Primoz Roglic will race very few races this season

Primoz Roglic is currently competing in Tirreno-Adriatico, his first race of the 2026 season, but this does not mark the start of a busy racing period for the Slovenian. On the contrary: the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe rider will only participate in two other races in the coming months leading up to the Vuelta a España.

"I have decided this, albeit in consultation with others within the team," Roglic said in an interview with the Slovenian cycling site Peloton. "We have aligned the different programs. This is fine. I want to be home for a while. I have not been home for a long time. I want to spend some time with my family," he explained.

The 36-year-old stage racer will focus after Tirreno-Adriatico on the Tour of the Basque Country (April 6-11), a race he has already won twice during his successful career. Afterwards, Roglic sets his sights on another WorldTour stage race where he has great memories: the Tour de Romandie (April 28-May 3).

After the Tour de Romandie, a long, race-free period follows heading towards his main goal of 2026: the Vuelta a España. Roglic has already won the Vuelta in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2024, and this year he is fully focused on securing his fifth overall victory. In 2025, the Slovenian skipped the Vuelta and chose to ride the Giro d’Italia (DNF) and the Tour de France (8th). He will now pass on these races as well as the key preparation races for the Vuelta.

The Red Bull rider stated before the season that he wants to continue racing beyond 2026. The Slovenian is currently in his final contract year with the team but hopes to still be riding in the peloton in 2027. "I still have a lot of motivation and enjoyment in cycling," he said in December.