{"id":199376,"date":"2025-10-14T12:33:14","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T12:33:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/199376\/"},"modified":"2025-10-14T12:33:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T12:33:14","slug":"we-need-to-sit-down-and-think-carefully-primoz-roglic-wants-honest-conversations-with-red-bull-bora","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/199376\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWe need to sit down and think carefully\u201d \u2013 Primoz Roglic wants \u201chonest conversations\u201d with Red Bull – BORA"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nFrom leader to tactical asset?<\/p>\n

Evenepoel\u2019s arrival inevitably shifts the balance of leadership. For the first time in years, Roglic may head into the Tour de France without the clear status of team leader \u2014 or perhaps even without a guaranteed spot. Yet the Slovenian isn\u2019t resistant to change.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is actually a good thing,\u201d he said of Evenepoel\u2019s transfer. \u201cIt might allow me to step back a little, if I can put it like that. In terms of all the responsibilities around racing, we now have someone younger who can attract a lot of attention. Hopefully that gives me a bit more peace and freedom \u2014 even when it comes to how I race.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a pragmatic view from a rider who remains one of the most respected figures in the peloton, but who also understands the realities of elite cycling as he approaches the twilight of his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to be a bike rider\u201d<\/p>\n

While speculation around his future has swirled, Roglic has been quick to shut it down. \u201cI didn\u2019t really comment on any of that,\u201d he said of rumours linking him with other teams. \u201cIf you\u2019d asked me, I\u2019d have told you I\u2019ve got one more year left on my contract.\u201d<\/p>\n

His focus now is on stripping away distractions. \u201cThe peace I\u2019m talking about is simply being a rider. Just doing the things the coach tells me, without worrying about extra stuff like nutrition, aerodynamics or equipment. The team has grown, and there are people for all of that now. I can really just be a cyclist. That\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Realistic goals in a Pogacar eraEven with a reduced leadership role, Roglic remains a serious asset for the team. He still finished eighth at the Tour in 2025 despite setbacks, supporting Florian Lipowitz<\/a> to a podium finish. His tactical intelligence and experience could be central to how Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe approach the seemingly impossible task of challenging Tadej Pogacar<\/a> and UAE Team Emirates.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many races out there,\u201d Roglic reflected. \u201cI\u2019ve won some, but there are still plenty I haven\u2019t. But the reality is what it is. We need to sit down, think carefully and have real conversations about what\u2019s possible and what isn\u2019t. I want honest conversations and realistic goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"imago1064467286\"\/<\/p>\n

Roglic and Lipowitz teamed up at the Tour in 2025<\/p>\n

The Pogacar puzzle<\/p>\n

Asked whether a three-pronged leadership with himself, Evenepoel and Lipowitz could be the answer to stopping Pogacar, Roglic offered a wry smile. \u201cAnything\u2019s possible. But reality is something else entirely. Whichever way you look at it, something\u2019s still missing. On the other hand, if we can spread the pressure across three riders instead of one, maybe there\u2019s a better chance. But let\u2019s be honest \u2014 UAE isn\u2019t exactly weak. We\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Roglic, the next few months will be less about proving himself and more about redefining his role. After years as a team\u2019s central figure, 2026 could mark the start of a new chapter \u2014 not as the sole leader, but as an indispensable piece of a broader tactical puzzle.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" From leader to tactical asset? Evenepoel\u2019s arrival inevitably shifts the balance of leadership. For the first time…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":199377,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4985,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-199376","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-cycling","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199376","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199376"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199376\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/199377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199376"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199376"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199376"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}