Roglic and BORA-hansgrohe: The tale of "The Salad Story", ski jumping in Germany, copy-pasting Jumbo-Visma, and more

Mallorca, renowned as a haven for German retirees during winter, is also a popular spot for cyclists. While many cycling teams opt for the Spanish mainland in winter, BORA-hansgrohe stubbornly sticks to Mallorca. There, Primoz Roglic was introduced to the press for the first time on Wednesday, including the team from IDLProCycling.com.

"I'm happy to see you guys," that's the first thing the visibly cheerful Roglic, who after eight years at Jumbo-Visma has ventured to different pastures for the first (and perhaps last) time, wants to say. In the hour that follows, he speaks openly about what the year 2024 should bring for him, peppered with his signature phrases like: "Pfoah", "we will see", and "you never know". Yet he also dived into topics with zest, humorously quoting "Red Bull gives you wings" on certain topics.

Those who think Roglic has entered a completely different culture at BORA-hansgrohe are mistaken. "Of course, I did ski jumping, so in the winters, I spend a lot of time in Germany and the surrounding countries. But to say that I speak good German, would be a stretch", laughs the Slovenian, who has already changed the sports culture within his new team in one aspect: by reducing the number of salad varieties, or "The Salad Story" as a running gag within BORA-hansgrohe. Sports Director Rolf Aldag explained it enthusiastically, while Director Ralph Denk (currently in the United States) was unaware of it. But it certainly symbolizes the top sports mentality he brought with him.

Roglic wants to build trust with Tour team

One key message from the team stood out: 2024 is all about the Tour de France, and nothing else. This is the central focus. "I believe I can win the Tour. We have a clear goal, and it's the highest achievement, so it will demand a lot of work from us. We have to give our all every day, absolutely everything."

Roglic will be supported by a formidable team including Jai Hindley, Aleksandr Vlasov, Daniel Felipe Martínez, Matteo Sobrero, Danny van Poppel, Nico Denz, and possibly Lennard Kämna. "We need to get to know each other as well as possible. Everyone is new to me, and I won't have many racing days leading up to the Tour, so the high-altitude periods or the days I spend with them will be crucial," Roglic stated, who also had a say in forming this Tour team. "I was involved in the composition because we need a strong team across all terrains. But it's also about trust, as you need to have trust in your teammates in the Tour."

The preparation will consist solely of high-altitude training camps, significantly reducing the importance of races like Paris-Nice and the Dauphiné. Is this obsession too much, Primoz? "I don't see it that way. You can't take away the victories I already have. The Tour is still missing, so it's a logical step, but I see it as an honor to go for the Tour. It's the cherry on top."

Primoz Roglic has made a significant move, leaving the world's top team for one still in transition. However, with Red Bull's recent involvement, a swift momentum could be sparked. "For me, it's a big change, racing in different colors, with different guys and gear. It's a new challenge, but after so many years at Jumbo-Visma, it was a welcome step for me. We've already achieved our first goal, as Specialized has extended their partnership, which I'm really happy about since the equipment feels good."

Roglic is not keen on blindly copying Jumbo-Visma’s strategies

"It's an entirely new environment, literally everything is new," says Roglic, who doesn’t plan to replicate Jumbo-Visma’s tactics. "We're going for a different approach. After so many years at Jumbo, I knew everyone. This motivates me, we can grow together in a different way. Together, we want to write a beautiful story." The transition is eased by the fact that coach Marc Lamberts also made the move, a point everyone within the German outfit agrees on. "It's not just about training, he brings a lot of knowledge and information. This makes the transition easier, and I feel more at home with the team. I've been working with him for a long time, so I'm really happy about that."

"I don’t want to have regrets, that's how it is. I won’t be racing for ten more years, but I still have a few years left. You want to make the best of it, that's always the case. And now, I think this move is the best for that, though I am aware of what I've left behind," Roglic reflects on his decision to switch teams. "It's hard to pinpoint when I started feeling I had to leave. It had been building up for a while, but eventually, it became clear that our paths would diverge. That wasn’t the case in January 2023, but at some point, this opportunity came along. I saw that we shared the same goals, making it an easy decision to go for BORA-hansgrohe. I love challenges, but ultimately, you also leave a team that won all the grand tours."

"Whether I, as a BORA-hansgrohe rider, have an advantage because I know Jumbo-Visma... well, we'll see. They are currently the best team. Their guys in the Tour have shown they can win the race. For us, it's about seizing our opportunities," Roglic points out, not wanting to dwell too much on it. "It's not like I already know what I want to say to my teammates; it's more important to have fun together and be serious about our preparation for the Tour. We shouldn't make it more complicated than it is."

Jonas Vingegaard has two, Tadej Pogacar has two, and thus Roglic is at zero in terms of Tour de France victories. And that's what matters at the moment. "Jonas has very few weaknesses, but that doesn't change my goal: I have to finish ahead of him. Tadej doing the Giro-Tour double, I find that logical. He has won everything and can win everything, we all know that." But not in the upcoming season, if Roglic has his way. 'We will see, huh.'"