Published January 17, 2022 08:06AM
Primož Roglič to decide on Vuelta a España defense after Tour de France
Jumbo-Visma officials confirm that the yellow jersey will be the central focus in the first half of the season for the 2020 Tour runner-up.
Primož Roglič and Jumbo-Visma celebrate a third-straight title at the Vuelta a España. (Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
Primož Roglič will decide if he will race for a record fourth straight Vuelta a España crown after he comes through the first half of the season, which is anchored by the Tour de France.
Jumbo-Visma officials reconfirmed Monday that Roglič will put the Tour at the center of his plans for 2022, and wait and see whether or not he returns to the Spanish grand tour that he’s won three consecutive times.
Last week, the Dutch powerhouse confirmed its 2022 Tour roster that already includes six confirmed names. Along with Roglič, there’s Jonas Vingegaard, Steven Kruijswijk, Sepp Kuss, Wout van Aert, and Rohan Dennis.
“The Tour is the biggest race in the world and the hardest to win, but we find it a fabulous challenge,” lead sport Merjin Zeeman said. “First, we have to get through the hectic opening week without any injuries.”
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Confirmation that Roglič is going to wait and see about the Vuelta shouldn’t be a complete surprise. The Vuelta’s start list typically fills out as the season unfolds. Who turns up is often based on injuries, illnesses, and other on-the-road disappointments and dynamics.
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Other top stars already committed to racing the 2022 Vuelta, including Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates), Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic), and Sergio Higuita (Bora-Hansgrohe).
The French daily L’Equipe reported that Roglič will make his season debut next month at a pair of one-days in the Rhone Valley at Faun-Ardèche Classic and the Drôme Classic in late February.
Roglič also said he will race Paris-Nice and Milano-Sanremo, which he will race for the first time since 2017. The Tour of the Basque Country, which he won in a dramatic raid last year against UAE Team Emirates, is also on the calendar ahead of the classics and a return to Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Roglič will also likely start the Critérium du Dauphiné between stints at altitude ahead of the Tour’s start on July 1.