“We cannot control setbacks, but we can control our team spirit” – Red Bull – BORA - hansgrohe in fighting mood after Primoz Roglic’s gravel nightmare
Cycling
Stage 9 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia was a day of triumph for
some and torment for others. On the iconic white roads of Tuscany, Wout van
Aert secured a brilliant victory in Siena, while Isaac del Toro’s stunning ride
earned him the maglia rosa. But for Primoz Roglic, it was yet another day of
Grand Tour misfortune, another gravel stage that turned into a personal
disaster.
Reminiscent of the cobbled chaos of the 2022 Tour de France
and last year’s gravel stage where he was distanced by his rivals, Sunday
brought more pain for the Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe leader. Roglic crashed,
punctured, and eventually finished almost two and a half minutes down on Van
Aert, conceding a full minute to key GC rival Juan Ayuso.
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe sports director Patxi Vila
explained just how much went wrong, speaking to IDLProCycling.com after
the stage.
“Dani Felipe Martínez had mechanical problems in the first
sector, which meant we were already down one man. Furthermore, Jan Tratnik was
not in a good position, which meant he could not do anything. Nico Denz made
sure that Giulio Pellizzari got back to Primoz.”
“Thanks to Giulio's work, we only talk about one minute
behind Ayuso. It could have been a lot more. And at first, Giulio wasn't even
with Primoz's group, so he had to return. He did a great job, just like all the
other guys. Primoz fought for every second until the finish.”
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Although it was far from the outcome they had hoped for,
Vila acknowledged that the situation could have spiralled even further.
“It's hard to be satisfied after today, but it could have
been worse,” he admitted. “We were in a perfect position for the first sector,
in first and second place. But then there were crashes, after which Primoz had
to change bikes because he couldn't shift gears properly, and his tire was
flat. We lost a lot of time there, which meant we had to chase the whole way.”
“Honestly, we wanted to go for the stage win today. Primoz
and the team were motivated, and we believed we had it in us. However, the
crash disrupted a lot of the riders' plans. Visma pulled it off, and I'm
pleased that Wout succeeded.”
The team had already suffered a blow earlier in the week,
losing former Giro winner Jai Hindley to a crash. But Vila insists morale
within the camp remains high.
“Primoz is fine, as is the whole team," he said.
"A Grand Tour is a three-week adventure, and nothing ever goes perfectly
along the way. Cycling is a crazy sport because you don't ride together all
year, whereas here you're racing together for three weeks. You put them
together, so I always say that the first week of a Grand Tour is about creating
a bond and building the team spirit."
"The team spirit is excellent. Everyone is happy to be
here, and we are having a good time together. We cannot control setbacks, but
we can control our team spirit, which will get us to Rome."
Vila remains confident that their goals are still within
reach: "It's still a long way to go, and although today wasn't a good day,
it could have been worse. We're focusing even more on our goal of winning the
Giro. That's still possible."
What is true is that Roglic is a master of the 3 week race.
Remember, at least year’s Vuelta a Espana he lost over 5 minutes to Ben O’Connor,
and slowly, but surely, chipped away at the Australian’s time over the course
of the 3 weeks to win a fourth red jersey.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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