Primoz Roglic "doesn’t really care whether he adds another Vuelta, Giro to his palmares" according to coach: "Tour de France is still the main goal"

A five-time Grand Tour winner, few riders have had as much success in the three-week races in the modern generation than Primoz Roglic. The Tour de France remains notable by its absence on the palmares of the Slovenian though, and in 2025, Roglic has opted for a different route to Paris, this time one that includes a Giro d'Italia - Tour de France double.

"In his own mind, the Tour de France is still the main goal. It’s the only race he hasn’t won yet," explains Roglic's coach at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, Marc Lamberts in conversation with Wielerflits, although he's not sure the final race calendar was the correct call. "The team supported doing the Giro. Primoz made the final decision to aim for both the Giro and the Tour. We talked about it a lot, but to be honest, I wasn’t in favour,” he admits.

“In theory, the Vuelta has always suited him best. He always puts out his best numbers there, and he’s won it four times for a reason," Lamberts clarifies his doubts. "The climbs there are shorter and steeper - 20 to 30 minutes long - which suit him much better than the long, steady climbs of the Giro or Tour that can take up to an hour.”

According to Lamberts, whilst the lure of a record breaking 5th Vuelta a Espana crown might have lured many back to Spain, Roglic is more interested in winning the things he hasn't yet, rather than adding repeat wins to his palmares. "When you’ve won the Vuelta four times and the Giro once, and there’s one race left that you haven’t won, it’s a legitimate choice to go after it - while he still can. Maybe even against better judgment," the Slovenian's coach explains. "But I get it, and I support him.”

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"Primoz isn’t chasing records. Sure, he wants to win every race he enters - he’s still a true competitor - but he no longer feels like he has to win. That pressure has dropped a lot compared to the past. He’s going into the Giro with much less pressure,” Lamberts continues. “To put it bluntly, he doesn’t really care whether he adds another Vuelta, Giro, or even a Catalonia win to his palmares. He’s reached a point in his career where he can really put things in perspective. He’s found a lot of peace of mind - far more than a few years ago. He doesn’t need anything anymore. But when he races, he still gives it everything. The Tour de France will bring a bit more stress, though.”

Roglic does still want to win the Giro though, and Lamberts has analysed the potential route to a second Maglia Rosa. “The final week will be key, with the gravel stage and two time trials. He needs to be in top form then," previews the coach. "His current level is close to where he was in last year’s Vuelta, but the Giro route suits him a bit less. Still, I definitely think he’s podium material. He can win - but everything needs to go his way: the weather, and especially a clean run through the gravel stage.”

And the Tour de France? “He’s still one of the top Grand Tour riders. But let’s be honest - Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard are still a level above. Remco Evenepoel is another top contender, and Primoz will have to fight with him for that third spot in the Tour," Lamberts concludes. "But in the Giro, with the top two not present, it’s a matter of seeing how strong Juan Ayuso is. He’s probably the main challenger. But with Primoz’s power and vast experience, you can never count him out.”