"Cycling is my job, but my family means everything to me" - Primoz Roglic admits retirement is looming as he skips Vuelta a Espana defence
Cycling
Primoz Roglic has admitted that thoughts of retirement are growing stronger, even hinting at a possible return to his roots in winter sports once his cycling career draws to a close. Speaking at the Profronde of Etten-Leur in the Netherlands, the Slovenian suggested that his time in the World Tour may be limited, with family priorities and fresh ambitions beginning to take precedence.
“Nowadays it’s about survival, and at my age the day I stop is getting closer,” Roglic told HLN. “I’m not 20 anymore, so naturally I look at my future differently. I want to do other things in life as well. Maybe go back to the winter sports where it all started for me. No, not ski jumping – that’s in the past. But the Winter Olympics? That would be pretty cool, even if for now it’s unrealistic.”
Before a devastating crash forced him to switch disciplines in his early twenties, Roglic was a gifted ski jumper, finishing second at the Junior World Championships. That past life continues to colour his reflections on what comes next. As he joked, turning 40 and flying through the snow at the 2030 Games in the French Alps wouldn’t be the worst way to bow out: “Ageing well, like a fine wine.”
Family first
Roglic’s remarks come at a moment when he has chosen to forgo defending his Vuelta a Espana title in order to spend time with his wife and two young children. “I can’t be everywhere anymore,” he said. “At home I have a wife and two children, and they deserve my attention. Cycling is my job, but my family means everything to me. Above all, I’m a loving husband and father – only then a sportsman.”
The 35-year-old recently completed the Tour de France, finishing eighth overall but never looking in contention for stage wins. Even so, he was satisfied with the achievement. “Although I wasn’t always at my best, I genuinely enjoyed making it to the third week and finishing the Tour,” he said. A future Tour return seems unlikely: “I take things day by day.”
Roglic claimed a top 10 on GC at the 2025 Tour de France
The endgame
Whether Roglic sees out his Red Bull contract or chooses to step away sooner remains to be seen. What is clear is that one of cycling’s most decorated stage racers is beginning to look beyond the bike, openly contemplating what comes next after nearly a decade at the top of the sport.
Pressed directly on his motivation, Roglic gave a typically enigmatic answer: “We’ll see.” He later offered a more candid glimpse into his mindset. “With my age, the day I stop is coming closer. I want to do other things in life too.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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