Primoz Roglic does not rule out beating Tadej Pogacar at 2025 Tour de France "but my palmares will be fine if I don't get it"
Cycling
Primoz Roglic rode the traditional Saitama Criterium in Japan yesterday and gave several interviews. Among other things, the Slovenian outlined his plans for 2025 and how the mighty task of beating Tadej Pogacar might be taken on.
In conversation with Marca, the record equalling 4 time winner of the Vuelta a Espana is more restrained about announcing his plans for the next campaign. "I don't know yet. Right now I'm in vacation mode here in Japan. I don't want to think too much about the program. There will be time," he explains. "We'll do it in December or during the training camp and we'll let you know. But for sure I won't start at the Tour Down Under, otherwise I'll be late. I won't start for a while, I want to take it easy now."
He is also asked the Tour de France which remains the most notable goal for him in the coming seasons. "I always like to win. I look to next season to try to still improve here and there. I have to do that in some aspects and also try to evolve as a team. I still have challenges that appeal to me. And one of them can be to win the Tour de France," says Roglic. "I have to analyse it. I know that if Tadej Pogacar is there it's difficult. I could say yes, I would like to win it, but also my palmares will be fine if I finally don't get it."
As for Pogacar, Roglic insists that he is the undisputed best in the peloton. "Right now it looks like it is, it's like that. Or at least it's very hard to match. But you never know how it's going to be next year. Maybe he'll be even better. We have no influence on him, I have to look at myself. If I can be the best version of myself, I could go with him and be happy," the Slovenian assesses.
"I like to win, I repeat. The best for me is when I'm in first place and there's no one around. But where we are now is quite clear. There is another one, Pogacar, who is one gear ahead. The only thing we can do is to improve ourselves and then see where we are each," continues Roglic.
Finally, he explains the huge change that his switch from Visma to Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe entailed: "This year things have changed a lot for me. I've changed teams and even the name of the team itself has changed. New people have come in and this is a challenge for me. I come from a Jumbo Visma that won all the big ones in 2023 and now it's different. I'm busy making the team successful in the future. It's partly up to me to accelerate these things and help. Everyone wants the best from us," Roglic concludes.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
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🏆 Biniam Girmay wins the 2024 Tour de France Saitama Criterium 💪 #SaitamaCriterium | @saitamacrite
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