“Roglic is not participating in this Tour de France” – Analysts question quiet start of Primoz Roglic at the Tour de France

While the opening stages of the 2025 Tour de France have been filled with chaos and headlines, with many crazy crashes, Primoz Roglic has flown largely under the radar. But not everyone sees that as a positive.

The Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe team leader lost 39 seconds in the echelons on day one and has yet to make a visible impact on the race. Though some observers see a quiet first week as a smart way to conserve energy, Jan Hermsen believes the team has failed their five-time Grand Tour winner.

"I would rather see them keep him calm in the first week and see how far he can go. Ride a good time trial and then see how far he can go. I would never let him down and they did in the first stage."

Roglic is returning to racing just weeks after crashing out of the Giro d’Italia in May. His physical condition and timing have naturally been under scrutiny, and Hermsen doesn’t think the signs so far are encouraging.

"He was also in a gap in the second stage, while that finish was a finish where he would have won in the past. In all respects, Roglic is not participating in this Tour de France. You see that in everything, you notice it in everything. He is more attentive and is in a better position than in the Giro, but he is not a shadow of the Roglic we know."