Florian Lipowitz wins Red Bull‑dominated Vršič stage, takes lead in Tour of Slovenia

German rider Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull‑BORA‑Hansgrohe claimed victory on the "royal" fourth stage of the Tour of Slovenia, a 184.7 km route from Kranj to Kranjska Gora that featured the decisive 12.6 km climb to Vršič (average 7.7 % gradient). His teammate Giulio Pellizzari finished second, while Slovenian Jakob Omrzel took third place. The win puts Lipowitz ahead in the overall classification, four seconds clear of Pellizzari and 1 minute 32 seconds ahead of Omrzel.

The stage also saw strong performances from other riders, including Croatia’s Nicolas Gojković (58th), Fran Miholjević (69th) and Leon Lukić (73rd). The Red Bull squad dominated the race, reinforcing its position ahead of the upcoming final stage from Litija to Novo Mesto, which will include another climb to Trška Gora.

Lipowitz’s victory was highlighted as a key test of form before the upcoming Tour de France, with the rider stating his confidence after the climb. Omrzel added, "Ni še vsega konec, juri so moje ceste," emphasizing his determination for the remaining stages.