Primož Roglič has confirmed the Tour de France is not on his 2026 race schedule, but has told Cyclingnews he is currently not thinking about retiring at the end of the season.
Roglič made his season debut at this week's Tirreno-Adriatico, riding in support of Giulio Pellizzari and finishing fifth overall at 1:21. He seemed relaxed and on form all week but confirmed he has a minimalist race programme to Slovenian radio channel Vala 202.
He is scheduled to ride Itzulia Basque Country in the second week of April and then the Tour de Romandie alongside Florian Lipowitz and against Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), but then faces a long spell away from races before preparing for the Vuelta a España.
If all goes to plan, Pellizzari will target the Giro d'Italia and Remco Evenepoel and Lipowitz will lead Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe at the Tour de France.
"It’s okay, I’d like to be home for a while. I’ve been away for a long time. I’d like to spend some time with my family," Roglič told Vala 202.
"In the end, we all have to coordinate our programmes," he added.
"Every victory is good. You shouldn't stare at victories in the face. Winning the GC is certainly the biggest but if we win as a team, we can be proud and happy about it."
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) may believe he can be stronger at the 2026 Tour de France after riding the Giro d'Italia, but the biggest teams now accept that targeting any Grand Tour needs months of preparation, with a three-week block of altitude and other specific training.
Roglič will perhaps be ensconced up a mountain somewhere while the cycling world focuses on the Tour de France. His biggest goal of 2026 starts on August 22, for a record-breaking fifth victory at the Vuelta.
Roglič turned 36 last October and there is speculation that he may then decide to retire from the sport. However, he played down that idea when asked by Cyclingnews at Tirreno-Adriatico.
"Who knows what life brings us every day," he said.
"Anything can happen, we'll see uh? I'm not thinking about retirement yet."
Roglič seemed unhappy at the start of the 2025 Tour de France after several crashes hurt him and forced him out of the Giro. Yet he emerged to finish eighth overall, even targeting mountain stages in the final week.
"I take life day by day, happy that I'm still here and still riding my bike," Roglič told Cyclingnews during an exclusive interview at the end of the 2025 season.
"If I didn't care, then I would be on Bora, Bora island, not in Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe," he joked.
