'We got the maximum out of it, but the final touch was missing' – Red Bull leaves Catalunya with confidence

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe closed out the week with third and fifth overall, as Lipowitz secured a podium finish while Evenepoel’s race was influenced by a crash in stage 3 that forced him into a supporting role.

“There were definitely moments where we could have made the difference, and Remco tried more than once,” Lodewyck explained to Sporza. “But every time, the race came back together. It was a fast and technical course, and we committed fully. As a team, we really got everything out of it.”

Evenepoel showed clear signs of progression in the final stage in Barcelona, repeatedly going on the attack, but was unable to convert that into a stage victory.

Despite that, the overall feeling inside the team remained positive. “That’s how racing goes. We were present, we animated the race, and in the end it just didn’t fall our way, but I’m satisfied with what we showed.”

For Lodewyck, the most important takeaway is that Evenepoel is moving back towards his top level. “He’s recovering from the crash and you can see the legs are coming back. Without that setback, he would have been in the fight for the overall.”

With Lipowitz stepping onto the podium and the team showing depth throughout the week, the foundations are in place heading into the next phase of the season. “The result is strong, but of course you always want that extra. Still, we leave here with confidence.”

Those sentiments were echoed by teammate Florian Lipowitz to CyclingPro.net, who also pointed to the collective strength the team showed throughout the week.

“Of course we came here with big ambitions as a team, and even though we didn’t take the win, I think we showed our strength throughout the whole race. That gives a lot of confidence going forward.”

The German rider highlighted how quickly the collaboration with Remco Evenepoel clicked, underlining the cohesion within the squad. “I felt good during the week and the cooperation inside the team was really strong. Everyone knew their role and we committed fully to the plan.”

Racing alongside Evenepoel was also a valuable learning experience for Lipowitz as he continues to develop within the team setup. “For me personally it’s a great experience to race alongside Remco. You learn a lot just by being in the same race situation together.”

With an eye already on the Tour de France, the focus now shifts to building further on this foundation. “We are building something towards the Tour. It’s not about one result now, it’s about improving step by step and getting stronger as a team.”