Tour de France: Primoz Roglic says 'best will win' in battle with Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel

Published 19/02/2024 at 21:31 GMT

Speaking to Eurosport, Primoz Roglic says "the best one will win" when himself, Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel go head-to-head at the Tour de France later this year. Roglic, who left Team Jumbo–Visma in 2023 after seven years to join Bora–Hansgrohe, hopes all his closest rivals will be present at the revered race, which takes place just before the Paris Olympics.

'The best one will win' - Roglic predicts 'beautiful' battle for Tour de France crown

Primoz Roglic says the "best will win" in what he expects to be a "beautiful" GC battle at the Tour de France between himself, Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel.

Visma–Lease a Bike rider Vingegaard will defend his crown as he seeks to claim his third successive Tour win, while Roglic will bid to finally secure an overall title at the famous race.

Roglic, 34, has won three individual stages at the Tour and hopes all his closest rivals will be present at the race later this year.

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Speaking to Eurosport's Jens Voigt, Roglic said: “It’s beautiful. I’m just super happy and hopefully, we can all go to the Tour and that’s something that is the best for cycling, the best for the people to watch.

“For us, to have the highest level, the best one will win.”

Roglic left Team Jumbo–Visma in 2023 after seven years to join Bora–Hansgrohe and said he was “excited” for a new challenge.

“A bunch of new people, everything is completely new around me. New goals, new challenges,” the Slovenian added.

“For me, coming to this team is just because yes, we immediately had a common way or path to work for, and we [will] try to become the best team.”

Roglic was a record-breaker at Jumbo–Visma, where he became the first Slovenian to win a stage at the Tour de France, and the first to win a Grand Tour when he triumphed at the Vuelta a Espana in 2019.

He went on to win the Vuelta a Espana twice more in 2020 and 2021, as well as the Giro d'Italia in 2023, but after a glittering seven years riding for Jumbo–Visma, made the decision to depart.

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“The part that was in my mind for quite some time, at least one year,” Roglic said.

“In the end, everything led [to leaving] and yes, it was quite simple to say from the team and myself ‘That’s it’. We achieved incredible things together, we are all super happy and proud about it, but yes, it’s time for a new challenge.

“I’m 34 not 24, it keeps you moving and it keeps you happy, that’s the most important thing. For me, I welcome this step and to go this way and the end result will tell us how good it was.”

Roglic will take on a leadership role at Bora–Hansgrohe but insists he will put the team first.

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“Having stronger riders, the whole team is lifting up,” he said. “I’m not here to just go and look for myself and to do the best things, but I’m here because I want to lead the team.

“I want something more from everyone around. Hopefully [the riders] will learn something out of me and we all become stronger.”

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