Remco Evenepoel snaps at journalists in tense Tour de France press conference

Someone is thin-skinned. The press conference of the German team Red Bull-Bora hansgrohe ahead of the Tour de France was intense. Before the start of the 113th edition of the Tour, the dual leadership of Florian Lipowitz (25) and Remco Evenepoel (25) faced journalists in Barcelona. The Tour begins there on Saturday with a team time trial over 19.6 kilometers.

The Red Bull Plan

The German and the Belgian enter the race as equals. Both aim to make it onto the podium and make life as difficult as possible for the top favorites Tadej Pogačar (27) and Jonas Vingegaard (29). The Slovenian Pogačar has already won the Grande Boucle four times and is the defending champion, while the Dane Vingegaard has been successful twice. Red Bull wants to challenge both—but Evenepoel, in particular, appears already overly nervous. He is expected to work well with Lipowitz.

Remco Evenepoel at the team presentation in Barcelona on Thursday. Photo: Stephanie Lecocq/REUTERS

Evenepoel on Edge

Even the simplest questions threw the double Olympic champion off balance. He seemed insecure and snappish, apparently feeling attacked. Is he already struggling with the team's dual-leader tactic? Or is he putting too much pressure on himself after having to abandon the race on stage 14 a year ago—due to exhaustion?

A simple question about the order of Red Bull riders in the team time trial made him frown. "For that, we would just have to look at the photos from the course inspection," he replied curtly.

High Goals for the Start

The German team has set high ambitions. They are already eyeing the stage win. Evenepoel on the plans for the coming three weeks until July 26:

• "Win a stage"
• "Win the time trial"
• "On the first day, take the Yellow Jersey with the team"

It is not out of the question that he will cross the finish line first and be allowed to put on the coveted jersey. To do that, he must go into attack mode with the seven other pros, as he hinted at on stage on Thursday.

The terrain of Florian Lipowitz is the mountains. Photo: WITTERS

Tensions Surface

"I know what you're getting at," he snapped at a questioner. "You want to hear that I want to be on the podium, and you also want to hear that Florian says the same thing. And of course that's the case. We both want to repeat what we have already achieved."

Evenepoel was third in 2024, Lipowitz a year later. "Whether it's him or me, we will do it the right way, without all this negative energy," said the Belgian. But due to the way he answered, only he was negative.

A More Positive Outlook

He could have been positive. He is in good form, gets along well with Lipowitz, and both appreciate and respect each other.

"At the Volta a Catalunya, you could see that we get along well and support each other. That's the most important thing at the Tour. There is a super relaxed atmosphere. Everyone knows their place in the team. I have great respect for him and his achievements," Lipowitz told BILD.

Evenepoel thankfully sees it the same way: "We showed in Catalonia that we can work well together. I don't have much more to say about that."

Unique! Remco Evenepoel won double gold at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Photo: picture alliance/ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Final Flashpoint

What really got him riled up was the question from a German journalist who wanted to know what one could learn from the other. Evenepoel snapped: "We don't need to learn anything from each other. I'm not asking you either."