Cattaneo explains why Evenepoel and Lipowitz can thrive together at the Tour de France

Mattia Cattaneo (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) has discussed how his two co-leaders for the Tour de France, Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), are shaping up in their final preparations for the race.

Both Evenepoel and Lipowitz will start in Barcelona on July 4. Both riders have finished third at Tour, with Evenepoel doing so in 2024 and Lipowitz in 2025. 

In their squad announcement, Red Bull detailed how their plan is built around flexibility, with dual leadership intended to keep options open across three weeks rather than locking into a fixed hierarchy.

Cattaneo, who followed Evenepoel in last winter’s move from Quick-Step to Red Bull, is also set to line up for his fifteenth Grand Tour and fourth Tour de France. The Italian echoed the team’s sense of controlled preparation when discussing Evenepoel’s unique build-up, which hasn’t seen the Olympic Champion race since April.

"Knowing him as I do, Remco made the best choice for his Tour preparation. He and the team thoroughly planned this approach. He’s convinced that racing less will allow him to arrive at the biggest events in better shape,” Cattaneo told Bici.pro. 

"He performs at his best when he’s hungry and motivated. He’ll certainly be super motivated and full of fight. And above all, ready to 'tear it up', as he always says,” added Cattaneo.

Evenepoel will arrive in Barcelona with his preparations centred on altitude training, with his last race being Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April, where he finished third. 

Lipowitz, meanwhile, arrives on the back of a strong showing at the Tour of Slovenia in June, where he won two stages and the general classification. The German will look to replicate his Tour debut from twelve months ago, where he finished third overall and won the youth classification. 

"Florian has shown he’s ready, and I see him in good shape for the Tour. Of course, we know what the top stars do up front and what level they’re at, but he’s really doing well. He’s very solid,” said Cattaneo.

Cattaneo also highlighted Lipowitz’s approach to dealing with the pressure and expectations when it comes to the biggest races, and how the German is at an advantage to most in this aspect. 

“As I said earlier, Lipowitz lives in his own world and seems not to care about anything or anyone else. If he can avoid an interview, he does. He’s somewhat the opposite of Remco."

As the Tour unfolds, attention will inevitably turn to how the two leaders share responsibility, but Cattaneo believes the relationship between them is already solid.

"It’s true, Florian and Remco raced together in Catalunya. During that race, they demonstrated, at the moments that mattered, that their relationship is good, and not as complicated as the media often portrays it in an attempt to find internal conflict."

"They know full well that having two riders at the front is an advantage. Staying close and working together can help both of them."