‘We haven’t had a fantastic evening together yet’ - Roglic on meeting Evenepoel

With so many potential leaders on its roster for 2026, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe faces what some would call a selection headache. Roglič, though, prefers to see it as an opportunity.

“The challenge isn’t really about how we work together, but rather about how we can win a Grand Tour,” the Slovenian tells La Dernière Heure.

Roglič is well aware of the scale of the task ahead. “When you look at the steps UAE are taking, we have to think about how to beat them,” he says. The Austrian-German squad will not only rely on Evenepoel’s arrival but also on rising talent Florian Lipowitz to close the gap to cycling’s dominant forces.

The first contact between Roglič and Evenepoel came during a short meet-up in October. “We saw each other, we chatted a bit, but it wasn’t a long talk. Those days are always busy and time is limited,” Roglič recalls. “I think that will change during our first training camp in December.”

For now, he says, it’s too early to judge. “It would not be fair to form an opinion based on that first meeting. He’s a good guy, but we haven’t had a fantastic evening together yet,” he laughs, the familiar dry humour breaking through.

What stands out to Roglič is the Belgian’s drive. “I can feel that he is very enthusiastic about joining us. He’s still young but has already won a lot of races, and he has an approach that explains that success.” 

Despite his reserved nature, Roglič says he wants to pass on what he’s learned. “I’m quite a private person by nature, but given my position and my background, I believe it’s my responsibility to take on some leadership off the bike as well.”

Roglič also downplays any talk of uncertainty about his future, stressing that he never considered leaving. “My contract still had a year to run, and I really don’t know where those rumours came from,” Roglič explains. “Nobody had ever asked me directly, so I’m happy to be clear about it now. The best way to verify a rumour is usually to ask the person involved, right?”

He knows his role might evolve, but his influence within the team will not fade easily. “I may not be the most talkative guy, I often prefer actions over words,” he says. “Some riders observe how I work and take inspiration from it, while others maybe don’t notice. It depends on the person and whether they want to learn or not.”