Roglic Speaks: "I Appreciate Wearing the Jersey, but My Aim is to Secure It in Rome at the Final Stage"
Reasonably Candid, Slightly Mischievous Rouleur:
Y'know, a bloody second is all it took for Primož Roglič to land himself back in the pink jersey. The ol' Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe team captain didn't quite bag the Giro d'Italia 2025's stage two time trial win, but came damn close - 24 hundredths, to be specific, behind Young Gun Josh Tarling. To put it simply, Roglič nabbed the lead by the same friggin' margin he missed out on victory. Let's face it, if we're playing a game of centimeters, it's a flipping miracle he came out on top.
Now, expect Roglič to keep a lid on his excitement. He's not a fellow who gets starry-eyed over pink attire. "I'm chuffed, alright," he said, about donning the jersey once more. "No one's planning on this, mate. You dream about it, fight for it, and then - bam! It's yours."
Folks, if this doesn't scream "stone-coldcompetitor," I don't know what does. Roglič was pretty spat that the course wasn't his pick but, hey, what can you do? "It ain't no secret, I prefer whacky time trials," he said with a grin. "But, I'll take it, it was tough but worth it."
Pulling some strings backstage, Roglič got an inside peek from teammate Jan Tratnik while racing the 13.7km course. Tratnik filled Roglič in on some nifty wind tips at crucial points and highlighted key turns. And, just for good measure, Roglič hoisted a 68 chainring on his Wahoo. "It ain't rocket science, it's just more power, and I got it done," he explained. Fair enough, y'say?
So, did Roglič feel like giving Tarling a piece of his mind for a close call? Naah, he was more philosophical. "Everyone wants to bag the win, but I ain't gonna lose sleep over a second," Roglič shrugged. "I'm past the point where I stress over shit like this. I'm healthy, I'm in form, and I gave it my all. Can't ask for more."
As for the pink jersey potentially passing hands at the end of Sunday's undulating third stage, Roglič hinted that Mads Pedersen's chances are looking good. "It's a circuitous, tough stage, especially the climb towards the finish," Roglič warned. "Mads is in great shape, so they're gonna bust their humps for him. But, for us, it's business as usual. We wanna have the jersey in Rome."
So, there you have it. Roglič managed to snag the lead in an eyelash, and he ain't about to slack off any time soon. Get yer racing caps ready, folks, because there's more where that came from.
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Sports enthusiasts, mark your calendars for upcoming cycling races as Primož Roglič, the stone-cold competitor who currently wears the pink jersey in the Giro d'Italia 2025, is aiming to keep it until the race concludes in Rome. Despite his close call with Young Gun Josh Tarling in the second stage time trial, Roglič remains unfazed, reminding everyone that he's past the point of stressing over such minor setbacks and is focused on maintaining his health and form.
