The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe arrives at the Tour de France with a strategy that is both ambitious and fascinating. Starting from Barcelona on July 4th, the German team will field two men for the general classification: Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz.

On paper, the designated leader remains the Belgian champion, one of the most complete riders in the world and already a Grand Tour winner. But within the team no one wants to close the door on opportunities for the young German talent who has made an impressive leap in quality over the past twelve months. For this reason, the initial hierarchy could quickly give way to what happens on the French roads. In other words, the race itself will decide.

Team manager Ralph Denk explained this clearly during the team presentation. "I am convinced it will work very well. Remco remains the leader and Florian plays a supporting role".

A definition that, however, doesn't tell the whole story. Because while Evenepoel starts with the captain's stripes, it is equally true that the performance shown by Lipowitz over the past year has made him a concrete alternative for the general classification.

Denk did not hide the fact that Evenepoel's initial advantage is mainly linked to his international status. "Remco has greater media visibility thanks to his successes, his world time trial title and his two Olympic gold medals. But from a physical condition standpoint, the two are on the same level". The key concept comes, however, in the next sentence. "Ultimately, the day will come when one of the two feels better. At that point they will have to decide between themselves in the race".

A modern management of leadership that leaves all scenarios open. The numbers from the last two seasons perfectly explain why Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe decided not to close the door on either of the two.

Last year it was Florian Lipowitz who surprised the cycling world. The German wore the white jersey of best young rider and finished the Tour de France in third place in the general classification, behind only Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar. An extraordinary result that certified his definitive consecration among the great stage racers.

The final gap to Pogacar was approximately eleven minutes, an important deficit but still sufficient to put the vast majority of the world elite behind him.

A year earlier it was Remco Evenepoel who had conquered the white jersey and the third step of the Tour podium. On that occasion the Belgian had finished eleven minutes behind Pogacar and just three minutes behind Vingegaard, proving he could compete at the highest levels even in the most important race in the world.

Two consecutive podiums, two white jerseys and two different paths that today intertwine within the same team.

On one side there is Evenepoel, the established champion, the man hired by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe with a multimillion-dollar investment to bring the team back to the top of world cycling. On the other side is Lipowitz, the rider who grew within the project and progressively became one of the most interesting revelations of the World Tour.

The question that accompanies the eve of the Tour concerns above all the mountains. If the race were to come alive on the great Alpine and Pyrenean climbs and Lipowitz were to prove stronger than his teammate, would the German team be ready to change strategy?

Denk's words seem to leave little doubt: "the team will follow the rider who offers the best guarantees of results".

The growth of the German, moreover, is there for all to see. His season has been practically flawless and just recently he won the Tour of Slovenia, confirming excellent form just weeks before the Grand Boucle. "So far the season has been phenomenal for Florian and for the whole team", Denk emphasized.

Despite Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe's ambitions, the role of main favorite remains firmly in the hands of Tadej Pogacar. The Slovenian will arrive at the Tour after once again dominating the Tour of Switzerland and appears to be the main candidate for final victory. "If everything goes according to plan, it will be incredibly difficult to challenge him", admitted the German team's manager with realism.

And it is precisely for this reason that Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe decided to present itself at the start with two cards to play. Evenepoel and Lipowitz represent two different ways of interpreting stage races, but they share the same objective: to try to break Pogacar's dominance.

Which of the two will have the better legs will only be told by the road. Until then, the German team will continue to believe in the strength of dual leadership.
Because at the Tour de France, often, having two possibilities is better than having just one.