Chancellor Friedrich Merz congratulated the German cyclist Florian Lipowitz for the third place at the Tour de France.
“This performance not only makes my heart beat faster as a passionate hobby bike driver, but also inspires many cycling fans across the country,” Merz wrote on X, formerly Twitter on Sunday evening.
After over three weeks, Lipowitz ended the world’s most important bike race in third place behind the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar and the Danes Jonas Vingegaard. The former biathlete and career changer was the first German to make Andreas Kloden since the two-time tour rune-up 19 years ago.
CDU politician Merz wrote about a “German sensation success” and “a grandiose third place” by the Swabian, who was there for the first time on the tour of the France.
Lipowitz was also relieved. “I’m just happy that everything worked out,” said the 24-year-old. The professional from Team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe was the first German driver to win the white jersey of the best young professional since Jan Ullrich.