Roglič’s Vuelta Start in Jeopardy: ‘Life is not the easiest sometimes, huh?’

By Monica Buck

The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe pro is facing a challenging recovery after sustaining a fracture in his lower back during a crash at the 2024 Tour de France. This injury has cast a shadow over his potential participation in the upcoming Vuelta a España.

The incident that led to Roglič’s withdrawal occurred during stage 12, which ended in a dramatic crash influenced by road divider that disrupted the peloton. This event saw Roglič and several others fall, significantly impacting their race standings and physical condition. Although he initially continued in the race, the severity of his injuries forced him to abandon the Tour before stage 13.

Roglič took to Instagram late Tuesday to communicate his situation and his ongoing recovery efforts. His post detailed the extent of his injuries and his current rehabilitation process:

“Life is not the easiest sometimes, huh? Further examinations after the TDF crash showed a nondisplaced lwk3 fracture of processus transversus in the lower back so last week I was recovering at Red Bull Athlete Performance Center, where they were taking the best care of me… I’m slowly getting back on bike and taking my time to recover and will see where this takes us… In these times I realized, once again, that I have the best fans in the world. Thank you!!! Hvala!! Thanks also to everyone involved @redbullborahansgrohe 🤗”

 

Zobrazit příspěvek na Instagramu

 

Příspěvek sdílený Primoz Roglic (@primozroglic)

 Despite the optimistic tone in his update, the severity of Roglič’s injuries has left his team and fans uncertain about his readiness for the Vuelta a España, which is scheduled to start on August 17.

Reports from Vuelta director Javier Guillén had suggested Roglič would again compete in the Vuelta a España, where he has won three times. However, Ralph Denk, the team manager for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, voiced his uncertainty regarding Roglič’s recovery timeline and Vuelta participation on the Inside Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe podcast:

“The director knows more than me. Primož is currently only training a bit on the indoor trainer, I don’t think it’s clear yet whether he will participate in the Vuelta. I’m sure the director would like to have him at the start, but I can’t confirm that yet.”

Roglič, a three-time winner of the Vuelta, is keen to return and compete. A fourth win would tie him with Roberto Heras for the most victories in the history of the Spanish Grand Tour. However, his immediate focus remains on recovery and careful preparation, leaving his fans and the cycling community hopeful yet watchful as the race approaches.