Latest news with #BoraHansgrohe
The Independent
27-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Primoz Roglic abandons bid for second Giro d'Italia title after stage 16 crash
Primoz Roglic has abandoned the Giro d'Italia after a crash, ending his bid for a second corsa rosa trophy and potentially jeoparding his preparation for this summer's Tour de France. The Slovenian was the pre-race favourite but was 10th in the overall standings after a below-par first two weeks. The 35-year-old had struggled throughout the race after crashing during recon for stage 10's time trial and again on stage 14 when several riders came down, and withdrew after another crash in dismally wet conditions on stage 16. He crashed alongside 2019 champion Richard Carapaz with around 96km to go on the mountainous stage from Piazzola sul Brenta to San Valentino. TV cameras did not film the incident but TNT Sports' Adam Blyte, riding on the in-race motorbike, reported that the pair appeared to slide out on a roundabout and while Carapaz was swiftly back into the race, Roglic made his way to the team car and abandoned. Roglic's general classification bid appeared to essentially end on Sunday's stage 15, when he lost a minute and a half to current race leader Isaac del Toro as he was distanced on the day's climbs. He said at the start of stage 16 that he was 'fighting for survival', admitting that fighting for GC was not 'realistic anymore' and said that he had been unable to ride his bike on Monday's rest day. Roglic, who rides for Red Bull -Bora-Hansgrohe, won the race in 2023. His road career has often been hampered by crashes, including one in last year's Tour de France which forced him to abandon, and this Giro has been a similar story. The appalling weather conditions on stage 16 had earlier put paid to Josh Tarling's Giro, as the Ineos Grenadiers rider - who won stage two's time trial in Albania for his maiden Grand Tour victory - slid on the wet roads earlier on Tuesday and crashed into a barrier. The 21-year-old did not continue and his team said on social media that he was 'undergoing further assessment' with their medical staff. VF Group-Bardiani-CSF Faizane rider Alessio Martinelli also abandoned Tuesday's stage after a crash.
Irish Examiner
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Pogacar's absence from Giro d'Italia may offer breath of fresh air for competition
The 2025 Giro d'Italia may lack the star power of the Tour de France, but it is likely to make up for it with dynamic and unpredictable racing when it gets under way in Tirana on Friday. Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel, the top three riders in last year's Tour de France, are not racing, but the Giro will, as ever, throw up plentiful drama. Even so, this year's lineup has been characterised by some as a cast of Pogacar-avoidant wannabes, nearly men and fading champions that have travelled to Albania for the Grande Partenza. That's a little unfair on a quality field that includes the past Giro winners Primoz Roglic and his Bora Hansgrohe teammate Jai Hindley, the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz and a resurgent Egan Bernal, the Colombian climber leading Ineos Grenadiers. Yet it only serves to emphasise the dominance of the seemingly unstoppable Pogacar – who rather than defend his title, has opted to focus on July's Tour de France – that so much of the pre-race chat has been about the Slovenian's absence. Even the 2023 Giro champion, Roglic, when asked about his 2025 schedule said: 'I will choose the races where Tadej is not.' But total dominance, in any sport, can become predictable. Certainly, given his form, the absence of Pogacar will increase the ambition of many in the peloton. In that sense, the Giro may be a breath of fresh air. With the 35-year-old Roglic starting as favourite, thanks to a Grand Tour record that includes four wins in the Vuelta, this Giro will be volatile and unpredictable, as a plethora of riders see it as their best chance to succeed in a Grand Tour, while Pogacar is active. Roglic also sees the Giro as a chance to boost his morale, before another July showdown with compatriot Pogacar. Roglic's team manager, Rolf Aldag, said this spring: 'Do you go into the Tour with uncertainty, facing what seems to be an unbeatable Pogacar? Or do you arrive feeling ready, because you've already proven yourself?' For others, such as Tom Pidcock, it's an opportunity to be grabbed with both hands. The double Olympic champion, having left Ineos Grenadiers last winter for the more modest Q36.5 team, has re-established himself as one of road racing's hot talents. Even so, he has ruled himself out of overall contention. 