“Selfish veteran” – German media scolds Roglic and predicts tension at Red Bull – BORA – Hansgrohe next season

In July, Primoz Roglic made it to Paris at last. His eighth-place finish at the 2025 Tour de France marked the first time he had completed the race since 2020, when he famously lost yellow in the final time trial to Tadej Pogacar. After three consecutive DNFs and a Giro d’Italia campaign derailed by crashes, just reaching the Champs-Élysées again was a relief. But while Roglic may have viewed the Tour as a personal triumph, not everyone inside or outside the team felt the same.

In the final week of the Tour, Roglic threw everything at the road, jumping into breakaways in a hunt for a stage win. It was a bold, if chaotic, approach, and one that cost him his place in the top five. For Roglic, a four time grand tour winner, a top 5 means nothing, and so it made sense why he hunted the stage win.

But what raised eyebrows wasn’t his aggressive riding, it was who he didn’t ride for. As Florian Lipowitz fought for the podium and white jersey, many German fans were left wondering why the team’s veteran wasn’t playing the role of super-domestique.

The criticism reached a new level this week in an article from ARD Sportschau, where journalist Stephan Klemm called out Roglic directly. “Primož Roglič,” Klemm wrote, “performed a solo act,” accusing the Slovenian of ignoring “his much better teammate Florian Lipowitz.” The timing of the criticism couldn’t be more pointed, coming just days after Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe confirmed the signing of Remco Evenepoel for 2026.

According to Klemm, Roglic’s actions during the Tour weren't just frustrating, they were divisive. With Lipowitz riding into the top three and securing his second straight white jersey, it was clear where the team’s momentum lay. Yet instead of working for the 24-year-old German, Roglic pursued his own objectives.

In what appears to be a response to internal discontent, and in preparation for the arrival of Evenepoel, Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe dismissed two key figures: sporting director Rolf Aldag and team manager Enrico Gasparotto. But how will this impact the squad in 2026?