Evenepoel wins Tour de France stage 16 time trial as Lipowitz crashes out
Remco Evenepoel secured a victory in the individual time trial of Stage 16 of the Tour de France, a 26.1km course from Évian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains. His win, however, was accompanied by the withdrawal of his teammate, Florian Lipowitz, who crashed during the stage.
Evenepoel’s performance saw him reach the second time check 56 seconds faster than Mattias Skjelmose and 14 seconds quicker than Tadej Pogacar. This result further solidifies his second position in the overall standings behind Pogacar. The course, which included a second-category climb and a descent, was expected to favor riders competing for the general classification, with Evenepoel being a multiple world champion in time trials.
Lipowitz’s Crash and Team Reaction
Florian Lipowitz, who was performing strongly and was inside the top five at provisional checkpoints, crashed at approximately the 19.8km mark. He slid out on a corner, hitting a barrier and appearing to sustain an injury to his shoulder. He was subsequently escorted from the race on a stretcher.
Evenepoel expressed that Lipowitz’s exit was a “bittersweet pill to swallow.” He learned of his teammate’s crash only after his own victory. Evenepoel highlighted Lipowitz’s dedication and described him as one of the best climbers, whose absence will be felt by the team in the upcoming stages. He wished Lipowitz a healthy and swift recovery.
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe sports director Klaas Lodewyck described the situation as having “mixed emotions,” celebrating Evenepoel’s win while lamenting the loss of Lipowitz. Another team director, Patxi Vila, confirmed that Lipowitz was on his way to the hospital, though it did not appear to be a serious injury. Vila had warned Evenepoel to be cautious on the same corner where Lipowitz fell, a corner that also proved challenging for Pogacar.
The loss of Lipowitz, who was running fifth overall and considered a potential podium finisher, represents a significant setback for the team. Vila noted that the team, which had been pursuing a two-headed general classification challenge, now faces a major change in strategy with one less leader. Pogacar also expressed sadness over Lipowitz’s withdrawal, acknowledging his solid performance throughout the race.
Other Stage Performances
Earlier in the stage, Josh Tarling of Netcompany-Ineos set the quickest time at 34 minutes and 21 seconds. His teammate, Filippo Ganna, finished four seconds behind. Huub Artz was third fastest at that point. Bruno Armirail of Visma Lease-a-Bike recorded a time 19 seconds quicker than Tarling at the top of the Côte de Larringes.
Mattia Cattaneo, riding for Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe, also showed strong form, gaining a nine-second advantage over Armirail near the finish and ultimately securing a 13-second lead. Pablo Castrillo, the Spanish time trial champion, also posted a quicker time than Cattaneo at the second checkpoint. Thymen Arensman experienced a delay at the start gate, which could have impacted his final time.
Pidcock finished 12th on the stage, moving up to eighth overall, less than ten seconds behind Lenny Martinez. Juan Ayuso, who started the day sixth, lost significant time, with his lead over teammate Skjelmose nearly halved. The points for the mountains classification were contested on the Côte de Larringes, with Valentin Paret-Peintre, wearing the polka-dot jersey, focusing on the climb.
The stage was 26.1km long, featuring a climb of 9.7km at 4.3% before a descent towards Lake Geneva.
The next stage will be covered by Niall McVeigh.
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Source: theguardian.com
