The cycling transfer market continues to produce interesting developments ahead of the 2027 season, and one of the biggest names whose future remains unresolved is Primoz Roglic.
The Slovenian, who has just turned 37, left Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe at the end of the 2026 season and remains without a team for next year. Although various rumours have circulated about his future, including the possibility of retirement, the indications are that he intends to continue racing professionally for at least another year.
Tudor and Pinarello are among the teams linked with Roglic, with both potentially offering him the opportunity to extend his career. However, his future remains uncertain, and there is another possibility worth considering: why not imagine Primoz Roglic wearing the colours of Movistar Team in 2027?
Admittedly, it would be a complicated deal and is hardly one of the most obvious possibilities on the transfer market. When the Slovenian left Visma, Movistar were already linked with a potential move for him, although he ultimately joined Red Bull. The circumstances are different now. Roglic is no longer the rider he was three years ago, but he remains one of the biggest names in the international peloton and still has plenty to offer.
Primoz Roglic in action at Il Lombardia 2026
Primoz Roglic's most difficult season in almost a decade
To understand why signing Roglic might make sense, it is worth considering what kind of rider Movistar would be getting. The Slovenian comes into the 2027 season on the back of a difficult 2026 campaign, arguably his least impressive in almost a decade, although he managed to rescue it with an outstanding performance at the Vuelta a Espana.
His season began at Tirreno-Adriatico, where he finished fifth overall. He subsequently claimed third place at Milano-Torino but could only manage 37th at Milano-Sanremo. He also made a promising start to Itzulia Basque Country, recording fourth and third-place finishes, before fading in the general classification and eventually finishing 16th.
Things did not improve significantly in his subsequent stage races. At the Tour de Romandie, he produced the occasional strong performance, including third place on the final stage, but finished just 18th overall. He was unable to rediscover his best form at the Tour de Suisse either, settling for eighth place.
His best individual results came while representing Slovenia. Roglic won the national time trial title before going on to become European champion in the discipline at a race held on home soil. In the Slovenian national road race, however, he finished fourth, some way behind winner Roman Ermakov.
The Vuelta a Espana was undoubtedly his standout performance of the year. The Slovenian demonstrated once again that he remains capable of challenging for the general classification over three weeks, finishing second behind Enric Mas. That result was particularly impressive given how close Roglic came to claiming a record fifth victory in the Spanish Grand Tour.
The Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe rider was consistently strong in the mountains, although he lacked the explosiveness that characterised some of his finest seasons. He was unable to make the difference at decisive moments and instead had to rely on maintaining his own pace. Nevertheless, an excellent final time trial, in which he comfortably outperformed Felix Gall, allowed him to secure second place overall.
Roglic currently shares the record for the most Vuelta a Espana victories with Roberto Heras, having won the race four times. In 2026, he had the opportunity to move clear at the top of that list, but it was Enric Mas who ultimately claimed victory in an edition that had initially appeared destined for Tadej Pogacar, until the Slovenian's crash and subsequent abandonment blew the general classification battle wide open.
His end to the season was not particularly impressive either. He finished 21st at the World Championships, where he led Slovenia in Pogacar's absence, and tenth in the European road race. His European time trial triumph was the highlight of this period, while he brought his season to a close with a disappointing 68th place at Il Lombardia.
Those results paint a picture of where Roglic stands today. Clearly, he is no longer the rider he was a few years ago, but his second place at the Vuelta demonstrates that he can still play a significant role in the biggest races.
Why Movistar Team should consider signing Roglic
The first argument is purely sporting. Movistar Team could bring in another Grand Tour leader, someone with extraordinary experience and a palmares that speaks for itself. The Spanish team already have Enric Mas and Cian Uijtdebroeks, but adding another rider capable of targeting the general classification over three weeks would give them an interesting alternative.
Roglic has just demonstrated that he can still finish second at the Vuelta a Espana. Although he was unable to beat Enric Mas, that very result also raises the possibility of the two riders working alongside one another within the Movistar setup.
His experience could also prove particularly valuable in certain week-long stage races. Although his 2026 results in those events were hardly spectacular, his record over the past decade establishes him as one of the peloton's leading specialists.
The second argument concerns his profile and commercial appeal. Primoz Roglic is a legend of world cycling, an instantly recognisable rider whose name still carries considerable weight. His arrival could provide Movistar Team with a significant boost in terms of sponsorship, publicity and the team's overall image.
For a team that needs to maintain a strong presence at the highest level of international cycling, signing a rider of Roglic's stature would certainly attract attention.
Roglic and Mas shared the final podium of La Vuelta in 2026
Money and his declining performances are the biggest obstacles
Of course, there are drawbacks. The first would be financial. Roglic would almost certainly command a substantial salary, and signing him could stretch Movistar Team's budget for 2027. The team's plans for next season may already be largely finalised, meaning that bringing in a rider of his stature could require significant adjustments.
The second concern is purely sporting. The Primoz Roglic of 2026 is not the same rider who was competing three seasons ago. His performances have declined, and he no longer appears capable of dominating Grand Tours in the way he once did.
Indeed, his most recent Vuelta a Espana ended in defeat to a rider who already belongs to Movistar Team: Enric Mas. Investing in a cyclist who is past his peak and has just been beaten by one of the team's existing leaders could understandably raise questions about whether such a move would make sense.
Three years ago, when Roglic left Visma, it would probably have been much easier to justify signing him. The situation is different now, and the balance between financial investment and sporting return would need to be assessed very carefully.
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Can Eusebio Unzue convince a cycling legend to join Movistar?
The prospect of Primoz Roglic joining Movistar Team for 2027 is complicated, but it is not necessarily one that should be dismissed altogether while the Slovenian remains without a team.
The Spanish outfit would have the opportunity to sign one of the biggest names of the past decade, a rider who can still compete for high overall finishes at Grand Tours and whose commercial appeal is beyond doubt.
On the other hand, they would have to make a substantial investment in a rider who is no longer at his best and whose 2026 season raised plenty of questions beyond his excellent Vuelta a Espana performance.
Any decision would depend on several factors, beginning with the financial terms and extending to the sporting plans of Eusebio Unzue and his management team.
Roglic remains available, appears determined to continue racing and could offer Movistar Team an opportunity to strengthen their squad. Why not approach one of the legends of world cycling and offer him the chance to wear the team's colours in 2027? For now, it remains purely hypothetical, but it is at least a possibility worth considering.
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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- great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
- they can sign any 100 of top riders today but Pogi will win over Remco any time at the TDF unless something goes wrongabstractengineer10-11-2026
- the time for a GC rider to retire is when they cannot win stages, or have a significant level drop like from winner/podium into top 5/10 consistently. Roglic is still competitive and Froome raced even though he became pack fodder.abstractengineer10-11-2026
- He should be in a different team. It was detrimental. For them it does not matter if he does not develop. He should have gone to a team where they need him to succeed.abstractengineer10-11-2026
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