Primoz Roglic will leave Red Bull in 2026 - And one of the least expected teams has entered the race to sign him
CyclingTuesday, 11 August 2026 at 14:30
Primoz Roglic could have one last adventure in the WorldTour. The Slovenian, who turns 37 next October, is considering continuing for one more season, and Lotto Intermarche has emerged among the teams interested in his services for 2027.
According to Het Laatste Nieuws, after speaking to sources on both sides, contacts have already taken place between the rider and the Belgian outfit. Roglic’s continuity beyond 2026 was far from certain.
For months, it was considered likely that the four-time Vuelta a España winner would end his career when his current contract with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe expires. However, that option has lost momentum since June, and there is now a real chance the Slovenian will take on one final season as a professional.
The Slovenian has been connected with Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, although the reports have not seemingly gained much traction. As it stands, Roglic's future is certainly undecided, and specific talks are being conducted with some teams.
Amongst them, another true surprise. Lotto Intermarche’s interest responds to a very specific need. The Belgian team will lose Lennert Van Eetvelt and Arnaud de Lie this winter and must find a Grand Tour reference while its young talents complete their development. Roglic’s arrival would fill that gap immediately.
An opportunity for both sides
Roglic would not have to come in with the obligation to build a project around him for several years. A one-year contract would allow him to approach 2027 with freedom and select the races where he still wants to leave his mark.
There are still goals to feed his ambition. The Tour de Suisse is the major one-week stage race missing from his palmarès, while the Tour de France remains unfinished business after that second place in 2020 that slipped away in the La Planche des Belles Filles time trial.
Roglic himself wanted to return to the Tour this season, although Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe’s management ultimately ruled that out in a team that had to split leadership between Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz, whilst Giulio Pellizzari and Jai Hindley both require freedom as well. He could now find a different scenario at Lotto Intermarche.
Primoz Roglic won La Vuelta back in 2024
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Can Roglic still be the winner he once was?
Despite his age, Roglic has shown he can still contest major results. This season, he finished fifth at Tirreno–Adriatico and eighth at the Tour de Suisse, results that carry extra weight for a Lotto - Intermarche needing to regain ground in the UCI ranking.
The Belgian team’s situation makes the potential signing even more logical. Besides Van Eetvelt, riders like Arnaud De Lie and Liam Slock will also leave the setup, a significant loss of points and talent.
Lotto Intermarche is likely reinforcing itself with names such as Mauri Vansevenant, Stan Dewulf, and Juan Sebastian Molano, while also working on other additions. But Roglic would be different: a rider capable of delivering immediate results and, above all, the experience to lead the team in the most important races.
For now, there is no deal in place. Talks are ongoing, and Roglic’s future is still undecided. But the prospect of seeing him in Lotto Intermarche colours in 2027 is no longer mere speculation and is beginning to take shape as a real possibility.
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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- Yeah wouldnt surprise me anymore this reeks. I just remember they saying visma riders was good this tdf and getting most out of riders when half the team is just getting worse and worse? remember thinking what did they watch whichj i didnt. Crazy to think this site is actually visma and those other pundits. Make so much sense now thinking about it lol.miguel11-08-2026
- Demi Vollering is Dutch and she's their Goddess. In the future we will see an article that will look something like this: "I don't think it's too controversial to say that Demi Vollering is a much better cyclist than Tadej Pogačar. Much more interesting."PogiSloFans11-08-2026
- This is the right answer. Both great.mobk11-08-2026
- 9 years as one of the true elite cyclists and now a few as a “merely good” cyclistmobk11-08-2026
- let's hope not, doping infractions and all. Ah, the days when doping led to a time penalty and not being banned for a year or two or four.RidesHills11-08-2026
- I love them both, for very different reasons. It's nice that we have both without having to choose one. Though I have to say that it was odd there was an extra presentation model on the stage for the podiums, until it turned out it was director Marion Rousse.
MarkFour11-08-2026 - wow didnt know it was so close to amsterdam. yeah read it alooot across various things online that their visma pundits and seems like it in most their articles. Def feels like it like the team is catastrophe now but still no negative criticism for instance im sure they are now when you said this and so many ive seen saying everyone knew they was even. But not it makes even more sense. Imo easy to see aswell from the articles that their pro them yes! What a shame loolmiguel11-08-2026
- "partner" ...drinkwhkman11-08-2026
- "Sorry, I forgot to ask your name." Ha.RidesHills11-08-2026
- 🤦🤷Their selection has got to pot. Literally its monkey selection.abstractengineer11-08-2026
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