«A surprise for this Tour of ItalyFlorian Lipowitz», attacks decisively Wladimir BelliWith the Eurosport commentator, we played a sort of game, clearly considered, to determine who, besides Tadej Pogacar, could—let's not say win the Giro d'Italia—but still do well. And do so at a high level.
All in all, if it is true that the Slovenian champion seems to be competing on his own and travelling on another planet, it is also true that after him the field is truly open and leaves room for many interpretations, surprises and open battles.
And so there's also room for Florian Lipowitz: a German, 181 centimeters tall and weighing 67 kilos, this is his third year as a professional. He has won one stage and the 2023 Tour of the Czech Republic.
Wladimir, why did you name the Bora-Hansgrohe rider as a surprise for this Giro?
Because he is arriving at the Giro in good condition. He continued to improve and at the Tour de Romandie, where there were some very important riders, some of whom were coming out of the Ardennes on fire, he finished third. And I'm talking about guys like Ayuso, Carapaz, Bernal, Van Wilder... and usually those who are strong in Romandie also do well in the Giro. Then let's add that he's young, and this is young cycling. So if I have to name someone outside of the classics, I'd say him.
How did you see him in Romandie?
He moved well, I liked him overall. And both he and his team moved well, it seems to me that they prepared in the most suitable way for this Giro. I also noticed that He hasn't raced much so far, just 15 days of racing, and this means he's fresh and can improve. Then it is clear that this is also his first major Tour and he gives no guarantees about his ability to hold up over the three weeks.
All the more reason for it to be a surprise!
He is also young, but not very young, he is 23 years old (he was born in 2000, he will turn 24 in September, ed.).
You mentioned his team. This is a plus, given that the team has a coach like Enrico Gasparotto, who knows how to handle young riders and has already won a Giro with Hindley…
Gasparotto is good. I even raced with him and he was a smart guy. Not only that, but in addition to Gasparotto, he returned to that team. Patxi Vila after his experience at Movistar: he's also an expert. In short, Lipowitz has a well-structured team behind him.
But what can you tell us about him?
It's a question mark, but rather than focusing on his time trial performance, I'd analyze the situation as a whole. We don't have any definitive information, and I repeat, he's performing well; we'll have to see if he can maintain it over the next three weeks.
Perhaps his biggest limitation is the fact that he is making his debut in the Grand Tours…
Yes and no. In the end, in my first year as a pro, I finished thirteenth. In my second year, I was wearing the white jersey until four stages from the end... Pantani took it from me at Aprica, but I caught the flu and slipped to 12th place. But I was making my debut as a pro; he's already been around for a few years. Experience is certainly important, but having no pressure, no expectations and at the same time having the engine can run freely, as if there were no tomorrow. He doesn't have to cut corners. Maybe he can achieve something significant by doing so.
He can indeed get some space. Ultimately, the leader of Bora-Hansgrohe is Dani Martinez, who is strong, but doesn't offer all the guarantees...
I think the situation is a little different. With a leading light like Pogacar, I think there's more freedom for everyone. If things go as they should, the challenge is open for others. I think about the Ineos Grenadiers with Thomas, Arensman, and Foss: do you expect them not to attack, not to try to invent something? Bora-Hansgrohe is no exception. I see an open race. Even the EF Education - Easy Post he has a good team to do a certain type of race.
Vladimir Lipowitz is the first name we asked you for. But what if you had to add a couple more?
Cyan Uijtdebroeks, but the same goes for him as for the three-week endurance test, adding the unknown factor that he's not a super driver and that's always useful on the roads of the Giro. And then O'Connor, although it's not entirely a surprise.
