13. Etappe: "Die Stimmung ist etwas betrübt - aber kein Vorwurf an Maxim van Gils"

Breakaway riders beware! On the long road to Belfort, many riders had high hopes. Dominant Tadej Pogačar allowed them to get away, and so, at the end of stage 14, Swiss rider Mauro Schmid took the victory. Also in the fight for the win was Maxim van Gils from Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. He ultimately finished fourth. "The mood is a bit subdued – but no blame on Maxim van Gils," says Ralph Denk, team manager of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. Meanwhile, a prominent name, Tom Pidcock, attacked the podium in the general classification. He moved up from eleventh to fourth place. "I never got nervous," Denk comments. The Briton has already lost too much ground in the overall standings, albeit "involuntarily." Behind the scenes, the focus is on the Raubling-based team's youth development. The U19 and U23 teams have been a high priority, especially since Red Bull's involvement. Denk explains the philosophy behind this and how the team hopes to produce the next Tour de France winner. The fourteenth day of the Tour will be a real challenge for the riders. The mountain finish at Le Markstein Fellering follows four grueling climbs. A challenge for Team Reb Bull-BORA-hansgrohe? "It will be a tough battle among the best riders. We want Remco and Florian to be there," says Denk. Imago/Foto News