Primoz Roglic / Image: APA / AFP / TIM DE WAELE
Primoz Roglic, who was handicapped by fall injuries, dropped out of the Tour de France on the Sunday before the ninth section. The day before, the Slovenian had only reached the finish line on the first Alpine stage more than half an hour after his compatriot Tadej Pogacar slipped into his yellow jersey. The 31-year-old co-favorite had been slowed down by multiple wounds since a fall on the third day.
The Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, who wore the yellow jersey five days after his stage win a week ago, was also no longer at the start on Sunday. On the first mountain stage, the classic specialist had fallen far behind. The 26-year-old had announced his departure in advance of the tour in order to prepare for his Olympic start in mountain biking.
Roglic, however, had to throw in the towel, injured. “It makes no sense to continue driving. I was in great pain. I'm disappointed. I didn't plan it that way, but I have to accept it,” said Roglic. The Vuelta winner from the Jumbo team was considered a contender for victory after a convincing season, but now he had to give up with severe pain on his tailbone as well as bruises and abrasions all over his body. “After a few days I realized that it wasn't going anywhere. A difficult tour is currently too much for my body,” explained Roglic and announced that he would set new goals.
Falls have already deprived the former ski jumper of possible victories several times. This year he had already fallen at Paris-Nice, at the Giro d'Italia 2019 he had lost valuable time due to a crash before the royal stage.
On the tour, however, after several mass falls in the first few days, he is only one of numerous fall victims. For example, ex-tour winner Geraint Thomas struggles with pain after a shoulder dislocation. “The fall cost more morale than I thought. It's hard, hard for the head,” reported Thomas. The four-time tour champion Chris Froome, who, unlike Roglic and Thomas, was not one of the favorites, also torments himself day after day after a fall. The Austrians Patrick Konrad, Michael Gogl and Lukas Pöstlberger have already gone down.
