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Primož Roglič hasn’t raced since he limped out of the Giro d’Italia last month, but the five-time grand tour winner is quietly plotting his return to the Tour de France.
The Red Bull–Bora-Hansgrohe leader is skipping the Tour de Suisse — one of the last big gaps in his glittering résumé — and instead hitting altitude in Tignes ahead of what could be his final run at the yellow jersey.
“Antibiotics done. Back to the mountains. Now gagagaga. Que sera, sera,” Roglič posted cryptically to social media this week.
While the big names were slugging it out at Critérium du Dauphiné, Roglič — the erstwhile member of the “Big 4” — is tuning his motor at altitude high in the French Alps.
At 35, Roglič will arrive in France as Tour’s ultimate wildcard.
He pulled out of the Giro in the final week after a series of crashing undermined his push for the pink jersey. Without racing before the Tour, Roglič could come in under-cooked or perhaps a touch fresher than his direct podium rivals. No one knows.
He remains the most decorated active grand tour rider outside of Chris Froome, with five major titles since 2019.
But he’s also become a racer of extremes: since his Giro debut podium in 2019, it’s been podium-or-bust — win big, hit the top 3, or crash out.
Tadej Pogacar takes high altitude camp in ⛰️ Isola 2000 before heading to Tour de France.
Primoz Roglic is preparing for Tour de France in ⛰️ Tignes.
Stephen Williams (I-PT) won’t take part in Tour de France due to knee issues.
— ammattipyöräily (@ammattipyoraily) June 16, 2025
Roglič will see solid backing at Red Bull.
Florian Lipowitz, the young German sensation who hit the final podium Sunday at the Critérium du Dauphiné alongside Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, is expected to make his Tour debut. Lipowitz insisted that if he goes he’ll be riding for Roglič.
Other Red Bull riders heading to the Tour include Aleks Vlasov, Jan Tratnik, and Dani Martinez, with the remainder of the squad confirmed after the Tour de Suisse.
Which version of Roglič will show up in Lille? After crashing out last year, Red Bull will be hoping for a podium miracle.
Uno-X leaves Kristoff at home in bid for stage win
Kristoff won’t be heading to the Tour de France with Uno-X Mobility. (Photo: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)
Uno-X Mobility is the first team to confirm its Tour de France line-up, with a squad of stage-hunters primed for breakaways and hunting an elusive maiden stage victory.
After near-misses in 2023 and 2024, the Norwegian ProTeam is doubling down for a stage win in what will be its third start in July’s big loop.
“This was the hardest selection we’ve ever made,” said general manager Thor Hushovd. “Some very strong riders miss out, and that says a lot about how far we’ve come as a team. Every year we raise the bar. We’re still chasing the big one: a Tour stage win.”
The big name missing is Alexander Kristoff, who had been eyeing a 12th career Tour start in what is expected to be his final season. The veteran sprinter — who boasts 97 pro victories with four Tour stage wins — is replaced by rising powerhouse Søren Wærenskjold, who’ll lead the fast finishes alongside young gun Stian Edvardsen Fredheim.
“Leaving out Alexander was incredibly tough,” Hushovd said. “He absolutely deserved a final Tour appearance. But this year, we’ve chosen Søren. He’s shown he can win sprints against the very best. This decision reflects the future of our team.”
The first Tour de France squad for this year’s race has been announced!
Uno-X Mobility first to the startline with the iconic Magnus Cort Nielsen, as well as Tobias Johannessen coming off a strong 5th at the Dauphine!
Tour de France | July 5-27 | Watch on SBS + @SBSOnDemand pic.twitter.com/ifvmvnr9wk
— SBS Sport (@SBSSportau) June 16, 2025
Every rider is Norwegian, except for veteran Magnus Cort from Denmark.
Three riders are set to make their Tour debut, including the twin Johannessen brothers. Anders punched his ticket with a breakout GC win at the Tour of Slovenia, while Tobias climbed to fifth overall at the Critérium du Dauphiné, the best GC finish by a Norwegian in the race’s history.
“We want to be in the mix every day,” said sports director Gabriel Rasch. “This team is built to ride aggressively – to shape the stages, not just follow wheels. We have riders for every scenario: breakaways, climbs, sprints. From stage one to the final day in Paris, we’ll be chasing results.”
Uno-X for the 2025 Tour de France
Jonas Abrahamsen
Magnus Cort
Stian Edvardsen Fredheim (TDF debut)
Markus Hoelgaard (TDF debut)
Tobias Halland Johannessen
Anders Halland Johannessen (TDF debut)
Andreas Leknessund
Søren Wærenskjold