Primož Roglič forced to skip Liège-Bastogne-Liège through injury

Bora-Hansgrohe have been dealt a blow for the upcoming Ardennes Classics, with team leader Primož Roglič forced to skip both La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège next week.

The 34-year-old had been hoping to repeat his victory from 2020 in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and improve on his runner-up spot from La Flèche Wallonne three years ago, but his injuries from a crash in the recent Itzulia Basque Country have got the better of the Slovenian.

The Tour de France is the ultimate priority for Roglič and his German WorldTeam, and having only been able to remount his home trainer on Tuesday, the decision has been made to skip this year's Ardennes Classics.

"Primož was with us the whole week to treat his extensive wounds and his knee," said Bora-Hansgrohe head of performance Dan Lorang in a team statement.

"We want to give his body time to fully recover from these injuries, because our big goal is the Tour de France. That's why we've decided to focus on his training for the next week."

Read more: Injury update: Jay Vine walking, Vingegaard and Evenepoel operated upon

With the Critérium du Dauphiné in June the next race on Roglič's calendar, the Slovenian will return to training on the bike next week, allowing himself a few more days to recover from the injuries sustained in the Basque Country.

Roglič was among a host of riders who crashed out of the race on stage 4, with the likes of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) all included in a high-speed pile-up.

The 34-year-old was fortunate to walk away without requiring any serious medical attention but did suffer wounds that saw him covered in medical dressings on social media, whilst his right knee also took a battering. Prior to the crash, Roglič had been flying high in the leader's jersey, having won the opening day time trial in blistering fashion.

Read more: Itzulia Basque Country: Primož Roglič lays down marker with stage 1 ITT win

It was Roglič's first victory in Bora-Hansgrohe colours following his winter transfer from Jumbo-Visma, after a disappointing start at Paris-Nice in March. Prior to Friday's announcement, Bora-Hansgrohe team boss Ralph Denk had ruled out altering Roglič's calendar in search of race days.

"In modern cycling, you don’t need any stage races to prepare. Look to Mathieu van der Poel,” Denk told GCN. “I think we’ll stick to the plan and if we have to remove some races, then we’ll remove them."

As things stand, the Slovenian has completed 11 race days in 2024 and will only add a further eight at the Critérium du Dauphiné before the Tour de France begins in Florence on 29 June.

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