In any case, I don't like the way things are going after Roglic's retirement from the Giro and Lipowitz's rise in level. Last year, I saw a certain German sector promoting Lipo more than necessary and a certain sector of Roglic's fans criticizing him too much during the Vuelta. Now, even more so, I'm clear that Lipo will be used as a weapon to question Roglic's hierarchy at Red Bull, especially by the German cycling sector. At the same time, I notice that a certain pro-Roglic sector will overreact, maybe thinking he could be the new Vingegaard for Primoz, and they're starting to underestimate his qualities. I believe that few people have followed Roglic's career more than I have and are bigger fans of the Slovenian than I am, in fact. I also believe that with his ceiling he still can be the third-best climber and GC rider if he's at his peak, regardless of opinions about how finished he is, as is said every year.
That doesn't stop me from being a fan of Lipo too after immediately seeing his potential in Romandy last year (well, actually I was already expecting things from him even before). He's not a young Jonas but he's not an ordinary talent with too much hype behind him either, the way things have been going last months, made him for me an obvious candidate for the podium at the Dauphiné and maybe for even the top 5 at the Tour, I see him clearly inferior to Pogi, Jonas, Roglic and Remco and also to Almeida, but I don't consider anyone else clearly superior to him in the physical department for this Tour, another thing would be in the Vuelta where due to his "heavy" physique I see him below riders like Enric Mas and others more adapted to the race.
So, this doesn't have to be an internal war. If everything goes well, Roglic should be the number one candidate without a doubt, but Lipo should stay in the standings and help Primoz if it´s necessary.
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