White smoke! Roglic heads to the Vuelta, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe also selects Vlasov and Martínez

The decision is in: Primož Roglič will lead Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe at the Vuelta a España. The Slovenian rider is aiming for his fourth overall victory in the Grand Tour. Roglič will have a strong team behind him, including Giro d’Italia runner-up Daniel Felipe Martínez, Aleksandr Vlasov, and rising star Florian Lipowitz.

For weeks, the cycling world has been buzzing with the question: will Roglič race the Vuelta? After a shoulder injury during the Tour de France, Roglič faced a race against time to be ready. But after two weeks of high-altitude training, both he and the team have given the green light.

Sporting director Rolf Aldag is clear about the team’s ambitions. "We’re entering the third Grand Tour of the year with high expectations. We’ve selected eight riders who won’t hold back, they’re ready to fight aggressively for the general classification." However, Aldag is also cautious. "We’ll have to see how things go, given the injuries from the crashes and the five-week break from racing for both Primož and Aleks, which wasn’t the ideal preparation for a Grand Tour."

Based on Aldag’s comments, it’s clear that Roglic and Vlasov are the team’s main contenders. However, with Martínez, who recently stood on a Grand Tour podium for the first time in May, the team has a solid backup plan. There’s also excitement around young German rider Florian Lipowitz, who impressed in the Tour de Romandie and showed strong form at the Clasica San Sebastian. The roster is rounded out by Roger Adrià, Giovanni Aleotti, Nico Denz, and Patrick Gamper.

Selection Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe

Primoz Roglic
Daniel Felipe Martinez
Florian Lipowitz
Aleksandr Vlasov
Florian Gamper
Giovanni Aleotti
Nico Denz
Roger Adria