"Primoz is getting on in years, of course, but..." - Lotto confirm interest in Roglic as transfer talks linger
CyclingWednesday, 26 August 2026 at 15:00
The Vuelta a España has only begun this past Saturday but, in a race that has seen him win plenty times in the past, Primoz Roglic has returned to his top level. In the Spanish Grand Tour, the possibilities of him signing with Lotto-Intermarché have now been asked to the Belgian team.
“That remains to be seen, right? That is open to discussion. We are interested in Primoz, but we shouldn't be coy about the fact that other teams are too," Lotto manager Kurt van de Wouwer said in an interview with Wielerflits.
The manager does not hide that there is interest, and that there have been talks. But this does not mean there will be a move, nor that other team's haven't done the same. After three years at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, Roglic is departing at the end of 2026.
The former Giro and Vuelta winner doesn't appear to be retiring from the sport, whilst his destination for 2027 could be a team that lays far from the top. Bahrain - Victorious and Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team had previously been rumoured as teams with interest in the veteran.
Jarno Widar a potential aid in Lotto's bid to sign Roglic
"We will see what the coming days and weeks bring in that regard. He would be more than welcome. Primoz is getting on in years, of course, but I see him as someone who can take on a dual role".
At the Vuelta, team youngster Jarno Widar - who has just extended his contract with the team - has finished second behind Tadej Pogacar on the fourth stage of the race, a day of all-out racing in the mountains of Andorra.
The performance comes in a timely manner, as the Belgian team looks for leaders towards its future, but also look to show riders away from the team that reaching an incredibly high level is possible.
Van de Wouwer also connects Roglic to Widar, as a potential duo that can benefit each other.
"On the one hand, he can still deliver results himself, for which there are certainly opportunities within our team. And on the other hand, he can go out on the road with Jarno. If they can race together, that would be a win-win.”
Primoz Roglic at the 2026 Vuelta a España
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Lotto-Intermarché seeking new leaders
“People like Roglic aren't exactly easy to come by, of course. That is why this case could be important". The World Tour outfit has had a great development program over this decade, but has not had the financial resources to then keep their leaders in the long-term.
“Well, there is a lot of focus on the fact that Arnaud (De Lie) and Lennert [Van Eetvelt] are leaving". The team's two leaders are departing this year, as well as the likes of Georg Zimmermann and Cedric Beullens.
The team is said to have agreed on the signing of Juan Sebastián Molano to potentially be one of its new faces, whilst there is still the possibility of having the 36-year old be the second one.
“I like to make the comparison with a football team. If two top players leave, it doesn't always mean the team is performing worse. We are counting on that effect to some extent. For us, the reinforcements are in the upper tier of the midfield, which means the team as a whole can perform stronger, provided we are spared bad luck".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Remco no ballsabstractengineer26-08-2026
- Why the criticism, Gall can only gain time in the mountain and he will lose big time in the TT. So it is natural that his team to put the pressure on. Pogi is already discounted. If Gall misses the podium by a few seconds and he did not try , it will be too late. He has a strong team, he is using them now, later on ,might be too late.abstractengineer26-08-2026
- this is the guy that made unsubstantiated claims of Bora riders bullying him as a reason to leave the team. and then after signing him, Visma couldn't seem to let him out the door soon enough. Movistar should have known.mij26-08-2026
- I've met him and we got on well. You?Renz26-08-2026
- I got the sense that Wout was winding Pog up about not pulling with him after Pog pulled with Mathieu in Paris for the panache of it. Then Wout asked Pog for a bottle for his son and Pog gave his son the shades because Pog is just a great guy.bigmangofast26-08-2026
- I only blame Pogi for not stopping for a minute by the road yesterday, to talk to Adam Yates about how he's living in Andorra, what he had for lunch and whether he's getting ready for Lombardy and Montreal to help him. It's not right for Pogi, not to stop at least for a minute. Shame on you Pogi, for taking so much time on your rivals... 😂😂😂PogiSloFans26-08-2026
- You all know what's scary? Pogi at end of this Vuelta will be much better than he was at beginning of this Vuelta. He hasn't been in red once in these 4 days. The only red on him is his jersey. Yesterday was a combination of zone 4...two times 20 min and the rest was a combination of zones 2 and 3.PogiSloFans26-08-2026
- No, you americans live with a Trump shrine and worship him 24/7... despite he's going to start WW3.PogiSloFans26-08-2026
- This shitt happens only in cycling. Only in cycling you have to gift races, or stay behind so someone else can win. The French were booing Pogi this year at the Tour, just because he was winning too much???PogiSloFans26-08-2026
- “With that madman you don’t even know what the time limit is going to be,” Romeo joked, referring to the Slovenian’s pace. LOL!MajorPayne26-08-2026
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