Primož Roglič claims 'misunderstanding' over summer racing gap but plays it coy on plans before Vuelta a España

TURIN, ITALY - MARCH 18: (L-R) Jefferson Alexander Cepeda of Ecuador and Team EF Education - EasyPost and Primoz Roglic of Slovenia and Team Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe attack during the 106th Milano-Torino 2026 a 174km one day race from Rho to Turin - Superga 670m / #UCIWT / on March 18, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images) — Primož Roglič leads a select group of favourites in the final kilometres of Milano-Torino (Image credit: Getty Images)

After opening his season with fifth place overall at Tirreno-Adriatico, Primož Roglič continued his solid start to 2026 with a podium spot at the one-day Milano-Torino on Wednesday.

The Slovenian veteran was beaten to the line atop the Superga climb in Turin by Tom Pidcock and Tobias Halland Johannessen, but still looked in good form amid a strong showing by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. The team had neo-pro Adrien Boichis on the attack solo in the final, while Giulio Pellizzari took fourth.

Roglič, 36, is in his third year with the team and will be targeting a fifth title at the Vuelta a España as the main goal of his season. Before that, there'll be appearances at Itzulia Basque Country and the Tour de Romandie, both of which he's won twice before.

But from May to the start of the Vuelta on August 22, there's a large gap in Roglič's season schedule.

In an interview with Slovenian radio station Vala 202 earlier this week, he seemed to confirm the plan. However, he appeared to hint that his plans are more malleable as he spoke to CyclingPro.net ahead of Milano-Torino.

"I don't know who – maybe it was a bit of a misunderstanding or something – but I mean I'm racing here two or three days after Tirreno. You have to go race by race or day by day. We'll see what the summer brings to us," he said.

To date, another Roglič appearance at the Giro d'Italia or Tour de France looked to be out of the question, with Pellizzari leading Red Bull in Italy and then Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz heading up the team in France.

Roglič didn't give anything away about his mid-season plans, but he may yet find something to fill that four-month racing gap.

"Now I do this and then later on some more races," he said. "It's easy. If you're good, it's no problem – you can always race or do your best. But if you're not, it's hard, so it depends on the level I'm capable of."

Primož Roglič - Interview at the start - Milano - Torino 2026 - YouTube

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Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor, later being hired full-time. Her favourite races include Strade Bianche, the Tour de France Femmes, Paris-Roubaix, and Tro-Bro Léon.