Primoz Roglic Abandons the Vuelta

Primoz Roglic has missed the 17th stage of the Vuelta a España after crashing on Tuesday. The 32-year-old Slovenian, three times winner of the Spanish stage race, was severely affected by his injuries. Team Jumbo-Visma was unable to compete for the stage win in the hilly stage to Monasterio de Tentudía.

“Primoz was in a lot of pain last night”, Jumbo Visma sports director Addy Engels said about the crash’s consequences. “That is also why he did not appear at the start today. His medical scans this morning showed no fractures but did show several bruises and abrasions. Pain and his injuries prevented him from racing. It is tough for him and the team. Yesterday Primoz showed he was not yet done in this Vuelta. It’s also psychologically taxing. His world has fallen apart, but we know he’ll fight back. Fighting for the general classification is over, so we’ll aim to win stages.”

Chris Harper was disappointed with Roglic’s abandonment. “We came to the Vuelta to ride in support of Primoz. We were convinced we had a good chance to win. Primoz was extremely motivated to fight in the final stages. Unfortunately, crashes are a part of this sport. We must regroup and make the best of the coming days.”