"I really hope he succeeds" - Visma's Robert Gesink admits he'll be rooting for Primoz Roglic at the Tour de France

Although Robert Gesink and Primoz Roglic may no longer be working alongside each other at Team Visma | Lease a Bike, there is clearly still an immense amount of respect between the teammates.

Roglic of course, departed Team Visma | Lease a Bike over the off-season for a new challenge with BORA - hansgrohe. One of the reasons for this blockbuster move is the Slovenian's aim to once again challenge for the Maillot Jaune at the Tour de France. Although the majority on Team Visma | Lease a Bike will no doubt be hoping Roglic is disappointed and Jonas Vingegaard wins again, Gesink admits that part of him will be rooting for his former teammate.

"Primoz Roglic has won almost everything in his stage racing career, except that one major prize, the Tour de France. With his motivation, it is logical that he wants to do everything he can for another two years to win the main prize," says Gesink in RIDE Magazine. "If I let the cycling enthusiast in me speak, I really hope he succeeds in this goal. What a wonderful story it would be if, after all these years, with so many important victories, he now added that missing yellow jersey to his list of successes."

"Primoz is one of four riders who are a guarantee of ranking success in the Grand Tours. Our team would have liked to keep two of those riders, which is why, in the event of a merger with Soudal - Quick-Step, they were also excited about the possible arrival of Remco Evenepoel," Gesink continues. "t didn't happen. And yes, there is still a strong bloc that is well in tune. The fact that the team can win a Grand Tour even without Primoz was demonstrated at the Tour last season."