<\/p>\n
That \u201cboarding school\u201d was no ordinary institution, it was
\nthe elite Stams Ski High School in Tirol, the same academy that has produced
\nmore Olympic and world champions than anywhere else in winter sport. The
\nLipowitz brothers thrived. Florian routinely placed in the top ten nationally,
\nand Philipp would go on to become junior world champion in 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to be pro and go to World Cups, and that was the
\nplace to be,\u201d said Florian. \u201cMost people thought I would have a biathlon
\ncareer.\u201d<\/p>\n
But a string of injuries began to derail that path, first a
\nknee issue, then a torn ACL sustained during a kite surfing holiday. The dreams
\nof snow began to fade. He shifted to cycling.<\/p>\n
His first races came in early 2020 at the one day Trofej
\nUmag and Pore\u010d classics in Croatia. \u201cIt was super dangerous with a lot of
\ncrashes, and I fell twice at Umag. It was horrible,\u201d he recalled. \u201cAnd then a
\nweek later Covid started and I didn\u2019t have any races. I really didn\u2019t know if I
\nhad made the right decision, and I was thinking that I shouldn\u2019t have changed
\nfrom biathlon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everything changed in 2021. At just 20 years old, Lipowitz
\nfinished as the third-best young rider at the Tour of the Alps, his tenth bike
\nrace. \u201cIt was my first really good result and the first time I really enjoyed
\nracing, because U23 races were just super stressful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now 24, he rides for Red Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe and is building
\nsteadily toward general classification leadership. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t say I\u2019m a pure
\nclimber because I\u2019m just a bit too heavy,\u201d he said, citing his 68kg weight.
\n\u201cBut I’m good at everything, can do quite good TTs, have good numbers on the
\nflat, and can do steep climbs, even though my preference is 5\u20137% climbs.\u201d<\/p>\n
His ambitions are clear. \u201cMy goal is definitely to be a GC
\nrider, racing for the podium in one-week stage races, and then the next step
\nwill be to be a co-leader in Grand Tours.\u201d<\/p>\n
His experience supporting Primoz Roglic at the Vuelta a
\nEspa\u00f1a was transformative. \u201cI\u2019ve never before spent so
\nmuch time on a bike!\u201d he laughed. \u201cPhysically I wasn\u2019t on the limit so much,
\nbut mentally it was exhausting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reserved and media-shy, Lipowitz is still adjusting to the
\nincreasing attention. \u201cI\u2019m a guy who doesn\u2019t really like to be in the
\nspotlight, and the team is doing a good job of handling the media,\u201d he said. \u201cI
\ndon\u2019t know how successful I will be in the future, but I accept there will be
\nmore attention on me. I\u2019m learning to deal with that.\u201d<\/p>\n
That recognition is already beginning. \u201cThere are definitely
\nmore people in the peloton who know me now and there are eyes on me in the race
\nand even before races,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen you enter the WorldTour without any
\nresults you have some doubts if you belong there, and people ask the same
\nquestion, but now I\u2019ve proven myself and to others that I can ride there.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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