Before the heavy mountain stages at the weekend, the German cycling professional Florian Lipowitz successfully defended his second place overall on the Dauphiné tour.
The 24-year-old reached the finish line on the fifth stage of over 183 kilometers from Saint-Priest to Macon and is still four seconds behind leader Remco Evenepoel, who fell shortly before the finish, but this was without consequences due to the three-kilometer rule.
The day victory won the Briton Jake Stewart in the sprint in front of the Frenchman Axel Laurence and Sören Waerenskjold from Norway on Thursday.
The German sprinter Pascal Ackermann could no longer get involved after a fall during the stage, he had to give up the race.
Dreierstar of the stars on the weekend
At the weekend, the heavy mountain tests are waiting for the stars. Above all, the three-way fight of the tour stars Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard and Evenepoel is in the spotlight.
But Lipowitz also wants to continue to get involved. “Actually, the stages that lie to me are actually coming. I can’t compete with the big three, but there is a top ten placement,” said the Red Bull professional.
On Friday, a total of five climbs are on the program on the sixth stage from Valserhone to combloux, and finally a mountain in the second category is waiting.
A day later, three mountains of the highest category follow on the way to Valmeinier in 1800 before the tour general rehearsal ends on Sunday on the plateau du Mont-Cenis.