'Way too fast for me' - Roglic cedes Red Bull leadership to Lipowitz

Stage 12 of the Tour de France was a good one for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Not only did their principal riders perform somewhere near expectations, but things became a little more clear regarding leadership.

The day between Auch and Hautacam was a tough one for all concerned, but Primož Roglič and Florian Lipowitz were close to the front when they needed to be, which has not always been the case so far this Tour.

When so many others were dropped, both men had remained in the GC group over the Col du Soulor and were still there when UAE led onto the final, brutal ascent of Hautacam. Indeed they only slipped back when eventual stage winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) made his race-winning move with 12km remaining, with Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) his closest - but still distant - follower.

With the group being the two leaders shattered, Lipowitz and Roglič found themselves with Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL) and Tobias Halland Johannessen (UNO-X Mobility) inside the final 10km. The Red Bull pair had the upper hand with attacking options. The young German made his move, first taking Onley, but when the Scot was dropped, he drove on alone.

Indeed, as the climb wore on, he closed in on Vingegaard, threatening to catch him, eventually finishing third on the stage, just 13 seconds behind the Dane. Still, it was a real statement of intent, telling the world, and his team who has the best form at this Tour.

With only two other top 10 placings, it’s the team’s best result so far this Tour, and it puts Lipowitz in fourth place overall, more than five minutes off Pogačar’s lead, but not too far from the podium place occupied by Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quickstep). Roglič’s is seventh at 7:30.

‘It was just fast. I mean, way too fast for me, I really had a big battle in the last 7km to come to the top,” Roglič told TNT Sports. Clearly he had seen his teammate attack, so what did he think? “When you have the legs you have to go. He had the legs today so a great job. I’m really happy, I hope he keeps this level.” 

Roglič’s Tour has been an odd one. He arrived in France after a series of misfortunes saw him crash out of the Giro, and seemed downbeat, even unbothered about his performance at the Tour, giving cryptic interviews to the press. Though he has since buckled down, his deficit to Lipowitz means he’ll surely need will to accept playing second fiddle to the promising youngster.

In contrast, Lipowitz headed to his maiden Tour de France on the back on a very promising third place at the Critérium du Dauphiné and has appeared more up for the fight. He was certainly that on Thursday.

“I put the first part quite hard, I tried to keep the pace high,” he told France Televisions. “I just tried to test how the others were are, then I was with Oscar and tried to stay on his wheel. I took my chance, I think I can be super happy. 

“We’re there with two guys super good on GC and there are still good opportunities to come.” 

Those opportunities come thick and fast now, with Friday’s mountain time trial the next one.