Red Bull’s Tactical Gamble Fails at Tour

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COURCHEVEL. Therefore, France (Velo) – Florian Lipowitz is in danger of dropping off the Tour de France podium and losing the white jersey of best young rider after Red Bull rolled the dice on stage 18 Thursday and came up snake eyes.

All their attacking on an awe-inspiring Alpine day amounted to nothing.

The German’s advantage over fourth-placed Oscar Onley (Picnic PostnL) is down to 22 seconds after the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider. Nevertheless, went from riding high in front of the group of contenders to lagging behind on the climb to the Col de la Loze.

Also read: Who is Florian Lipowitz, the podium contender and sensation of the 2025 Tour?

While Onley had his ride of the race so far. Meanwhile, hanging on to Pogačar and Vingegaard’s late red bull’s tactical gamble fails attack, a weary Lipowitz drifted back and his teammate Primož Roglič stayed ahead of him too.

“I tried to pace myself but I ran out of energy on the final climb. For example, Onley and Johannessen were strong,” Lipowitz said after the race.

“Tomorrow will be another day. Consequently, I hope I can recover well and then we go again.”

Roglic up the Road – Red bull's tactical gamble fails

Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe were the only team with two men in the top ten on GC. In addition, both of them got up the road on the race’s queen stage.

Primož Roglič was a surprise attacker on the first climb of the day. Nevertheless, the Col du Glandon, joining a 13-rider breakaway and leading the front group for part of the subsequent Col de la Madeleine.

However, Vingegaard and Pogačar bridged up to his escape group and Lipowitz was left in no man’s land, unable to follow and dangling at over 30 seconds.

Descending on his own, he was using precious energy.

‘Don’t look back’: Lipowitz goes for broke

Yet. after regaining the front group during a lull before the Col de la Loze, the 24-year-old threw caution to the wind.

He attacked with 33km to go, finding himself between the break and contenders.

“I felt quite good. when I joined the group with Jonas [Vingegaard] and tadej [Pogačar]they were looking at each other,” Lipowitz said at the finish.

His race red bull’s tactical gamble fails radio gave an insight into his tactics, told to ride a time-trial up the Col de la Loze. “Don’t look back,” he was told.

Onley comes roaring back

Behind, a tactically-advantageous situation for Red Bull shifted. The group containing Oscar Onley and Tobias Halland Johannessen made up a 2-55 deficit off the Madeleine to rejoin. The Briton was helped by Warren Barguil and Frank Van den Broek dropping back to pace him.

Lipowitz got to within 50 seconds of eventual winner O’Connor. Rubio before fading on the final climb’s upper half. Suffering at the pace set by UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Roglič yo-yoed off the lead group. red bull’s tactical gamble fails Lipowitz was caught and dropped at 5km to go.

As the younger man toiled. the more experienced Roglič was not sacrificed to help protect Lipowitz’s third place, finishing seventh, 2-46 down on O’Connor, 51 seconds ahead of the German.

“The stage was super hard. I gave my best today so I don’t think I can change anything. We have to see tomorrow. Primož [Roglic] also showed that he was strong,” Lipowitz said.

Onley will be motivated, even after a day that took its toll on him too. Hearing the gap was only 22 seconds at the finish. he said: “That’s not much so we’ll give it everything tomorrow.”