The 24-year-old was one of only three riders who beat Tobias Halland Johannessen (UnoX Mobility) on Thursday’s grueling mountain stage to Hautacam in the Pyrenees. The German debutant was only beaten by Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard. But it wasn’t a given that he would end up in cycling. Just a few years ago, he was one of Germany’s biggest biathlon talents.

Florian Lipowitz is a name to remember. The climbing-strong Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe rider has made a big impression. He dropped his captain, Primož Roglič, en route to Hautacam and is now targeting a top-3 spot in the overall standings.

Still, he was supposed to be a biathlete. According to Langrenn.com, together with his older brother Philipp, Florian started at the renowned ski high school in Stams, Austria. He had been doing biathlon since he was 7 years old. It was his brother who got him into skiing and shooting.

“We had a biathlon facility near where we lived, so it was natural to start with that. But in southwestern Germany, where we lived, there was little snow, so we started at the school in Stams,” Florian Lipowitz previously said in an interview.

The brothers were extraordinary talents. Older brother Philipp became junior world champion, and Florian was always near the top.

“Our goal was the World Cup, and most people probably thought I’d have a career as a biathlete,” he says.

Contract with BORA–Hansgrohe

The young man also had a great talent for cycling, and in 2022, he got a trial contract with Bora–Hansgrohe. And from there, things only moved forward.

He first rode for the Austrian continental team Tirol KTM Cycling Team, but the results came with Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe. His first professional victory came in 2023 in the Czech Republic.

And Florian Lipowitz had his breakthrough on the big stage last year. He claimed his first WorldTour podium at the Tour de Romandie and finished fifth on two stages of the Giro d’Italia before having to withdraw.

He followed that up with a silver medal at the German national championships behind Marco Brenner. At the Vuelta a España, he worked as a domestique for team captain Primož Roglič. Despite that, he finished 7th overall and 2nd in the youth classification.

Tour de France debutant

This year, the 24-year-old is making his debut in the world’s most prestigious cycling race, the Tour de France. That comes after finishing 2nd in Paris–Nice and 4th in the Tour of the Basque Country.

And at the Critérium du Dauphiné in June – the traditional warm-up race for the Tour – he was only beaten by Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard.

In cycling circles, rumors have been circulating that Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe is looking to hire a new team leader after Primož Roglič. Names like Remco Evenepoel and João Almeida have been mentioned. But perhaps the solution lies within their own ranks.

Now, the former biathlete is chasing an overall podium. Lipowitz rode for a long time alongside Tobias Halland Johannessen on Thursday’s mountain stage, but the German attacked in the finale and finished just 13 seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard at the finish line.

Also Read: What makes Pogačar unstoppable? The key figures behind a Tour legend

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