Florian Lipowitz has reflected on the mental and emotional strain of his breakthrough Tour de France, revealing how the pressure of unexpectedly riding for the podium began to weigh on him as the race unfolded.The 25-year-old German, who became the first rider from his country since Jan Ullrich to win the Best Young Rider classification, was one of the sensations of the 2025 edition — but behind the composed exterior, the debutant admits he was feeling the heat.
“In Paris, it was a huge relief”“I tried not to show it, but getting to Paris was definitely a big weight off my shoulders,” Lipowitz told ramp Table Talk, as quoted by Eurosport. “Before the Tour started, I hadn’t set any big goals — I just wanted to make it through three weeks and reach Paris. It was only in the second week that it started to become clear I could fight for a top-five result, maybe even the podium — and of course that adds a bit of pressure.”
The German’s calm and methodical racing impressed both fans and rivals alike, but Lipowitz revealed that his secret lies in simplicity rather than data-driven precision. “I don’t look at the power meter and I don’t wear a heart-rate monitor either,” he said. “If I saw that my pulse was 15 beats higher than in training, I’d think about it for the entire race. So I block all that out and just ride by feel — that’s the best way for me.”
Riding by instinct, not by numbers
Lipowitz’s approach is refreshingly old-school in a peloton increasingly defined by live telemetry and calculated pacing. “You know you’ve trained well and the numbers look good,” he explained. “But for me, the right feeling only comes when there are five guys left in the front group and I’m still there. That’s when I know everything’s in place.”
After a gruelling second season in the WorldTour, the Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe rider has now allowed himself a rare pause. “The off-season is the best time of the year,” he said. “I even put the bike aside for four or five weeks. It’s the only time you can go out in the evening and just live a normal life.”
As one of Germany’s brightest new stage-race hopes, Lipowitz’s rise has been rapid — and his candid reflections offer a glimpse of a rider learning fast how to balance ambition with composure.