Roglic refuses to give up the Red Bull fight for Tour-spot - yellow dream still very much a reality

WorldTour season number eleven is coming up for Primoz Roglic. The Slovenian will start his third year with Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe in 2026, but what can we realistically expect? The 36-year-old stage racer has had a more difficult season, and with growing internal competition, it’s logical that questions arise. Roglic himself, however, remains as ambitious as ever.

Primoz Roglic is the first to admit that his 2025 season was disappointing. His only victories came at the Volta a Catalunya, where he won two stages and the overall classification. His career tally now stands at 91 wins. “At the pace I’ve been going since last year, I think I’ll need another ten years to reach one hundred,” he joked to Marca. “But yes, I hope I can win a few next year.”

The German team endured a relatively tough campaign, with several major objectives slipping away. Even so, Roglic sees a squad that can be stronger than Visma | Lease a Bike in its dominant 2023 season. “We won a lot of races, we made history. The team keeps growing. Every year it’s a new team with new people, and we have to prove it on the road. But yes, I think we can do it.”

The arrival of Remco Evenepoel already marks a huge step forward. If the Belgian makes another leap in performance with Red Bull, he could again fight for Grand Tour victories. Add Florian Lipowitz to the mix, and the team has another major talent. The German climber finished third in the Tour de France, and his Slovenian teammate believes he can push even higher.

“Of course he can compete. Last year he was already on the podium and made solid progress. He has been up there in several top events, so in that sense there’s no doubt. Winning is another matter: that’s always more complex and hard to predict. But he’s there, he has shown it already, and I see no reason why he couldn’t match that level – or even improve.”

And what about Roglic himself? He seemed on track for a top-five finish in the Tour de France before dropping down the rankings on the final mountain stage. Could 2026 be his last season at WorldTour level? “Right now, I don’t know,” he admits. “First I need to know my race programme and how I feel about each event. I prefer to take it step by step, assess my level, my motivation, and the challenges ahead. Then we can talk about it.”

Whether he rides the Tour, Vuelta or Giro remains undecided. For now, Roglic mainly wants to enjoy being on the bike. Results will follow, he says — and he still hopes the defining achievement of his career is yet to come. “I still enjoy cycling. Winning the Tour de France would be a dream. Winning five Vueltas would also be very special. But above all: to keep enjoying it.”