'We're here to pick our moments,' he said of his debut appearance in the Italian race. His team, which qualified as a wildcard based on his early-season form, is largely happy just to be there. But Pidcock will already be eyeing the opening three stages on Albanian soil which include two days of punchy mid-length climbs sandwiching Saturday's short individual time trial, looping in and out of Tirana. 'Mainly I just want to race, get stuck in every day and enjoy racing the Giro,' Pidcock said. 'I think the opportunities will come if I do that. I have a good relationship with Italy and this is one of the races I've wanted to do.' While Roglic will be seeking to stamp his authority on the general classification, particularly in that early test against the clock, a clutch of others will also want to assert themselves. Perhaps the greatest threat comes from Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates stablemate Juan Ayuso. The Spaniard has never seemed entirely happy to race in Pogacar's shadow and revealed that he had hoped to lead his team in last year's Giro, a race that his team leader won by almost 10 minutes. The 22-year-old does not lack in ambition and has already said: 'It would be a disappointment not to finish in the top three, because I would consider that a step backwards.' Wout van Aert has been sick in recent days and ruled himself out of contending for the leader's maglia rosa. 'My preparation was not ideal,' he admitted, 'but we will see day by day, without big expectations.' Van Aert's teammate Simon Yates may be one of those able to threaten what on paper looks likely to be a Roglic-Ayuso duel. The pair have already gone head to head this season, in March's Volta a Catalunya, with Roglic snatching overall victory on the final day. Bernal, who won the Tour de France and Giro before his career was threatened by a horrific high-speed training crash in 2022, remains unsure if he can ever attain his past levels of performance. 'I don't know,' the Ineos Grenadiers leader said, 'but at least I'm still preparing myself for that. Every morning I get up, try to do my best. I'm still believing, battling every day. I enjoy cycling more now than when I was winning, so we will see.' Guardian
Reuters
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Favourite Roglic eyes becoming oldest Giro d'Italia winner
Cycling - Vuelta a Espana - Stage 19 - Logrono to Alto de Moncalvillo - Spain - September 6, 2024 Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe's Primoz Roglic celebrates on the podium while wearing the red jersey after taking the overall race lead by winning stage 19 REUTERS/Vincent West/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab Summary Slovenian favourite for 3,413 km trek from Albania Reigning champion Pogacar skips race to focus on Tour Spaniard Ayuso of UAE Team Emirates to challenge May 7 (Reuters) - Slovenia's Primoz Roglic sets out to become the oldest winner of the Giro d'Italia when the year's first Grand Tour begins its 3,413 km trek from Albania to Rome on Saturday. With reigning champion Tadej Pogacar focussing on the Tour de France, the door looks wide open for a host of riders seeking to wear the maglia rosa (pink jersey) on June 1. The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here. The absence of Slovenian Pogacar and Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard means 35-year-old Roglic will be favourite to regain the crown he won in 2023. Advertisement · Scroll to continue Backed by a strong Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team, including 2022 champion Jai Hindley of Australia, four-time Vuelta a Espana winner Roglic could surpass the record of Fiorenzo Magni who won the Giro, aged 34 and 180 days, in 1955. "We know how tough this Giro will be, and we're also aware that all eyes will be on Primoz," Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe chief of sport Rolf Aldag said. "That's why we're heading to the start in Albania with a strong, well-balanced team. Primoz is in great shape, and the group around him is well-rehearsed and gives us tactical depth." Roglic began the season in fine fashion by winning the Tour of Catalunya but with Hindley and also 2024 runner-up Dani Martinez in their starting list, Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe boast a three-pronged General Classification (GC) attack. Advertisement · Scroll to continue They will not have it all their own way though with several other teams featuring strong overall contenders. Young Spaniard Juan Ayuso leads the UAE Team Emirates challenge in the absence of Pogacar having won the week-long Tirreno-Adriatico this season and going toe-to-toe with Roglic in a fierce battle in Catalunya. The 22-year-old will be supported by a formidable team of domestiques and