Roglič Reclaims the Slovenian Time Trial Title as UAE's Politt and Wellens Send a Pre-Barcelona Warning
Primož Roglič is back on top of the Slovenian time trial scene. The Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe leader reclaimed his national championship against the clock on Friday, beating Roman Ermakov and Jakob Omrzel — both of Bahrain Victorious — to add another tricolour to a palmarès that scarcely needs the embellishment.
The result was made all the more emphatic by the absence of his great compatriot. Tadej Pogačar, fresh from a dominant Tour de Suisse and saving himself for the Tour de France, sat the championship out, leaving Roglič to underline that, at 36, he remains one of the most complete stage-racers in the world heading into July.
It was a productive Friday for those targeting an early move at the Tour. The Grand Départ in Barcelona opens with a team time trial on 4 July, and the national championships offered a final read on the form of the specialists who will set the tone on that opening day. On current evidence, UAE Team Emirates-XRG look formidable.
In Germany, Nils Politt powered to another national time trial title for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, finishing clear of Max Walscheid and Jasha Sütterlin. Combined with Tim Wellens's near-miss at the Belgian championship — where the in-form Belgian was edged only narrowly by Alec Segaert — UAE arrive in Catalonia with multiple riders capable of driving a fast team effort.
That depth is precisely why rival teams will be watching the opening stage so warily. A strong team time trial can hand a GC leader a useful early cushion, and with Pogačar chasing a record-equalling fifth Tour title, anything that puts time into Jonas Vingegaard and the rest before the mountains even begin would be a significant advantage.
For Roglič, the immediate reward is a home title and the confidence of a clean, controlled effort. Whether Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe can replicate that individual sharpness collectively in Barcelona may shape the first week of the race — and determine how early the contenders are forced to show their hand.