Teams & Riders The Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe team thread

[Cycling111]

The difference is that those who are winning the Tour with poor preparation finished second; Roglic hasn't even been able to fight for the podium.

Furthermore, I think it's time to stop making excuses and dismissing Roglic's supposed moral victories in the Tour. He wouldn't have won the Tour in 2021 against a better Pogacar, who beat him in 2020 without a team and as a Tour novice, so he's even less likely to win it in 2026. And above all, in 2025 he hasn't shown the level to finish third, and in 2026 the podium contenders will surely take a step forward. That's the reality.

I'm a realist. Roglic isn't going to win a Tour de France. Lipowitz probably won't either, but he's someone who's improving, and at this point, they're not going to defer to a 36-year rider, while Lipowitz has taken a step forward and finished third.

But everyone is free to have their own opinion. For me, it's self-deception to think that Roglic can aspire to anything significant in the overall Tour de France classification in 2026. Anyone who wants to believe he can win the Tour or that his level in 2025 would have been far superior to Lipowitz's with different preparation is free to do so. I try to be realistic.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

The difference is that those who are winning the Tour with poor preparation finished second; Roglic hasn't even been able to fight for the podium.

Furthermore, I think it's time to stop making excuses and dismissing Roglic's supposed moral victories in the Tour. He wouldn't have won the Tour in 2021 against a better Pogacar, who beat him in 2020 without a team and as a Tour novice, so he's even less likely to win it in 2026. And above all, in 2025 he hasn't shown the level to finish third, and in 2026 the podium contenders will surely take a step forward. That's the reality.

I'm a realist. Roglic isn't going to win a Tour de France. Lipowitz probably won't either, but he's someone who's improving, and at this point, they're not going to defer to a 36-year rider, while Lipowitz has taken a step forward and finished third.

But everyone is free to have their own opinion. For me, it's self-deception to think that Roglic can aspire to anything significant in the overall Tour de France classification in 2026. Anyone who wants to believe he can win the Tour or that his level in 2025 would have been far superior to Lipowitz's with different preparation is free to do so. I try to be realistic.

Roglic has already been outclassed by Lipowitz in this Tour. We have to accept that his best days are behind him. I don't think Bora will use Lipowitz as a domestique, and he'll go to the Tour with a higher hierarchy.

Regarding Remco. A signing like Remco's is to go as the leader to the Tour, not the Giro. Furthermore, if it's true that he's earning the same as Pogacar (8 million) it's to go to the most important race for the sponsors.

There’s a lot of ground between “Roglic is a favorite for the Tour” and “Lipowitz outclassed Lipowitz in this Tour” (and the implication that he proved he is a better GC rider). Lipowitz didn’t prove anything relative to Roglic at all this year. Also, Roglic cannot compete with Pogacar barring some sort of disaster befalling Pogacar.

 

[aphronesis]

There’s a lot of ground between “Roglic is a favorite for the Tour” and “Lipowitz outclassed Lipowitz in this Tour” (and the implication that he proved he is a better GC rider). Lipowitz didn’t prove anything relative to Roglic at all this year. Also, Roglic cannot compete with Pogacar barring some sort of disaster befalling Pogacar.

This is the basic point, or barring surprise.