Published October 24, 2026 10:18AM
The Primož Roglič saga keeps giving.
The Slovenian had a spectacular return to form this autumn, winning the European time trial championships and taking secondo overall in the Vuelta a España.
At the same time there has been plenty of rumblings about his future plans, with the 36 hinting he wanted to continue while also saying that Il Lombardia could be the final race of his career.
It was hard to tell if the suggestion of retirement was due to potential dissatisfaction with what he had been offered, or simply a way of raising the stakes.
Indicating he was prepared to walk away was a message to anyone dithering that time was ticking and terms must be decided.
That race was two weeks ago and since then the possibilities have, apparently, continued to grow.
The latest? Two more teams are apparently interested in the rider, including one which was probably not on anyone’s radar but, for that squad at least, could make a lot of sense.
Unibet Rose Rockets is the latest to be linked to Roglič, with team founder Bas Tietema telling Sporza at the Tour de France presentation that he would potentially be of interest.
“There are also still a number of riders on the market without a contract, but we don’t want to make hasty decisions,” he said.
Asked if there had been any contact with Roglič, he confirmed both a historical link and a more recent one.
“A long time ago, we did get in touch with Primoz through our videos,” he said.
“And when he had a bad fall at the Vuelta, we also got in touch. He was really searching for direction then.
“I think he’d be great for almost any team. But we just need to see if Roglič is realistic for us. And I think he still has to decide if he even wants to continue riding.”
Many teams, one decision
The squad is certainly of more modest stature than the others linked to the European champ.
Lotto-Intermarché, Tudor, XDS Astana, and Pinarello–Q36.5 are amongst those reported to have shown interest.
More recently his former team Visma-Lease a Bike has apparently been in touch, with Wielerflits reporting this week that several sources have confirmed talks between them.
Roglič spent eight full years with the team, finally leaving in 2023. His departure came after a Vuelta a España where he was forced to hold back and to allow teammate Sepp Kuss to win. He was a frustrated third, and headed to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe seeking sole leadership.
That in turn disappeared when Florian Lipowitz finished third in the 2025 Tour, and when the team signed Remco Evenepoel.
Visma-Lease a Bike still has Jonas Vingegaard on board, meaning any decision to rejoin would see he and Roglič needing to share top billing.
However Vingegaard will likely target the Tour de France, potentially handing Roglič the number one slot in the Vuelta and, possibly, the Giro d’Italia too.
At this point in time Roglič shares the record of most Vuelta wins with four titles. Signing again with the Dutch team could see him have very strong backing for a fifth Vuelta success, an ambition that could well keep him in the sport.
Unibet Rose Rockets wouldn’t have anything like the same manpower to support such a goal. However it would eagerly offer him top billing if it helped get the nod for the Tour de France.
With perhaps just one more year left in his legs, Roglič may ultimately opt for whoever makes him the biggest offer.
Would the Rockets have the financial clout for that? The budget would certainly need to increase but, on the plus side, signing a rider as good as Roglič would boost their chances of a Tour invite.
Being passed over this year was a disappointment; having one or more big names on the roster would be the best way to sidestep that problem next year.
‘Not time to go home yet’
Financial offers aside, there is one other factor which could make all the difference.
Some riders’ families get cold feet about them spending a lot of time on the road. Jonas Vinegaard’s wife, for example, has complained about long absences from home, including at multiple training camps.
Vingegaard contemplated retirement over the issue but was able to get Visma-Lease a Bike to relax a little on its demands.
For Roglič, there seems to be a clearer understanding back home about what is needed.
“I think it’s not time to go home yet,” his wife Lora told Slovenian publication Sportal this month
“I’m not ready for this moment, especially since it is so sudden,” she said, becoming visibly emotional when discussing his possible retirement.
“I hope it’s not that… I really wish this isn’t the last time we talk about it or that I have to look back.”
Asked if she wanted to see him continue to race, she suggested he himself wanted to.
“He’s not ready to go home yet,” she said, then joked about taking up a lot of sport herself. “What are we going to do now? I can’t run marathons.
“I think he’s not ready to go home yet, but we have to respect the decision he will make.”
It sounds like she is fully committed if he decides to go on.
Finding a team which is similarly dedicated to the project is what is needed now, particularly as there are fresh indications that he too wants to keep racing.
That’s according to Spanish newspaper AS, which reports that there will ‘soon’ be news about his future, and what it terms a new destiny.
It also reports that he has ‘the desire to continue and several offers to choose from.’
With team building camps already taking place in various countries, plus the time to knuckle back down to training again fast approaching, a decision is indeed likely in the days or weeks ahead.