"Primoz doesn't get nervous about Tadej" - Marc Reef assures that Primoz Roglic doesn't make much of losing to Tadej Pogacar yet again
Cycling
Before the race, every cycling follower agreed that there were three top favorites for this year's Il Lombardia: Primoz Roglic, Remco Evenepoel and the eventual winner Tadej Pogacar. Yet during the course of the race it was only the first rider's formation that took control.
Afterwards, Jumbo-Visma sports director Marc Reef provided text and explanation to In de Leiderstrui, admitting that there had been discussions. "UAE-Team Emirates did say that Sjoerd Bax had fallen, which was actually the man who should have been pacing. It is always a game," the sporting director explains. Soudal Quick-Step riders Evenepoel and Mauri Vansevenant were also involved in Bax's fall - who broke his thigh.
Ultimately, Roglic had to settle for third place in Bergamo. "Pogacar was the strongest," Reef makes no bones about it. "He rides away at the top, that's where he had most of it left. Primoz had just caught back there, so it's an honest story. Of course, there is still the game behind it, where there is more looking at each other than there is the intention to pace back to Pogacar. But you always have that a little bit."
This was yet another time the older of the two phenomenal Slovenians lost but Reef reassures it's not an issue for Roglic. "But actually Primoz doesn't get nervous about Tadej. They always focus on each other, and you really saw that in Tre Valli Varesine. Then the third won with Van Wilder, but now Pogacar was simply the strongest. Then we have to be satisfied with third place," concludes the sporting director.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐑𝐀, 𝖧𝖴𝖧! ❤️ This is the end. Thank you for everything, dear Primoz. 𝟕𝟒 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 Olympic Champion 🥇 4x Grand Tour 🚴🏼♂️ 18x ITT ⏱️ It’s not that we part ways that we stop loving each other. You leave our jersey in a better place.
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