"That's how cycling works. It is a team sport" - After breakthrough Giro in 2022 Koen Bouwman now set to ride in support for Primoz Roglic

One of the breakthrough stars of the 2022 Giro d'Italia, Koen Bouwman took home a pair of stage wins and the King of the Mountains jersey. This time around however, his personal goals will be sacrificed for the team goal of getting Primoz Roglic into pink.

"There is no room for your own opportunities and your own ambition," says Bouwman in an interview with NOS. "They're in the fridge for a while. I understand that the Dutch cycling followers sometimes hope for more, but that's how cycling works. It is a team sport."

Roglic will begin the race as one of the favourites for overall victory. A three-time former Vuelta a Espana winner, Roglic is yet to win the Giro d'Italia, something he will be looking to change over the coming three weeks. "I ride the same races as Primoz and then I really ride in his service. I like to do that too. I am hopeful that he can win," says Bouwman. "He has won all the stage races he has ridden this season. So he's very good at it. But if there is an opportunity, I will of course seize it with both hands."

"I don't have the talent to win the Giro, Tour de France or Vuelta a España. I'm not good enough for that," the 29-year-old continues. "Maybe I'll aspire to a different role in the future. But that also depends on my schedule for the rest of the season. If I also ride the Vuelta, it will be a difficult story. Otherwise it is possible, for example, that I get a free role during the Dutch National Championships."