Primoz Roglic, a prominent contender for the Tour de France title, has withdrawn from the race before Friday’s 13th stage. The decision comes after two falls in the previous two days left Roglic with a bruised shoulder and significantly behind the race leader, Tadej Pogacar.
Roglic’s team, Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe, announced his withdrawal, stating that they are focusing on upcoming goals and wishing him a speedy recovery. This marks another setback for Roglic, who is known for his impressive Vuelta a Espana victories (three) and Giro d’Italia win. However, he is also remembered for a heartbreaking loss in the 2020 Tour de France, where a final-day time-trial meltdown cost him the title.
This year, Roglic had high hopes, especially after winning the warm-up Criterium du Dauphine in June. He even switched teams to Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe to pursue this goal. Yet, his recent crashes, including a tangled fall on Thursday, have derailed his ambitions.
With Roglic out of the picture, the focus now shifts to Pogacar, who is aiming for his third consecutive Tour de France victory. He is currently the clear frontrunner with a comfortable lead over his rivals, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel. Pogacar is also targeting a historic Giro-Tour double, a feat last achieved by Marco Pantani in 1998.
The remaining stages of the Tour de France promise exciting competition with Pogacar’s relentless attacks and Vingegaard’s strong challenge. The final stage, a 34km time-trial on the French Riviera coastline, will determine the ultimate winner of this prestigious cycling event.
