Evenepoel and Lipowitz Are Equal? Ralph Denk's Wild Plan Has The Tour de France on Notice

Holy smokes, cycling fans! Get ready, because the Red Bull-Bora,Hansgrohe squad just dropped a bombshell that’s gonna make July’s Tour de France absolutely wild. Team boss Ralph Denk has officially named both German superstar Florian Lipowitz AND Belgian Olympic champ Remco Evenepoel as joint team leaders. Joint leaders! Can you even imagine the drama? We're talking about two top dogs, going for glory, and the boss man says there’s “no potential for conflict.” Yeah, right. Our kind of competitive spirit here in the Emerald City knows that kind of fire usually leads to fireworks!

Denk Says It'll "Work Very Well," But We See The Catch

So, Ralph Denk, the big boss at Red Bull-Bora,Hansgrohe, is out here telling everyone he’s "convinced that this will work very well." He’s spinning it, saying Evenepoel, as the reigning time trial world champion and double Olympic champion from Paris 2024, is still the "front man," with Lipowitz as a "bit of the wingman." Sounds smooth, right? But here’s the kicker, and this is where it gets spicy: Denk admitted it's mostly about Evenepoel being more in the media spotlight. When it comes to the actual race, both riders are totally equal. And he didn't stop there, folks. He straight up said, "In the end, the day will come when one or the other feels better. Then the two of them have to sort it out between themselves on the road." On the road! That’s not a plan, that’s a challenge! This is the kind of situation that can make or break a season, and we'll be watching every pedal stroke.

Trade on Every Game with Kalshi

Click Here to sign up to Kalshi — Free $10 when you sign up using our link or use code: ONTAPSEA. The only federally regulated prediction market in the US. Trade on real sports outcomes. Available in all 50 states.

Lipowitz Is On Fire, But The Slovenian Beast Awaits

Let's not forget what Lipowitz has been doing out there. Denk called his season, and the team's, "phenomenal" so far. And for good reason! Just this past weekend, the German rider absolutely crushed it, winning the Tour of Slovenia. That's a huge momentum builder heading into the biggest race of the year. Meanwhile, Evenepoel, who they signed in the close-season for a multi-million sum, is the high-profile name, but the big question is how much he'll actually help in the mountains if Lipowitz ends up being stronger, especially after Lipowitz finished third last year. Then there’s the elephant in the room: four-times champion Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia. This dude, who rides for UAE Team Emirates XRG, is the massive favorite to win it all. Denk himself said, "If everything goes normally from his point of view, it will be damn hard to challenge him at all." So, our Red Bull boys have their work cut out for them, big time.

Brace Yourselves For Barcelona: The Tour Is Coming

The Tour de France kicks off on July 4 in Barcelona, and believe me, you’re not going to want to miss a single stage. With this joint leadership, the Red Bull-Bora,Hansgrohe team is setting themselves up for either an epic triumph or some serious internal fireworks. Can Evenepoel and Lipowitz truly sort it out "on the road" when the pressure is at its absolute peak, and a beast like Pogačar is breathing down their necks? This isn't just a bike race, it's a test of wills, a battle of egos, and a potential turning point for two incredible athletes. Grab your snacks, because it's going to be a wild ride!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.