Florian Lipowitz won the queen stage of the Tour of Slovenia and was in strong form exactly two weeks before the start of the Tour de France.
The 25-year-old from Ulm from the Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe team prevailed on Saturday in the 4th stage after a demanding 184.7 km between Kranj and the winter sports stronghold of Kranjska Gora and also took the overall lead before the final day.
“I’m very happy to have won again after almost two years,” said Lipowitz in the winner’s interview. “Tomorrow’s stage will be ticklish again.”
Last year’s third-place finisher won the final of a group of two against his Italian teammate Giulio Pellizzari. On the last climb of the day to the 1,611 m high Vrsic Pass, Lipowitz broke away from Pellizzari, but he caught up again on the descent to the finish.
Lipowitz with a lead of four seconds
Ultimately, Germany’s best tour driver celebrated only his fourth victory as a professional. He previously won a stage and the overall ranking of the Czech Tour in 2023 and the Sibiu Tour in 2024. Lipowitz is still missing a victory at World Tour level. The last stage of the Tour of Slovenia leads on Sunday over a moderately difficult 169.4 km from Litija to Nove Mesto. Lipowitz takes a four second lead over Pellizzari.
Lipowitz had chosen the small tour in Slovenia as an endurance test for the Tour de France, which begins on July 4th in Barcelona. In addition to Red Bull, only one other World Tour team is competing in Bahrain Victorious. Top star Tadej Pogacar, who is one of the record winners of the Tour of Slovenia with two victories, is missing from his home race this time and is competing in the Tour de Suisse at the same time.