Final Dauphine stage a very bad sign for Primoz Roglic, according to Thijs Zonneveld: "I wouldn’t draw much confidence from this with a view to the Tour de France"

Primoz Roglic won the Criterium du Dauphiné yesterday at the Plateau des Glières however the final stage proved to be a big challenge and the Slovenian looked to be on the downfall. It will be a triumph that is celebrated, but not the best of signs towards the Tour de France.

“There were three mountain stages in a row. One with an easy approach. He was very good there. On Saturday he was already a bit less and Jorgenson could really sprint with him. On Sunday, the third uphill finish, he is just not good. Actually quite bad”, Zonneveld said in the Het Wiel podcast. The BORA - hansgrohe riders rode strongly throughout the week and ultimately consistency earned him the win. A strong time-trial followed by the victory in the first mountain stage got him in yellow, and the Slovenian then raced on the defensive.

But perhaps he only managed to take yellow home because of the strong and full support of BORA - hansgrohe (and mainly Aleksandr Vlasov). “This was actually astonishingly mediocre. He didn’t just have to let Jorgenson go. But five riders, and not the very best either," the Dutch analyst argues. "What does that say? He seems to have the same problem as last year in the Giro. When it gets really tough, he also showed weaknesses then.”

In a Tour de France where Roglic has to face the likes of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard (even if not with their perfect preparation), it looks like a difficult task for Roglic to contest for the victory unless his level improves in the next month. That is definitely possible however, taking into consideration that he was injured two months ago at Itzulia Basque Country.

“Maybe it also says that he is not recovering well. His condition did not improve in the Dauphiné. More like the opposite. He won, but I wouldn’t draw much confidence from this with a view to the Tour de France," Zonneveld concluded.