Tour de France | Florian Lipowitz: The child prodigy who isn't one

The English-speaking sports press describes Florian Lipowitz as the "new German prodigy," following in the tradition that once held Boris Becker and Michael Schumacher in high regard. Lipowitz also demonstrated his version of the "Becker pike" – a volley hit by the former tennis pro while diving – at this Tour de France . It's an attack straight into the heart of hesitant rivals. He used this technique twice in the 2025 Tour de France. On the 18th stage last Thursday, he attacked at the Col de la Loze, pulling up to three minutes ahead of Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard – only to be not only caught but overtaken by them at the end. In the shadow of the two greats, the Scotsman Oscar Onley also crept closer to Lipowitz. The pro from the Picnic racing team was Lipowitz's toughest opponent for third place and the white jersey of the best young professional. To stay in tennis jargon: This Becker pike landed in the net.

What sets Florian Lipowitz apart, however, is that he doesn't let his courage get the better of him, but rather learns from his mistakes. The day after his failed attack, his acceleration was already better. On the 19th stage, he accelerated at the exact moment Onley, who was riding in front of him, showed signs of weakness. Lipowitz stormed past Pogačar and Vingegaard again. This time, they followed him. Lipowitz didn't want to leave them behind, but simply wanted to force the pace of the small group of favorites. "I thought it was brilliant because Florian reacted very quickly. Oscar exploded. Opening up a gap was a good move on his part," said Rolf Aldag, the team principal of Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe, celebrating his protégé's racing instinct.

From ski school to the World Tour

Yet he shouldn't be called a child prodigy. Although Lipowitz has only been actively involved in cycling for six years, he has been practicing another endurance sport since the age of eight: biathlon. "There's a biathlon facility near my hometown of Ulm – I wanted to try it out. So I simply went to a trial training session. The combination of cross-country skiing, endurance, speed, and precision in shooting fascinated me immediately," says the 24-year-old, reflecting on those beginnings. He went all the way to German schoolboy championships in biathlon. Together with his brother Philipp, who is a year older, he also attended the renowned Stams Ski High School. There, as a former coach recently revealed, he still holds a school record in prone shooting.

Injuries to his knee and Achilles tendon then brought him closer to cycling. He was already familiar with cycling, having participated in the occasional cycling marathon with his family as a hobby, and even cycled across the Swabian Alb to summer biathlon competitions, 100 kilometers there and 100 kilometers back. So he had the stamina. His desire to push himself was apparently unlimited. On his own initiative, Lipowitz contacted the German World Tour racing team. And before other teams' scouts could even notice him, he already had a contract with Tirol KTM, the former development team of Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe.

Stronger than your own team captain

Lipowitz has been competing in the World Tour since 2023. He has been making a splash there since 2024, including his seventh-place finish at the Vuelta a España last fall alongside teammate and overall winner Primož Roglič . He was also initially scheduled to compete in the Tour de France alongside the Slovenian team captain. No longer as a helper and learner, as he did in Spain a year ago, but in a freelance role .

The Tour newcomer famously made excellent use of this freedom. Lipowitz no longer had to wait for his captain, as he did at the Vuelta. He could decide for himself what he wanted to do. And it was already clear in the Pyrenees that his performance level was now above that of Roglič. However, the Swabian native was distinguished by the fact that he did not put himself above the Slovenian. His respect and loyalty went so far that he would have even conceded third place to the 35-year-old if one of his attacks had worked. Roglič tried to do so too. But his star has faded surprisingly quickly this season. Lipowitz is now the German racing team's winning rider in the grand tours. Second place in the long-distance race Paris-Nice this spring and third place in the Dauphiné, the preparatory race for the Tour, were already hints of this.

Third to Paris

The fact that Lipowitz is now heading to Paris as third in the overall standings is the next step toward becoming a great stage racer. While he admits he's still a bit short of the level of Pogačar and Vingegaard, the 24-year-old still has room to develop. And with his determination, his stamina, his already strong racing instinct, and, above all, his extraordinary ability to learn, he's likely to provide many more special moments in the future.