"There is still nineteen days to go huh!" - Primoz Roglic staying positive despite time loss to rivals on stage 2 of Tour de France

As the general classification ignited for the first time at the 2024 Tour de France on stage 2, three of the Grand Tour 'Big 4' crossed the line side by side. The man to miss out, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe leader, Primoz Roglic.

Eventually crossing the line in 27th place, Roglic finished 2:42 down on the stage winner Kevin Vauquelin and 21 seconds down on a group containing Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel. "It was hard," admits Roglic afterwards in a post-stage interview from outside the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe team bus. "Obviously I wanted to be with the front guys, but I didn't have the legs today and I have to take it the way it was."

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Now 19th in the general classification at 21 seconds down on the new Maillot Jaune, his compatriot Pogacar, Roglic is already on the back foot and can't afford too many more moments of weakness. When Pogacar attacked initially on the San Luca, only Vingegaard could follow. According to Roglic, the reason for his distancing was poor positioning.

"I was not on the wheel. That's just a fact that I was way too much behind and yeah, in the end I just couldn't really do anything," the 34-year-old admits honestly, although he isn't getting too downhearted just yet. "We'll take it day by day. It's only the second stage and there is still nineteen days to go huh!"

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2024 Tour de France stage 2 results: