Primož Roglič has dismissed any concept that this 12 months’s Tour de France might signify the final likelihood for him to realistically win the race as he takes on Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, and Remco Evenepoel together with his new squad Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.
The 34-year-old is taking over the Tour for the seventh time in his profession and faces off in opposition to three main opponents, every of whom has an impediment to beat. Pogačar is racing his second Grand Tour of the 12 months, for Vingegaard query marks hold over his restoration from the Itzulia Basque Country crash, and for Evenepoel whether or not he can win on his debut.
Roglič, who turns 35 in October, is the oldest of the highest tier of opponents by seven years however stated in a pre-race press convention in Florence that he is not involved about working out of possibilities to win the race.
“It’s true [I’m 34], however I nonetheless really feel younger now,” he stated. “I’m simply blissful – each alternative you possibly can have in your thoughts, to begin with, to have the ability to be on the beginning on Saturday is one thing. I actually do not hassle myself with these questions.
“I modified groups, for instance, to have the chance to go for it. For myself, both I win the Tour or not, after which subsequent 12 months there’s one other one and one other one. There’s a day and night time. The info are there.
“Just to haven’t any regrets, to essentially put the whole lot into issues and attempt to do your greatest – that is undoubtedly one thing I’ve to go along with. If it is the final one or if I’ve 10 extra, it is one thing I’ll do so long as I’ve enjoyable.”
While Pogačar hasn’t raced since profitable the Giro d’Italia in May and Vingegaard hasn’t raced because the Itzulia crash in April, Roglič can begin the Tour with a latest Critérium du Dauphiné victory below his belt, having comprehensively overwhelmed Evenepoel on the week-long race.
He labored effectively with new teammate and super-domestique Aleksandr Vlasov in France, regardless of a last stage scare, whereas any shoulder ache sustained in a mass crash on stage 5 of the race hasn’t lingered, he stated.
“It’s a part of work [to prepare] however in the mean time I really feel good,” he stated of recovering from the ache. “It has labored effectively within the final week, and I do not actually have any ache. I’ll take pleasure in this sense till Saturday.
“The Tour is three weeks lengthy. But it is beginning with one [day]. You need to be there, and also you attempt to win it from day one to 21.
“It will already be a giant combat on stage 1, stage 2, large mountains with the Galibier on stage 4, after which time trials, gravel phases. It’s a loopy first week, no? And even greater issues to observe.”
Vlasov might be again by Roglič’s aspect on the weekend and thru the remainder of the Tour, whereas Jai Hindley, Matteo Sobrero, Nico Denz, Marco Haller, Danny van Poppel, and Bob Jungels may even be readily available to help his yellow jersey bid.
Having spent the previous eight years at Jumbo-Visma, the race marks the primary Tour of Roglič’s profession away from the Dutch squad, whereas a brand new title sponsor in Red Bull marks one other change.
“Hopefully it provides us wings, no?” Roglič joked. “It’s actually nice to be part of this large undertaking. Coming in with a giant sponsor like Red Bull can be a changer for the entire biking world. That’s why groups are stronger and why riders are stronger. It’s pushing the extent of biking to go larger and better for the lot of us.
“But I do not suppose a lot about opponents and all the remaining as a result of with having a brand new staff and all the blokes round me, we have now sufficient work fine-tuning ourselves. These are the issues I’m fascinated with after which attempting to execute later.”
