'Haven't had a fantastic evening together yet,' Roglic laughs about his first meeting with Evenepoel

Red Bull–BORA-hansgrohe may have pulled off the transfer of the year by adding Remco Evenepoel for 2026. It also means an abundance of leaders next season — placing a question mark over the role of 36-year-old Primož Roglič. The Slovenian spoke openly about it with La Dernière Heure.

We recently called Red Bull–BORA-hansgrohe’s many (potential) leaders a “looming issue”, though all that quality can also be a luxury problem. Roglič has his own take. “The challenge isn’t so much how we work together; it’s how we can win a Grand Tour.”

“That is the main question,” he adds, pointing to the standard set by the competition. “Given the steps UAE are taking, we mostly have to think about how to beat them.” Alongside Evenepoel’s arrival, the team will also be looking at rising German Florian Lipowitz.

Roglič and Evenepoel already met during an introductory camp in October. “We saw each other and chatted a bit, but the conversation wasn’t very long. Those are usually busy days with little time. I think that’ll change at our first training camp in December on Mallorca,” says the Slovenian.

So a verdict will have to wait. “It wouldn’t be fair to form an opinion about him based on that first meeting. He’s a good guy, but we haven’t, for example, had a fantastic evening together yet,” Roglič laughs in his typical style.

He does sense real drive in the Belgian. “I feel he’s very enthusiastic about joining us. He’s still young but has already won an enormous number of races, and he has an approach that explains that success.” With riders like Evenepoel, Roglič wants to pass on his know-how. “I’m naturally quite reserved, but given my position and background, it’s also my job to take responsibility off the bike.”

“I may not be the most talkative; I often prefer actions over words,” continues the four-time Vuelta winner. “Some riders watch how I work and it sometimes inspires them; others might not take any notice. It mostly depends on a person’s temperament — whether they want to learn or not.”

The hierarchy at Red Bull–BORA-hansgrohe will likely shift in 2026. Roglič does not sound fully certain about being Tour leader, but leaving was never on the table despite rumours. “I never doubted my future with this team,” he states clearly. 

“My contract still had a year to run, and I don’t really know where those rumours came from,” he adds, with a small dig at the media. “No one had directly asked me until now, so I’m happy to be open about it. The best way to verify the truth of a rumour is often to ask the person in question. Right?”