Jumbo-Visma boss: Why would I consider letting Primož Roglič go?

Jumbo-Visma boss Richard Plugge has dismissed speculation that Primož Roglič could leave the team at the end of the year. The current Giro d’Italia champion has a contract with Jumbo-Visma until the end of 2025 but that hasn’t stopped the rumours, with links to Lidl-Trek and most recently Movistar reported in the European press.

At the Vuelta a España this week, Roglič stated that he was flattered with the links but that there wasn’t much to them. Plugge, however, who signed Roglič to the team before the rider’s Grand Tour winning streak began, took a more forceful stance.

Plugge denied that any team had approached Jumbo for discussions over Roglič’s future, and that, regardless of any interest, the team had no desire to let their 'king’ leave.

"There’s been no approach. Roglič is our king, as I’ve texted you in the past, and that’s still the case,” Plugge told GCN at the Vuelta a España.

"He has won every GC race he’s started this year apart from this one and he has won 15 races this year. Why would I consider letting him go?

"That’s a really difficult discussion but if teams are interested and there are rumours then maybe one day he is knocking on my door, but not yet. Roglič is our king and the king is difficult to let go.

"If you compare him to football, he’s a goal scorer who scores the most goals for our team, together with Jonas [Vingegaard]. If he leaves then we miss a lot of goals and we have to find someone who scores more goals and there’s not many people who can do that," Plugge added.

Read more: Primož Roglič to Lidl-Trek is a 'complete bullshit story' say Jumbo-Visma

Releasing Roglič early from his current deal would free up space at Jumbo-Visma when it comes to Grand Tour leadership, and allow younger riders to step up. Roglič is 34 in October and, due to his Giro success, could conceivably ask for a leadership spot at the Tour de France.

Such a request could irk double Tour winner Vingegaard but Plugge would not enter into a discussion of possible future scenarios. 

"We’ll see. We’ll see what the discussions will be and I can’t look forward or dive into things that might happen. We have to have the discussion and put it all on the table," he said.

“It was our challenge already and we have big stars in the team with also Wout van Aert, and Olav Kooij is winning more than 10 races this year. We’re used to it and we have to manage these stars.

"We’ve done it for a couple of years and it’s not a bigger issue this winter than it was before. We don’t see it as an issue because we ask what people want and we find the best plan for everyone.”