What next for Primož Roglič if Remco Evenepoel signs for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe?
The Slovenian might want a final transfer to guarantee Tour de France leadership in 2025
Following our breaking news that Remco Evenepoel had been handed a deadline to decide if he wanted to join Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe for 2025 the future of Primož Roglič quickly came under the spotlight.
The red-hot favourite to win the Vuelta a España only joined the German team less than 12 months ago and was seen as the final piece in the jigsaw as the squad aimed at the Tour de France. However, after another crash and Tour DNF, it didn’t take long for the Remco rumours to resurface.
The Belgian is younger, has time on his side, and finished third at the Tour to Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard on only his first attempt at the race. Evenepoel was a distant third, it must be said, but in terms of long-term value, he’s arguably a better bet than Roglič.
There’s a load of red tape around Evenepoel’s contract, however, the fact that there’s a deadline from Red Bull suggests that they are confident that they can cut through it, and should the transfer happen it’s impossible to imagine the Belgian sharing Tour leadership with Roglič during the Slovenian’s final year on the team.
So what should Roglič do if the transfer happens?
Stick it out at Red Bull and focus on a programme that centres on the Giro-Vuelta or try and ‘play the game’ and race the Tour alongside Evenepoel?
Or should the 34-year-old sit down with his current team management and ask for a contract annulment, as he did at Visma-Lease a Bike last year, and seek an alternative team? Several squads would covet a rider of Roglič’s quality and here are the best four in our eyes.