With simply over per week to go earlier than the 2024 Vuelta a España begins in Lisbon, the query marks surrounding three-times former winner Primoz Roglič’s doable participation present no signal of disappearing.
The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe chief fractured a vertebrae in his decrease again after a foul crash on stage 12 within the Tour de France, which subsequently pressured him to desert early on within the second week when he was mendacity sixth general.
Although down on the provisional startlist for this Saturday’s very hilly Clásica San Sebastián, and regardless of an Instagram publish exhibiting him coaching in an undisclosed location within the mountains, his participation within the Basque Country’s solely WorldTour one-day race was by no means assured, and on Friday the 34-year-old didn’t seem on the group’s definitive record.
“Primoz isn’t in fine condition but,” sports activities director Patxi Vila instructed El Diario Vasco on Wednesday earlier than his non-start in San Sebastian was confirmed. “He’s nonetheless received pains in his again after falling within the Tour.
“He can practice, however not at excessive depth, and in that situation, I don’t know what level there could be in bringing him [to San Sebastián].”
After it emerged Roglič wouldn’t do the Clásica, the even larger query relating to his participation within the Vuelta a España stays unresolved. Spanish sports activities each day AS insisted on Friday morning that the Vuelta race organisers have been nonetheless optimistic he could be collaborating, stating that he was included within the preliminary start-list. That was additionally true for San Sebastián, although, and in keeping with AS a definitive resolution on whether or not Roglič races the Vuelta for a sixth time will solely be taken early subsequent week.
As the one member of the ‘Big Four’ of Grand Tour racing nonetheless with an opportunity of collaborating, Roglič’s presence would characterize a significant increase for the Vuelta a España’s startlist. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), each former podium finishers within the Vuelta, made it clear within the Tour de France that they’d not be racing, and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep), who received the race outright in 2022, has by no means had a second Grand Tour on his 2024 program.
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Greatly appreciated by Spanish followers for his observe document of their dwelling Grand Tour, Roglič is way and away probably the most profitable Vuelta a España racer within the present peloton.
Roglič has triumphed within the Vuelta thrice from 2019 via to 2021 in addition to taking third general and two levels victories final 12 months, together with one on the notoriously powerful Angliru. Only Chris Froome (Israel-Premier Tech) who has two general victories and two runners-up spots comes wherever near Roglič’s Vuelta achievements within the modern peloton, nevertheless it has already been confirmed that the Briton won’t trip the race this 12 months.
If Roglič have been to trip and win the Vuelta, it might see the Slovenian equal the document held by retired rider Roberto Heras, who received his dwelling Grand Tour in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Cyclingnews has contacted Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe for remark.
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