That primal roar at the top of Monte Lussari, once he knew he’d leapfrogged Geraint Thomas in the GC, is something we all remember. Primož Roglič may come across as laid-back, almost as if he treats cycling like a game, unfazed by pressure. But his triumph at the 2023 Giro d’Italia revealed just how much the Slovenian superstar craved the Maglia Rosa and the iconic Trofeo Senza Fine.
Two years on, he’s back and hungry for more, in the race that, arguably more than any other, has launched him into the limelight. Back in 2016, he stunned everyone by winning the Chianti time trial, although to most, he was still just the ex-ski jumper with an engine. At nearly 27, few could’ve predicted that this was the start of a pro career that would rack up 89 wins (and counting), including four Vuelta a España titles, a Liège-Bastogne-Liège, multiple GC wins at Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour of the Basque Country, the Tour de Romandie, and Paris-Nice, not to mention Olympic gold in the time trial. The 2023 Giro was the cherry on top of an already remarkable palmarès – but it was also the confirmation Roglic needed, especially after years of heartbreak at the Tour de France, most famously the gut-wrenching loss on La Planche des Belles Filles to a rising star named Tadej Pogačar.
Roglič turns 36 in October, but while many of his contemporaries are mapping out post-racing careers, he’s still going full gas, adding new wins and showing no signs of slowing down. In some ways, his late start in the sport may have been a blessing: he didn’t burn out in his twenties, and now with age and experience, he know know show to handle himself and race smarter.
The signs from the recent Volta a Catalunya are promising, to say the least. He went toe-to-toe with the in-form Juan Ayuso and didn’t flinch – capping it off with a commanding victory in Barcelona and showing solid form across all terrain. If that duel carries into May, it’ll be one to watch. And let’s not forget: Roglič has ridden 15 Grand Tours, Ayuso just three. Over three weeks, mental strength and race management are everything – and from that standpoint, the Slovenian is a seasoned master.
What’s more, the Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe team is stacking its deck for him. Jai Hindley – Giro winner in 2022 – and Dani Martínez, runner-up to the extraterrestrial Pogačar last year, will be riding in support. Either one could lead most other teams, but here, they’re ready to back the Slovenian superstar. Add to that his compatriot and loyal lieutenant Jan Tratnik, plus Italian domestiques Giovanni Aleotti and Matteo Sobrero – both solid on the flats and in the high mountains – and you’ve got a squad built to control the race. One thing for sure: Roglič still has a bit of space on the shelf for another Trofeo Senza Fine.
