​Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz have once again put their differences aside after a tense exchange over Thursday’s Pyrenean mountain stage in the Tour de France. Evenepoel had publicly accused his Red Bull-Bora hansgrohe teammate of failing to contribute enough in the demanding chase, sparking talk of simmering friction within the squad. On Friday, team boss Ralph Denk moved to quell the dispute, telling a team podcast ahead of the Bordeaux stage that the matter had been blown out of proportion. He described the situation as not being a big deal and said the two riders had spoken privately to clear the air.
Lipowitz, speaking to ARD and Eurosport after a team meeting in the bus the day before, echoed a more placid assessment. He said he and Evenepoel had a conversation and that everything was settled. He added that the day had been exceptionally hard and that the team could be pleased with the performance and the overall mood had improved. The International star in the telecast reinforced a constructive stance, noting that both riders possess distinct strengths and that it’s important to capitalize on them. He indicated that the past is the past and that the focus now should be on looking ahead.
Evenepoel himself adopted a conciliatory tone on Friday, stressing that athletes have different strengths and that these should be leveraged for the team’s benefit. He said the past was the past and that the team must focus on what lies ahead as the race continues. The Belgian two-time Olympic champion had initially vented disappointment toward Lipowitz, who finished the previous Tour in third place, accusing him of not contributing enough lead work in the chase on Thursday. Reports from Belgian media quoted Evenepoel as saying he was angry and felt justified in his reaction. He recalled that during the Vuelta a Catalunya he had led for Lipowitz for about 30 kilometers and had requested a one-kilometer lead, which he said was not possible.
The day’s action saw co-captains Evenepoel and Lipowitz ride in an eight-man chase group behind stage winner and current title holder Tadej Pogačar, with Jonas Vingegaard, a former winner, trailing in second. Evenepoel did the majority of the lead work, a point Denk confirmed, and the group eventually closed in on Vingegaard, only to finish short by 19 seconds. Reports suggested Evenepoel was upset that Lipowitz hadn’t helped secure third place and the corresponding bonus seconds, saying he had asked for a lead-out that did not materialize. Evenepoel finished fourth on the stage, with Lipowitz crossing the line in sixth. In the general classification, Evenepoel remains in fourth, three minutes and thirty seconds behind Pogačar, while Lipowitz sits another 30 seconds back in seventh.
The reconciliation may be tested again on Tuesday when the next mountain stage unfolds in the Massif Central, potentially reviving old tensions as the race moves deeper into the terrain. Still, the latest statements from Denk, Lipowitz, and Evenepoel suggest a renewed focus on teamwork and performance, with all sides emphasizing mutual respect and a shared aim to maximize their strengths as they press toward the later stages of the Tour.