Primoz Roglic’s season has officially come to an end. The Slovenian rider from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe competed last weekend in the EFGH Singapore Criterium but can now truly enjoy some vacation time. In an interview with Marca, the four-time Vuelta winner reflects on the past season, shares his hopes for the upcoming year, and discusses the arrival of new teammate Remco Evenepoel.
Although Roglic only managed to secure three wins last season—fewer than his usual tally since 2017—he looks back on 2025 with satisfaction. “I faced some problems and challenges that I had to overcome, so from that point on, it was a good season. The fact that I can still compete with some of the best cyclists in the world gives me a good feeling.”
Teammates Lipowitz and Evenepoel
While Roglic finished eighth in the overall classification of last year’s Tour de France, the 36-year-old Slovenian saw his younger teammate Florian Lipowitz surprise with a podium finish. The 25-year-old German came third behind Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar. Could he take another leap next year and compete with these big names?
“He was on the podium last year; he showed very good and solid progress. I think he stood on the podium in many WorldTour races. So of course, he can compete. But winning—that’s hard to say if he’s ready for that or not. It's a bit unrealistic to say that outright,” Roglic cautiously commented.
The Lipowitz-Roglic tandem at the 2024 Vuelta - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
“But he can definitely contend for another podium spot in the Tour. I don’t see why he couldn’t do it again.” Speaking of podium finishes: a year earlier, it wasn’t Lipowitz but Evenepoel who shared the Tour podium with Vingegaard and Pogacar. The Belgian will also ride next season alongside Roglic’s team.
“I think it’s great for the team to have him onboard. He has proven to be exceptional and has won many races, so I hope he can mean the same for our team next year,” the former Olympic time trial champion said about his successor’s arrival. “First, we need to be ready to be the best, and then I don’t care who wins.”
Race schedule
Last winter, Roglic hoped to participate in both the Tour de France and Vuelta a España. He still has unfinished business in France, while in Spain he wanted to fight for a fifth (record) overall victory. Unfortunately for the Slovenian, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe had different plans for their team leader in 2025.
Evenepoel and Roglic have often been rivals in the past - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
For example, the 2023 winner was sent back to the Giro d’Italia, after which he started the Tour alongside co-leader Lipowitz. His desired Tour-Vuelta double did not materialize. What about next year? “It’s hard to predict now where I will race next season. I need to take a break, think everything through carefully, and decide what I’m going to do next year.”
“But yes, it would be great to start the Vuelta. If I could choose to win the Vuelta, I would definitely do it, but that’s still a long way off. It’s not so simple, but it’s clearly a challenge,” Roglic admits.
And the Tour de France? “It’s much harder, but from a pro’s perspective, the Tour is the Tour. Every rider wants to be there, wants to do it. It’s the most important race of the year, so yes, it would be amazing to be part of it.”
