PRESS CONFERENCE Primoz Roglic | BORA leader talks 'unfinished business' at Tour de France

Primoz Roglic is coming off a highly disappointing Giro d’Italia. The Slovenian entered the Corsa Rosa as the top favorite, but a crash on the gravel-filled Stage 9 ultimately forced him to abandon the race. Now, he turns his focus to what has always been the main goal of the season for both him and his Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe team: the Tour de France. CyclingUpToDate was present at the press conference to capture his words first-hand.

A: I don't need to point them really out. I mean, the way today is riding, the way Jonas Vingegaard] is riding, and Remco [Evenepoel], and yeah. So, actually, about myself, I don't care really much, you know. I mean, we all know, yeah, which races I also want, which, yes, I didn't yet. I mean, yes, we look advanced, we have a bit of an unfinished business, but on the other hand, you know, with winning it or not winning it, yeah, I mean, you know, it really turned my life. What I'm here is, yes, I mean, I'm happy or proud to still be able to come to the Tour de France, you know, to be a part of the biggest event, cycling event in the world. And, yeah, just that, you know, going day by day.

A: If I'm honest, actually, I didn't really check that much. I just, yeah, I just, I don't know... We will have a meeting tomorrow, because I'm not certain about the race. Yeah, you know, you have to survive. Probably, I'm a good example of it, of the last year of the Tour de France. So, I mean, yeah, you need to go through. I would say, yes, to be really excited.

A: Yeah, I mean, you know, like I said, you know, we know it's been, yeah, throwing up or getting, yeah, not yet comfortable. We try to learn things or look at the things the way that actually helps you. So, yeah, from this point, it's actually, for sure, helping me. And, you know, then just looking to the facts, you know, like, yeah, I mean, you are competing or, yeah, competing with the same guys. And, I mean, yes, like the race, in its own level, the last years also.

And, you know, looking to the fact that I have, yes, I mean, you know, I was finished after the Giro. You know, I was, yeah, I mean, at the end there, I was finished. I was under antibiotics, you know, because I had also some kind of infection. And, you know, like, yeah, all I could do is, you know, working day after day. I mean, yes, I was, I was suffering, I was on my knees. And, I mean, yeah, out there, you will see, you know, it's really like I just said, you know, nothing to prove to no one. And, yeah, you know, what that means, yes, we will see at the end, you know. But, just one way to come prepared, you know, and, yeah, drink a champagne or something like that.

A: I mean, you know, the thing is, for some things you can say in your life, yes, it's actually your fault for some things. Maybe you are just on the place that, yes, something happened. So, it doesn't really matter again, you know, but it's just a matter of actually how you feel, you know. So, how you go with it. And, I mean, yeah, with every situation, everything, I try to learn out of something. And, I mean, on one hand, it's always, I'd say, a bit easier to learn out of something when something goes wrong or not the way that you want. Because when you are really good, really good, it's really hard to learn a lot of it. Because, I mean, yeah, it's really hard to, first of all, be realistic and look realistically into the mirror to learn a lot. But, yes, on the other hand, with the things, actually, yes, it's the things that they sharpen you, you know. Without the bad things, actually, you don't know even what the good things are.

A: Yeah, compared with this young guy who comes through, incredibly young, and your story is so different. Your story is kind of magical, you know, the crashes and everything. But, in a sense, I guess that I kind of agree with the preoccupation that you're writing your story. You have no one else's story. And it's one of the great stories. In many ways, it's much more interesting than, you know, coming up from here and telling the best of the team and so on. Coming from these different situations, this different life that you're living, it's great to watch.

A: Yeah, thank you. I mean, I really appreciate it. I mean, yes, at the end, it's like you said. Yes, the most important, yes, is my story. And actually, I mean, everyone, yes, is writing somehow, in a way, their own stories, their own things. And, you know, if you really think about it, this story, my story, I'm the main actor. So, yeah, I mean, it's just, yeah, try to do your best. Like I said, I mean, you called me, yes, like, I'm here, I've made it. So, I mean, yes, I'm not the youngest anymore here. Still, I saw the list, still not yet on the podium, of five oldest ones. Maybe, yes, probably the next year too. But, yeah, like I said, you know, for me, it's a privilege just to be still here with all those young and strong guys and, yeah, to ride with them.

No, it's like, you know, it's just life a little bit realistically, you know. And, like I said, I mean, with winning it, with not winning it, you know, it is what it is. Myself and my family and everyone around, you know, we'll be the same way that we are. But, you know, for sure, it has a challenge, you know, still for me, because, I mean, to keep us going is to show the stories or whatever I've already shown, you know, to come to this point where I am now. So, yeah, I mean, that's, I mean, the path. And, I mean, the result, at the end, you know, it's a result. And, I mean, when you give the best, sometimes you have the best, but sometimes it can be 10. Because, I mean, you can control just yourself, you know, and the guys around, all of us, actually, we are going. And, like I said before, you know, a lot of times, you know, actually, as you put a lot of love, a lot more of yourself, or you show a lot more with not winning the race, you know, because you go outside to reach the people, the media, as it always is. I mean, what it counts, as I always said, it's just another war. You know, it's just more in that type of sense that, I mean, every day that we live is also closer to the last one that we have. So, yes, so it will be true that I will probably be closer to the last one that I will go.

A: Yes, exactly. I mean, you know, like I said, we had some really strong young guys in the Giro with Giulio [Pellizzari]. Now, here, with Florian, he showed a really really high level, super strong in Dauphiné, and, I mean yeah why not. Like I said, you know, why not here in the Tour de France, and we'll do the same.