Roglic gunning for Giro d'Italia title as Pogacar's absence leaves door open

MILAN

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Primoz Roglic is hunting his sixth Grand Tour triumph at this year's Giro d'Italia and will have the chance to snatch the title from Tadej Pogacar with his superstar compatriot sitting out a gruelling three-week race.

Despite being one of the best road cyclists of his generation, Roglic has been in the shadow of all-conquering Pogacar ever since being beaten by his fellow Slovenian to the 2020 Tour De France in gut-wrenching fashion.

But the 35-year-old is a strong pick to claim the pink jersey for the second time as a Grand Tour specialist backed by a powerful Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team, which included 2022 winner Jai Hindley and last year's runner-up Dani Martínez.

"The goal is just to reach my best shape. The results will be what they will be," said Roglic of his season back in February.

"I don't know how fast all the other best guys will go, you know, but looking at myself, what I can strive for is to try to build myself into the best Primoz that there was... Inside I still feel 20."