Roglic perseveres through the agony, previous nobility and a precious gemstone.
Following a tough departure at the Tour de France, it's time for a new test: Primoz Roglic, the leader of Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, is aiming for a record at "his" Vuelta. However, other strong squads are also joining the race for the challenge.
Roglic seems to be in his element again. "I love it here, it's great," he said before the commencement of the Vuelta a Espana in Lisbon. Primarily, he was referring to the charming old town of Lisbon, but maybe also his fondness for this race. The three-week trek through Spain's mountains, which Roglic has claimed victory in three times before.
More than a month since the spectacular exit at the Tour de France, where Roglic, the captain of Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, had multiple crashes, and ultimately his mission to wear the yellow jersey failed, he's set to fight for the overall victory again. Despite his ongoing struggles with the aftermath of his broken vertebra, at 34 years old.
"I still feel it, especially in my back," Roglic confessed. "It gets a little better every week, but these things take time." So, Roglic isn't setting a firm goal for the Vuelta. He's just looking forward to being a part of it - "we have to be realistic."
Competing aggressively for the overall champion's title
However, Red Bull's intentions for the race are clearly "ambitious," as sports director Rolf Aldag indicated: "We have chosen eight riders with whom we won't back down, but instead, we'll compete aggressively for the overall champion's title." With his fourth victory, Roglic could tie the Spanish record held by Roberto Heras.
Despite Roglic's belief that "it gets better every day," there's still uncertainty surrounding his form, a concern that Aldag shares. Nevertheless, Red Bull is fielding a powerful team for the 79th Vuelta. Alongside Roglic, Alexander Wlassow, who was forced to withdraw from the Tour de France after a severe crash, and Giro second-place finisher Daniel Felipe Martinez, two Germans are also participating: Nico Denz and former biathlete Florian Lipowitz.
The Vuelta begins in Lisbon on Saturday with an individual time trial. The major players will be absent, with Giro and Tour winner Tadej Pogacar, Tour runner-up Jonas Vingegaard, and double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel all opting out of the race. Roglic is expected to face his biggest threat from a second-tier rider.
Potential face-off with a former ally?
The UAE team is particularly notable for its depth. With Marc Soler, Joao Almeida, Adam Yates, and top prospect Isaac del Toro, the team still holds promise, even without Pogacar. Visma-Lease a bike, which had all three podium finishers last year, is sending both overall winner Wout van Aert and last year's champion Sepp Kuss as team captains into the race.
Could this turn out to be a showdown between Roglic and his former helper? It's a possibility, and for the Slovenian, it would be an "exciting challenge," as he highlighted: "Even though it feels a bit strange after so many years of riding together." Either way, the total of 3304.6 kilometers from Lisbon to Madrid will be a testing workout. No less than nine of the 21 stages conclude with a final climb. The high point is the 20th stage, featuring two third-category climbs, two second-category climbs, and three first-category climbs, before the Vuelta concludes with an individual time trial.
Roglic's ambition extends beyond enjoying the charm of Lisbon; he aims to claim the Vuelta a Espana title for the fourth time, tying the Spanish record held by Roberto Heras. Red Bull's sports director, Rolf Aldag, declares a competitive approach, aiming to compete aggressively for the overall champion's title with their selected riders.
The intense competition continues with potential face-offs, like a possible challenge between Roglic and his former ally from the UAE team, adding an exciting element to the race.
