One of the strong images of the eventful 3rd stage of the Tour, Monday between Lorient and Pontivy, has already made the rounds.
We see Primoz Roglic, 2nd last year, his outfit torn and his shoulder torn off, staring into space and wondering what just happened to him.
A fall, quite simply, ten kilometers from the finish.
One of the many that characterize the start of this 108th edition.
The Slovenian runner has apparently regained his smile.
On his social networks, we see the leader of the Jumbo-Visma lying on a treatment table, bandaged everywhere like an Egyptian mummy.
“The situation is far from being good,” he says in passing.
But I am smiling, reading all the good wishes and positive thoughts sent to me.
The mummy will be at the start today and will see how it goes… Thank you!
"
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A post shared by Primoz Roglic (@primozroglic)
A good sign, therefore, while the Tour de France moves this Tuesday between Redon and Fougères, for the 20th in the general classification, which points at 1′35 ′ 'from the leader, the Belgian Mathieu Van der Poel, and at 1 ′ 27 ′ 'by Julian Alaphilippe.
“Nothing is broken, he breathed yesterday after the stage.
I am completely open, but I can continue.
His chances of reaching the Champs-Elysées in yellow have nevertheless clearly diminished.
In his sports career, the 31-year-old native of Trbovlje has been unlucky several times.
While doing ski jumping (high level, stopped in 2011), Roglic broke his nose and suffered a concussion.
Since switching from boards to cycling, he has experienced two major backlashes, in addition to that of Monday.
Strangely, the first only intervened last year. On the road to the Criterium du Dauphiné, just before the Grande Boucle, he fell during the penultimate stage while wearing the leader's jersey, then retired. During Paris-Nice, at the beginning of March, it was not one but two falls in which he was involved on the last day. Victim of a dislocated left shoulder, he says stop again ... as victory stretches out his arms to him.