BORA teammate blasts criticism of Primoz Roglic - "Winning the Dauphiné and the Vuelta a España is being seen as a downside"

Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe have signed an enormous amount of talent for 2025 which will ensure they are competitive in every single terrain, but already this season they have achieved great things. Primoz Roglic inclusively won the Vuelta a España and performed at his very best level, and teammate Roger Adrià defends him from claims that he's 'finished' and that he is no longer able to win the Tour de France.

"I don't believe that at all. I feel like winning the Dauphiné and the Vuelta a España is being seen as a downside. In the Vuelta a España, he delivered his best numbers. He was flying. So, I think he will still be just as competitive in the future as he is now. He will do everything to be at his best," Roger Adrià shared with Marca.

Read also

"Tadej Pogacar, for as much star power as he brings to the sport, is massively underpaid!" - Tejay van Garderen reacts to record-breaking new deal for UAE leader

Roglic was 34 this year but stronger than ever, delivering a few performances at the Vuelta such as the Puerto de Ancares and Alto de Moncalvillo where he was superior to the rest of the competition. The Slovenian specializes in steep climbs and 'unipuerto' stages (days with one big effort, usually in the final climb) and his numbers were as high as ever, including his many years at Visma. At the Vuelta, Adrià was a key component of the defense of the red jersey, and belives his teammates' ambitions can remain as high as they were one year ago.

Perhaps next season, they may aim even higher: "I think that with Red Bull's arrival, the budget increase will put us in that fight. Until recently, the team was very focused on the classics with Peter Sagan, and now a squad is being formed for Grand Tours. I believe it's a team with a lot of potential for the future. The transfers are also good: not only riders but also high-level staff. I think we will become the reference team in cycling in the future."

Read also

"The expectations grew in the last few years and I didn’t meet them" - Tom Pidcock honest on INEOS tension and Tour de France disappointment

Whilst most transfers are classics riders, the likes of Giulio Pellizzari and Jan Tratnik can also prove key to support Roglic in his Grand Tour endeavors. As for Adrià himself, the Spaniard ended the season in incredible form, winning the GP de Wallonie, finishing 11th at Il Lombardia, sixth at the Giro dell'Emilia and third at the Coppa Bernocchi, proving he himself is worthy of occasional leadership in the German team.

In 2025, he will have this in mind. "My goal for the first part of the season is to focus on the Ardennes classics. First, we'll do several altitude training camps and some preparatory races, such as in the Basque Country and Catalunya, to arrive in the best shape. But before that, I also want to try some Flemish classics. Maybe not immediately Flanders, but a few second-tier races to see how I perform there, as I also enjoy those races," he concluded.

Read also

"I know I can't do anything about Jonas falling, but I was in the car" - Visma DS admits he took Vingegaard's Basque Country crash personally

"They are so resilient. Real team players too" - Big praise for Jonas Vingegaard & Wout van Aert from Visma domestique