Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) has reportedly told Slovenian radio he has no intention of going back on his comments about the controversial Vuelta a España stage 16 crash that saw him subsequently abandon the race.
In a lengthy discussion with Radio Slovenia Channel 2 (opens in new tab) station about his 2022 season, triple Vuelta a España winner Roglic was quoted by interviewer Igor Tominec as saying about the crash: “I still stand by my words.”
Roglic did not make it 100 per cent clear in the interview which “words” he was referring to, but his most high-profile public reference to the crash came in a press release for Jumbo-Visma where he roundly blamed British rider Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) for the fall.
At the time Roglič said: “The crash was not caused by a bad road or a lack of safety but by a rider’s behaviour.”
And in the Slovenian radio interview, responding to Tominec’s observation that he “reacted emotionally like never before after that last crash”, Roglič reportedly commented: “I was asking myself if it was necessary to say or write anything. But then in the end why always be silent?
“I just wanted to express that I want to race in an atmosphere of fair play. That was my point.
“I think I had to let it out,” he added. “It’s easier for me to return now. Otherwise I might not even want to get back in the peloton.”
After the crash, Wright later rejected any criticism, saying: “I think it’s unfair, the team and I have looked at the footage again tonight, and I honestly don’t believe I did anything wrong – it was just a racing incident.”
Roglič’s 2022 season was a rollercoaster, with overall victories in Paris-Nice and Critérium de Dauphiné, two races where the 33-year-old had previously crashed badly within sight of the final GC win. However, that was followed by a major fall in the Roubaix stage of the Tour de France. He broke two small bones in his back and much later abandoned the race because of his injuries, but only after providing top support for teammate and future winner Jonas Vingegaard through the Alps, most notably on the crunch stage to the Col du Granon.
Having decided to start the Vuelta a España on just one week’s training as he battled to recover from his Tour injuries, Jumbo-Visma claimed the opening team time trial, then Roglič himself snatched a first-week stage win at Laguardia and, briefly, the overall lead.
Although subsequently distanced by Remco Evenepoel (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl) on the climbs of…
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