Red Bull unveil ‘Lucky 13’ rest-day Tour jersey as Evenepoel explains his connection
Released on July 13, the “Lucky 13” jersey was inspired by cycling’s tradition of wearing race number 13 upside down, a superstition that has long been associated with good fortune in the peloton.
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Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe unveiled a special upside-down jersey on the first rest day of the Tour de France, with the team celebrating its 13th appearance in the race through a unique “Lucky 13” design.
Remco Evenepoel explained to media, including Het Laatste Nieuws and Sporza, that the team had originally planned to wear the jersey during stage 13, but it was not permitted in competition, so it was instead unveiled on the first rest day of the Tour.
“It’s the team's 13th Tour, and the original plan was to wear this jersey during the 13th stage,” Evenepoel said.
“The team considers 13 an unlucky number, so they flipped everything upside down. In the end, wearing it during the race itself wasn't allowed, so they decided to wear it today, on July 13th.”
However, the Olympic champion does not share the same superstition around the number and instead sees it as a positive.
“For me, it’s usually been a lucky number, so I don't buy into that superstition,” said Evenepoel.
The team’s press release highlighted several milestones linked to the number for Evenepoel, including his first professional victory and his junior world title. The Belgian also recalled the significance of the number in some of his most significant career highlights.
“I took my first professional victory with number 13. I became Junior World Champion wearing it, and when I won the Elite World Championship, one of my teammates had number 13. There’s definitely something special about it,” Evenepoel said.
His teammate and co-leader Florian Lipowitz also revealed his own connection to the number.
“I won my first stage race wearing number 13, so I’ve always had a great connection with it. For me, it’s definitely a lucky number," said Lipowitz.
During the rest day, Evenepoel completed a training ride and spent time on his time-trial bike ahead of the race against the clock, which comes following the second rest day, next week.
“There isn't much time to ride it, and the time trial is next Tuesday. I need to make sure I stay accustomed to that position,” said Evenepoel.
Evenepoel has won a time trial in each of the past two editions of the Tour, and the Olympic and World champion in the discipline will be looking to make it a hat-trick on stage 16 with a 26.1km effort from Évian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains.
Ahead of the second week, Evenepoel sits fourth in the GC, 3:30 behind race leader Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), but just three seconds off the final podium spot, currently occupied by Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). Meanwhile, Lipowitz sits in seventh, thirty seconds behind the Belgian.
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