Primož Roglič sails to Tirreno-Adriatico victory

Slovenian starts season with Italian stage race win, reports Tom Davidson

- Tom Davidson

With a hat-trick of stage wins to his name, Jumbo-Visma’s Primož Roglič clinched the overall at last week’s Tirreno-Adriatico, shining in his first race of the season.

The Slovenian, who raced the first half of the week with unshaven legs, enjoyed imperious form throughout the Italian stage race, taking the leader’s jersey on the fifth day.

UAE Team Emirates’s João Almeida finished the race’s runner-up at 18 seconds, while 2020 Giro d’Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart rounded out the podium, 23 seconds down.

A surprise last-minute entry for Tirreno-Adriatico, Roglič had initially opted for a longer winter break to recover from bone graft surgery on his shoulder.