Britain's overall contender Adam Yates. "Between myself and Juan I think we should be able to have a good crack on the general classification and try to defend the title, and I'm looking forward to getting started in what I hope will be a very competitive three weeks," Yates said. While Ayuso seeks his maiden Grand Tour triumph, experienced trio Richard Carapaz, Mikel Landa and Egan Bernal cannot be ignored. Ad Break Coming Up NEXT Stay Next About Connatix V581206 1/1 00:00 Trump promises 'seamless experience' for 2026 World Cup visitors Skip Ad Continue watching Trump promises 'seamless experience' for 2026 World Cup visitors after the ad Visit Advertiser website GO TO PAGE Spaniard Landa, 35, has often sacrificed himself in the service of others but will be the main man in the Soudal–Quick–Step team. Ecuador's Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) has a Giro overall title and Olympic road gold on his palmares while Colombian Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) has looked close to the form that took him to the Giro title in 2021. Albania is hosting a Grand Tour for the first time with the first of three stages in the Balkan country being Saturday's hilly 160 km stage from Durazzo to Tirana before Sunday's short time trial around Tirana. After a third stage featuring the race's first climb to 1,000 metres, the Giro heads back across the Adriatic to Lecce before snaking its way up the country. The 108th edition of the race contains 52,000 metres of climbing - 10,000 more than last year - with two huge climbing days ahead of the Rome climax. Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Share X Facebook Linkedin Email Link Purchase Licensing Rights
News.com.au
07-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Roglic gunning for Giro as Pogacar's absence leaves door open
Primoz Roglic is hunting his sixth Grand Tour triumph at this year's Giro d'Italia and will have the chance to snatch the title from Tadej Pogacar with his superstar compatriot sitting out a gruelling three-week race. Despite being one of the best road cyclists of his generation, Roglic has been in the shadow of all-conquering Pogacar ever since being beaten by his fellow Slovenian to the 2020 Tour De France in gut-wrenching fashion. But the 35-year-old is a strong pick to claim the pink jersey for the second time as a Grand Tour specialist backed by a powerful Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team, which included 2022 winner Jai Hindley and last year's runner-up Dani Martínez. "The goal is just to reach my best shape. The results will be what they will be," said Roglic of his season back in February. "I don't know how fast all the other best guys will go, you know, but looking at myself, what I can strive for is to try to build myself into the best Primoz that there was... Inside I still feel 20." Roglic is gunning for both the Giro and the Tour this year, with the latter still a thorn in his side after giving up the chance of a lifetime on the penultimate stage five years ago. He looked in fine fettle when he won the Tour of Catalonia in March, pipping home favourite Juan Ayuso on the final stage in Barcelona. - Mountain challenge - Ayuso will be one of Roglic's key rivals on the Giro, the young Spaniard -- and Pogacar's teammate at UAE -- already a winner in Italy this season with success at the week-long Tirreno-Adriatico. But the challenge awaiting both at the Giro start line in Albanian town Durres on Friday will be far harder than anything else they have experienced this season. In total this year's Giro will feature 52,200 metres of climbing, over 10,000m more than the 2024 edition, over the 3,413 kilometres of riding towards Rome where the final stage will honour deceased Pope Francis with an unprecedented ride through the Vatican. Riders will depart Albania, where controversial Italian-run migrant processing centres became operational in October, following a difficult third stage which starts and finishes in Vlore, before riders snake their way up mainland Italy from Lecce in the deep south. Almost all of this year's extra 10km of climbing come in the two stages before the climax in Rome, with a punchy stage 19 testing riders with three category one climbs in the 166km between Biella and Champoluc. The penultimate stage 20 is the scene of the highest Colle delle Finistre climb which features 8km of gravel roads, before the peloton reaches Sestiere near Italy's alpine border with France. Heavy snowfall last month caused concern that the Colle delle Finistre climb would have to be removed from the race, but roads have been cleared and work is underway on making the climb safe for riders who will arrive there exhausted from a brutal final week. td/nr
