Every journey has to begin someplace, even for stars like Primož Roglič. And in simply two phrases on the ultimate end line of the Volta ao Algarve – “Yes, undoubtedly” – the ever-laconic Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe star confirmed he was racing on the stage he had anticipated for this level within the yr, and brushed away any form of concern, on his half at the least, that his lowkey efficiency in his first race of the 2025 season had been anyplace under his expectations.
It was true that Roglič had come into the Algarve aiming to do his finest on GC: But because the Slovenian veteran had already warned final winter he wouldn’t be trying to placed on a fantastic efficiency.
So whereas it is also true that on many events Roglič has claimed to be in horrible type pre-race, solely to promptly pulverize the opposition when he really began racing, on this event, he saved to his low season phrase, and ended up a decent, however not significantly earthshattering, eighth total, 53 seconds down on former teammate Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Eleventh within the ultimate time trial up the Malhao, Roglič instructed reporters afterwards in a usually succinct interview that whereas he had made a superb effort – “onerous however good” was how he outlined his efficiency on Sunday – total he was comfortable together with his first race of 2025. Or as he put it, “I loved it loads and it was good.”
The essential level, although, was when requested if he was the place he needed to be for this time of yr, Roglič confirmed that by saying “Yes, undoubtedly.”
“Obviously, I did not actually peak or be at my finest right here in Algarve,” he added. “I actually selected it, simply [to be] for the beginning of the season and there is nonetheless a variety of work to do. But I’m entering into the suitable route.”
Roglič’s subsequent competitors would be the Volta a Catalunya, a race the Slovenian received narrowly again in 2023 in a dramatic duel towards Remco Evenepoel. And identical to in 2023, there are solely six weeks between the top of Catalunya and the beginning of the Giro d’Italia.
The seven-day race by means of the Pyrenees will probably be a way more practical check of Roglič’s possibilities of a repeat success within the Italian Grand Tour, too. Only this time, somewhat than Evenepoel, it is Vingegaard who will possible be Roglič’s essential challenger in Catalunya.
