At the end of his career, Primoz Roglic may buy a house in Laruns.
Two years ago, 48 hours before finishing fourth overall in Paris, it was here that he won his second stage victory in the Tour after opening his counter in 2017 at Serre Chevalier.
This Sunday, it is at the same place that the world number 1, still victorious on Tuesday at Orcières-Merlette, became the first Slovenian rider to wear the yellow tunic.
“It's a great pride to wear this jersey.
Everyone dreams of having this honor at least once in their life, ”slips Roglic, more at ease in the collars than in the shattering and original statements.
It was all written.
Since the start from Nice, the last winner of the Vuelta is THE favorite of the Tour.
The question was not whether he was going to wear the yellow jersey, but rather: when?
Until then, he had left Alaphilippe and Yates to take the light and his teammate Wout Van Aert, double stage winner at Privas and Lavaur, to print the yellow mark - the color of his overpowered team - on the race.
🏆💛 Slovenians at the party, 😢 a cruel final for @MarcHirschi before the day off.
⏪ Back in 1 'on this second stage in the Pyrenees. # TDF2020 #TDFunited pic.twitter.com/ueM2GWMT8O
- Tour de France ™ (@LeTour) September 6, 2020
From now on, he is no longer hiding: “Nothing special was scheduled, continues the new boss of the peloton.
We wanted to make the race difficult and the team did a great job.
This jersey is also for her whole.
"
Is Roglic capable of holding out as far as Paris, and who can prevent him?
Apart from the specter of Covid, two names stand out: Egan Bernal, the outgoing winner, and a compatriot, Tadej Pogacar, who preceded him on the line at Laruns.
"Are you asking me if Bernal is the most dangerous?"
asks Roglic, 30.
Currently, it is Pogacar who is the strongest.
No one is faster than him but there are still a lot of race days and a lot can happen.
"
Roglic announced his victory in ... 2015
Slovenia, this small country of 2 million inhabitants, allows itself the luxury of sheltering the yellow jersey, the world number 1 (Roglic) and the star announced in the pelotons in the coming years: Pogacar, 21 years old.
Astonishing.
Like the fate of Primoz Roglic, former junior world champion in… ski jumping, late converting to cycling, at the age of 22.
The first day he arrived in the ranks of the Jumbo Visma, the boy, full of nerve, had launched during his job interview: “I will win the Tour de France in the next five years.
»He took this oral examination at the end of 2015!
Since then, he has not changed his goal one iota: "I have a goal, a mission: to bring the yellow jersey to Paris," he confirms today.