Florian Lipowitz’s Tour de France came to a painful end on a day when he had been riding well in the 26-kilometer individual time trial from Evian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains. The German rider crashed heavily in a right-hand corner and was taken away by ambulance after the incident.
The crash changed the stage instantly. Lipowitz had been performing strongly before going down, but he was unable to continue after the fall. With the final three Alpine stages scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the timing was especially harsh for a rider still in the hunt for a strong finish.
How the stage unfolded
Remco Evenepoel won the stage, while Tadej Pogacar stayed in yellow. The Belgian’s victory carried added significance because it came on Belgian National Day, ending a long wait for a Belgian win on that date. It was the first Belgian victory on Belgian National Day in 41 years, dating back to 1985.
Evenepoel called the result a bittersweet one after hearing about Lipowitz’s crash, and Pogacar also said he hoped Lipowitz was okay. Pogacar explained that cars from the organization were in front of him and made the corner harder to read, adding that he had also nearly crashed there himself.
What it means for the race
Lipowitz’s abandonment matters because he was one of the riders Red Bull was hoping could remain in the mix for a podium place in Paris on Sunday. Instead, the crash removed him from the race during a key individual test, just as the Tour was moving into its decisive Alpine stretch.
The race had already seen tension on Sunday, when Jonas Vingegaard crashed. Lipowitz’s exit added another setback on a day that reshaped the overall picture and left the remaining contenders to fight through the final mountain stages without him.
