Roberto, how did you find La Vuelta this year?
Ben O’Connor’s escape on the day of Yunquera put him in the lead by a wide margin and the truth is that he gave a lot of game. Primoz Roglic might have sentenced La Vuelta earlier, but O’Connor’s escape kept the race level of excitement.
Did you like the journey of this edition?
The routes that are done in the grand tours are now more attractive than when I ran, because they don’t have as many kilometers of time trials as before, and they are great for a runner like Roglic and there are more that dispute, although there is Pogacar sentence anywhere. Since there is no such long time trial, the general classification is more equal, if no rider wins anywhere, as I told you about the case of Pogacar. And this way there is more excitement in the race, with many high finishes too.
Sometimes the mid-mountain stages provide more game than the high mountains.
Well, that also depends on the race. It is true that if we go to the Tour, the stages for example in the middle area we have experienced great battles.
Are you one of those who think that Roglic this year is not as strong as other years?
What has been seen is that the best has not been defeated at the height of another season, but it showed that he finished the race well and in Moncalvillo he gave an exhibition. The fact that they let Ben O’Connor be the leader for so many days is a risky bet as he is a cyclist who finished 4th in the Giro, but then Roglic’s team will have to work less than if he led the race from the first week. On the other hand, we also saw that Roglic has a really good team around him.
In this Vuelta we saw a more offensive Enric Mas, do you think he can fight head-to-head with Roglic in the general classification?
He has changed…, but much better than Roglic has not been, in some stages of the same, worse to beat La Vuelta at any time. Then, both Mas’s team and himself knew exactly what their forces were at all times, and it was difficult to give an opinion on the strategy they followed. Only they know why they ran the way they did.
Are there any cyclists in particular that caught your eye?
I’ve really taken a liking to young Catalan cyclist Roger Adrià lately. I loved the work he did for Primoz Roglic and in the last episodes he was very nice by his leader’s side, with him almost to the end. I liked it a lot and also because he was young.
And this year he equals Roglic for first place on the La Vuelta record with four wins.
It’s an honor that a great runner like Roglic equals me at the top of the La Vuelta record. It’s good that a cyclist like Roglic, with the track record he has, is equal to you in terms of La Vuelta wins.
What do you like most about Primoz Roglic?
Roglic is very good at everything. He is a very regular rider, that when he has a bad day he usually saves it well and is very complete in all terrains, in time trial, in climbing… He has won of a Giro and was about to win. in the Tour from France.
Can he surpass him next year and stay on top of the La Vuelta record with five wins?
It depends on your rivals next year. If Pogacar or Vingegaard come in 2025, they will be the favourites, but Roglic is a rider who if he comes to La Vuelta next year he will definitely be in it.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
