Roglic Hints That Teammates Ignored Orders And Abandoned Him On Stage 19 – ‘I WILL NOT SAY THEIR NAMES, BUT I SURVIVED’

Primož Roglič Says Teammates Ignored Orders During Vuelta a España Stage 19  And Abandoned Him- ‘I Won’t Name Names’

Primož Roglič’s commanding solo victory on Stage 19 of the Vuelta a España not only earned him the red leader’s jersey but also brought to light some potential internal tensions within the Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe team. Roglič hinted in a post-race interview that his teammates had ignored his instructions to take a more conservative approach, which forced him to adjust his tactics mid-race. “I won’t name names,” Roglič stated after claiming his 40th career red jersey at a Grand Tour, alluding to the friction within the squad.

Stage 19 was supposed to be a strategic day for Roglič, who had previously expressed that he didn’t need to go all out for the stage victory. Yet, the Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe team appeared to have other plans, as they rode aggressively from the start, keeping a tight grip on the breakaway. Roglič’s teammates, notably Dani Martinez and Aleksandr Vlasov, ramped up the pace on the final ascent to Alto de Moncalvillo, setting up Roglič for a decisive solo attack.

Despite the internal disagreements, Roglič eventually followed his team’s momentum, launching a race-winning move with 5 kilometers remaining on the steep climb. Vlasov had dropped Roglič off at the perfect moment, allowing the Slovenian to ride away from his competitors and seize control of the general classification. Roglič finished 51 seconds ahead of the runner-up and gained a crucial 1 minute and 49 seconds over his closest rival, Ben O’Connor.

In his post-race comments, Roglič was candid about the internal dynamics within his team, suggesting that some riders had defied his call for a more measured approach. “I said I didn’t need the stage,” Roglič revealed, shaking his head in disbelief. “But some guys decided, ‘We don’t listen, we push,’ and there was nothing else to do. In the end, I had to make a call, and I said, ‘Okay, at least we have to be united on this.’ So, we went for it.”

While the victory put Roglič in the red jersey and gave him a significant lead in the general classification, he was quick to emphasize that the race was far from over. “We always say, ‘Queen stage to come’… It’s going to be super hard. And we still have the final time trial in Madrid, which will be decisive for the GC. So, it’s not done yet,” Roglič warned, acknowledging the tough challenges ahead in the remaining stages.

The time gap Roglič managed to build over his rivals was unexpected, even for him. “I was [almost] five minutes behind at one point, so I’m happy with how I’m performing now. And I’m definitely happy with the guys,” Roglič said, trying to strike a positive note despite the earlier friction.

Roglič’s main rival, Ben O’Connor of Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale, now sits 1 minute and 54 seconds behind in the general classification, while Enric Mas (Movistar) is third, trailing by 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Richard Carapaz (EF Education–EasyPost) rounds out the top four, 2 minutes and 54 seconds behind Roglič. With the queen stage looming on Saturday, featuring a punishing 5,000 meters of vertical gain spread across seven categorized climbs, Roglič’s caution about the upcoming days was well-founded.

Eurosport expert and former Olympic champion Dani Rowe commented on the situation, expressing surprise that Roglič’s team hadn’t followed his initial strategy. “It’s crazy. If he’s the leader going for the red jersey, the team should listen to exactly what he wants to do,” Rowe remarked on *The Breakaway*. Adam Blythe, another cycling analyst, added, “It sounded like his team wanted to ride harder than he did for the stage win, but they went ahead with their plan anyway. Roglič had to get on board with what they wanted.”

Despite the unexpected change in tactics, the outcome of Stage 19 has placed Roglič in a commanding position to secure his fourth Vuelta title, having overturned an almost five-minute deficit earlier in the race. Roglič will now roll out on Saturday in the 40th red jersey of his illustrious career, but with two challenging days still ahead, the battle for the overall victory is far from over.