"If he stays healthy and avoids crashes, he’s the clear favourite" - Slovenian ex-pro impressed by Primoz Roglic's start to 2025 Giro d'Italia

Having gained time on all his GC rivals, already spent time in the Maglia Rosa but most importantly having passed on the race lead and the respective media duties ahead of the first rest day, Primoz Roglic could hardly have dreamed of a better start to the 2025 Giro d'Italia. As a result, former Slovenian national champion Kristijan Koren is more certain than ever that Roglic is the man to beat this Grand Tour.

"I figured they might let a breakaway go far enough up the road that no one would have the motivation to chase. But it quickly became clear that Lidl-Trek had a strong interest in a sprint finish, which meant bonus seconds could come into play," Koren reflects on Roglic and the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe team 'giving away' the Maglia Rosa on stage 3, in conversation with Siol. "Roglic and Pedersen were so close in the standings that it made sense for the jersey to go to Pedersen."

Whilst to a lesser seasoned cycling fan, intentionally giving away the race leader might seem a confusing decision, long-time fans of the sport will be aware of the difficulties that come with attempting to lead a Grand Tour from start to finish. "It brings a ton of obligations: daily press conferences, constant media attention. That all adds up and wears you out over three weeks," Koren explains. "Pedersen will now wear the pink jersey for four or five days, which is fantastic for Lidl-Trek, their sponsors, and visibility. He’s shown he’s the top sprinter in the peloton and will likely stay in the lead for several stages."

As mentioned, Koren's belief in his compatriot has only grown over the course of the opening three stages. "He won in Catalunya, then went to altitude camp. His form is building steadily. If he stays healthy and avoids crashes, he’s the clear favourite. There aren’t many big names who can really challenge him," Koren explains, noting how Roglic is the only of the 'Big 4' of the sport present. "He’s chosen the Giro because the Tour would be tougher."

Given Roglic's tendency to be something of a crash magnet however, there's no certainty of the Slovenian navigating the Giro incident free. "As we saw with Mikel Landa on the first day, bad things can happen even to top riders. All it takes is a bit too much speed or a moment of inattention, and you’re on the ground," Koren says, highlighting the Soudal - Quick-Step leader's back breaking crash on stage 1. "It’s a real shame for Landa — all that effort and prep work for this race gone in an instant. He’ll be bedridden for a while. This isn’t the kind of injury you can just grit your teeth through. His form is gone, and sadly, so is his season."

So now, there will be a lot required of Roglic's Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe teammates to keep their team leader safe and out of trouble when possible. "They’ll sacrifice one rider to lead the pack, two will stay close to Roglic, and one will fetch bottles — like I used to. They can’t burn out climbers they’ll need for the final week. Right now, the flatlanders are doing the work," concludes Koren. "When we rode the Giro with Pozzovivo, a pure climber, we were told to save him at all costs for the final week. Only in emergencies would he fetch bottles. You need those guys fresh when things get brutal."