Another surgery for Primoz Roglic heading into off-season: "I need to fix this shoulder"

Primoz Roglic has had several crashes and injuries over the last few years, which begin to take a toll on his body. In order to prevent further injuries to his shoulder, he will undergo a surgery soon.

In an interview with Val 202 radio, he revealed: “I need to fix this shoulder. It’s no secret that I already have several dislocations. I’m having surgery tomorrow afternoon. I don’t want to think about what that means right now, but it’s no small thing. They cut off a piece of your bone and move it to where the dislocation is happening. Only after six to eight weeks does passive exercise follow.”

The Slovenian has been clear on the procedure he is undergoing. At the Tour de France, after crashing on the fifth stage - which featured several cobbled sectors - Roglic suffered a dislocated shoulder, put back to place on the spot. He's also fractured two vertebrae which led him to abandon the race later on.

“I have reached the point where I have to fix these injuries so that I can be even stronger and start preparing for new challenges in the new season,” he added. Crashes have often taken him out of big goals, such as the 2021 Tour de France, and more recently the Vuelta a Espana where he was in second place when he crashed out of the race in the final week.

The time off the bike will be six to eight weeks. However, the Jumbo-Visma rider has on several occasions returned to competition with very high form, so the extended break should not affect his preparation into 2023. “I have to respect what they tell me. We will certainly do everything to get back on the bike as quickly as possible," he concluded.