Those who are absent are always wrong, but who knows why they always end up in conversations. Primoz Roglic wins the fourth Vuelta Espana without having who knows what opponents in front of youHis path to the throne of Madrid is the same as the first three times: falls or defeats at the Tour and then redemption in SpainRoglic had Pogacar's level for years, at least until the latter climbed the ladder that Primoz will never be able to reach. For this reason, It was written that, if he returned to his best, he would have won the red jersey.
Behind him they place themselves Ben O'Connor, whose best result so far was fourth place in the 2021 Tour. And then Enric Mas Nicolau, who has finished second in the Vuelta for three years and now we will have to ask ourselves whether persistence wins or whether this is his definitive dimension.
Falls and redemptions, the first
The first in 2019. He finished third in the Giro d'Italia won by Carapaz over Nibali, which he had achieved by winning the Tirreno-Adriatico and the Romandie. He had started by taking the pink jersey in the Bologna time trial, then lost his way in a squabble with Nibali and finished third. He arrived in Spain with only the national championship in between, he won the red jersey in the Pau time trial on the tenth stage and wore it to the end, leaving behind Valverde and a young compatriot who was spoken of highly: Tadej Pogacar.
The second in 2020
The second in 2020, after that same cheeky kid ruined his Tour dream. Roglic held the yellow jersey for eleven stages and lost it in the infamous time trial at La Planche des Belles FillesThat day the stars misaligned and hurled him into the dust. Recovering was hard, but Primoz found the strength in some lost corner of his mind. He went to Spain, took the jersey on the first day, let it go for four stages and he took the second red jersey, preceding Carapaz and Carthy.
The third in 2021
The third the following year, when he withdrew from the Tour after a crash in the Tignes stage. He rolled up his sleeves, went to Spain, and took the jersey on the first day. He spent most of the Vuelta in third place, leaving the task of control to Intermarché. Finally He got it back by winning the stage to Lagos de Covadonga, with four stages to go and also winning the final time trial in Santiago de Compostela.
The fourth one just today
The perfect mechanism jammed the following year. He withdrew from the Tour after a crash after helping Vingegaard beat Pogacar and also crashed at the VueltaHe rode an unlikely sprint in the Tomares stage, when it was clear he had the legs to overtake Evenepoel, who thus he won his first Grand Tour. Last year, finally, He won the Giro d'Italia and when he arrived in Spain he found his teammates on his wayHe had to give in to the decision to let Kuss win, leaving second place to Vingegaard.
A business between Slovenians
This year was supposed to be the year of the decisive and resolute assault on the Tour. The move to Bora-Hansgrohe, which in the meantime has become Red Bull-Bora-HansgroheHis meticulous preparation and narrow escape from the Tour of the Basque Country. And when at the Tour it seemed that, despite being behind, he could at least fight for the podium, the fall towards Villeneuve on the Lot, caused by Lutsenko and by a position too far back in the group, relaunched him towards the Vuelta anywayThree years after his last victory and with 35 candles to blow out in October. In the same season, moreover, in which Pogacar won the Giro and the Tour: Slovenia continues to lead the way.
«It's nice – says Roglic – to have the record for the most victories in the VueltaI wanted to finish today. It was tough, but everything went well and I'm happy. I saw Kung's performance. We all know he's strong in this type of flat time trial. However, I tried to motivate myself to try, otherwise it would have been even tougher. I pushed and I couldn't do it, so I want to congratulate him, because he did a great job.Kung was incredibly strong today. I'm speechless, it's incredible that Slovenia won all three Grand Tours in 2024. There are a lot of sacrifices to be made, and not just me. My family, the people around me, we all sacrifice ourselvesAnd I'm happy I made it, making all the sacrifices worthwhile. I really appreciate the support I received. They've already asked me if I'll win the fifth, but let's say that for now four can be enough».
Kung Fu's premiere
Stefan Kung is thirty years old and has been a professional since 2015. Yet, even though he won Europeans and national titles, he had never won time trials in the Grand ToursToday that gap was closed and that's why the Swiss's smile was second perhaps only to Roglic's.
"It's incredible," says Kung. I've been fighting to win a stage of a Grand Tour for a long timeI really wanted the win today, and I knew that with this route you had to give it your all and hold on until the end. That's what I did. I suffered a lot, but I think it was the same for everyone. It took a long time, but it's always nice if you win by more than half a minute.. It shows that you were absolutely the best, it was not a coincidence. It's really beautiful and it repays all the work we have done as a team, also to develop the new bike with Wilier.
«I always try to be 100 percent professional. I always try to get the most out of myself. And when you win, it's a great feeling.There are many great time trials still to come and winning today will give me the confidence to stay on track. I think the Vuelta was the best possible preparation for the European Championships and the World Championships in Zurich., which will be very tough."
