The first to bear the name Slovenia on the winners' podiums of the world’s greatest cycling races
Primož Roglič began his sporting career as a ski jumper and tasted the sweetness of victory as a junior. He was the junior team world vice-champion in 2006 in Kranj and one year later the junior world champion, but had to later abandon winter sports due to injury.
His passion for being active did not lie dormant for long, and young Roglič soon found new adrenaline-packed adventures. Today's extraordinary Slovenian road cycling achievements originated in his cycling ascents to Rogla and Zasavje Hills.
Competitions take him all over the world, but he always comes back to Slovenia. In his home country, he organises the traditional charity event Golden Lap under the Primož Roglič Foundation.
Roglič's inimitable achievements
Primož Roglič has many achievements that have gone down in the annals of Slovenian sports: he was the first Slovenian to win a 3-week race and the Giro d'Italia, and also the first Slovenian to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France.
Making it among the top cyclists
There are not many cyclists who would buy their first bike at the age of 22 and then three years later win the Tour of Slovenia cycling race (2015). Primož is certainly a unique sports phenomenon, who has set his sights on becoming an all-round cyclist. At first, he was only good at cycling up hills (there are many hills in Slovenia, making it a perfect practice ground), but later on became good at cycling on the flat, as well, training on the many cycling routes in the Dolenjska region.
He was spotted by scouts from the Dutch Team Jumbo-Visma, a UCI WorldTour team, which is still his team today. Wearing the distinctive yellow and black kit of Jumbo – Visma, he started to push the boundaries of Slovenian cycling and became the first Slovenian to win stages in the most prestigious cycling races in the world. By winning the 2019 Vuelta a España, he became the first Slovenian to win one of cycling's Grand Tours, the three major three-week cycling races (Tour de France, Giro and Vuelta). With two more victories, he has proven that the Vuelta was right up his alley and made history as the third cyclist to win a Spanish Ribbon for three consecutive years. The overall wins at the Spanish Vuelta are not the only victories from the big three races. At the 2023 Giro d'Italia, he seized the pink jersey as the overall race leader. He assured himself the victory before the finish in Rome after winning the penultimate, mountain stage at Višarje with the loud support from the Slovenian fans.
He also became the first Slovenian cyclist to win medals at both the UCI world championships and the Olympic Games.In September 2017, he won a silver medal in the time trial at the UCI World Championship in Bergen. After having to quit the 2021 Tour de France early due to injuries, at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, he "exploded" in the time trial and, after a remarkable performance, became the Olympic champion.
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