the Slovenian wanted to try it.

He also believes that the direct competitor of Lipowitz, onley, may start an attack again. “If an onley has a chance, he won’t let it pass,” continued Rolf Aldag. Lipowitz currently has one minute and three seconds lead over onley in the overall classification.

At the top of the podium, Tadej Pogačar will most likely be found in Paris. After the stage in the ARD, his teammate Nils Politt said: “Today was again a difficult piece of work, especially with the weather conditions. It was not an easy day, the descents were slippery. I am happy to be at the finish.” He believes that Pogačar has almost safe the tour win through his four-minute lead over Vingegaard.