🇫🇷 #TDF2024 🎙️ Debrief from Sports Director Rolf Aldag:
Bora DS confident there's still more in Primoz Roglic: "When you see his eyes shining when we talk about the race, I really don't think he is finished"
CyclingSaturday, 20 July 2024 at 11:30
Red Bull did not have the grand entrance to the world of professional cycling they had hoped for at the Tour de France. However sports director Rolf Aldag remains confident that the team will bounce back from this mishap and come back even stronger. But for now, the mood in the German team is still a bit gloomy, as not even a stage success seems to be within their powers in what's left of this year's edition.
The German team placed their bid on three-time Vuelta a Espana (2019, 2020, 2021) and Giro d'Italia (2023) winner Primoz Roglic, however it was all in vain when the Slovenian, who seemed to have a good shot at the podium in Nice, crashed twice in stages 11 and 12 and subsequently abandoned the race.
"Losing Aleks and then Primoz was very hard for us," Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe DS Aldag told Cyclism'Actu after stage 19. "It was very frustrating, you think all the work you've done, the training, staying for weeks on top of mountains... why? To come home injured and without having achieved our goals. It was hard for everyone. For the riders it's even harder, because they were ready to give everything for their leader, but we had to refocus on the stages to come."
"Since then we have been part of all the breakaways, it has not worked, but we continue to try. It also allows Primoz to see that he is part of a team that never gives up," he continues. "I don't think Primoz is too old. The most important thing is the energy you have left. He is not someone who started cycling at 10 years old. When you see his eyes shining when we talk about the race, I really don't think he is finished. He is very motivated and we can still count on him."
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- Oh Lordspock12319-12-2024
- Interesting suggestion, fo you think testing Tadej’s (or Bolts’ or so many others’) parents would have given us a preview of his potential then or what criteria do you have to pick parents with?Mistermaumau19-12-2024
- Even amateur teams suffer this sort. But this is also largely due to the precarious sponsorship, in very few sports do you find kit with so many sponsors having to be integrated and changing so regularly.Mistermaumau19-12-2024
- I think it’s pretty obvious what was responsible for destroying interest that used to be there.Mistermaumau19-12-2024
- This has been stated repeatedly, MVDP for CX, road and if it already counts, gravel. Lavreysen for track. I expect as a cycling fan you’ve heard of them?Mistermaumau19-12-2024
- The same thing was said when Tadej announced that he would ride the Giro: "he goes to Il Giro because he knows he can't win the Tour". Always negative speculations. Maybe Primoz, near to the final of his career, simply wants to try this experience.
maria2024202419-12-2024 - If Valentino Rossi could never win during his period of dominance, and massive personality, then Pogacar not winning isn't a massive surprise. Cycling isn't a Premier League global sport......only one event reaches the mainstream every year - and that's not good enough.wipperman9519-12-2024
- I don't think it's only a British thing; the biggest talents aren't usually drawn to CX. Where are all the top Italian, French, Spanish, Slovenian CX riders? Apart from Belgium, and Netherlands, it's not really a target for up and coming cyclists - as there's no career unless you move to Belgium. Other countries can't support a proper professional series, like an international sport should be able to do. Lets not forget, since 2016, British riders have won plenty of World championships; with Pidcock, Richards, Tulett & Backstedt all winning more than one..... And, there was a time when Belgium didn't rule the roost in CX; that was Switzerland, but since the advent of XC MTB, their top off-road talents race there instead of CX - and the 2nd raters not good enough for XC MTB, race CX.wipperman9519-12-2024
- "25-34 are only 13% of USA Cyclings membership" Wow. I own a bike shop, and that number comports both with what I see in the business as well as on the road and trails, but it's somehow hugely demoralizing to see it quantified. Thirteen percent?verve82519-12-2024
- What super dutch talent are we talking about?awp18-12-2024