4 occasions Vuelta a España winner Roberto Heras has seen his total victory report equalled by Primoz Roglič on Sunday – however the now retired Spanish climber doesn’t rule out the Crimson Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe going one higher and conquering the Vuelta once more in 2025.
Roglič’s claimed his fourth Vuelta title this night, together with his wins in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024 matching Heras’ 4 triumphs in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Because of flip 35 on October 29, Roglič is the third oldest ever Grand Tour winner in historical past, after Chris Horner aged 41 years and 327 days within the 2013 Vuelta a España, and Firmin Lambot within the 1922 Tour de France aged 36 years and 130 days.
However Heras feels one other Vuelta victory is unquestionably inside Roglič’s attain in 2025, though he warns that if Tadej Pogačar and/or Jonas Vingegaard participate subsequent yr, will probably be a way more difficult process.
Intently following this yr’s race, Heras informed Cyclingnews that he couldn’t fail to be impressed by how Roglič had managed to show the race in his favour, even utilizing the breakaway by Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) on stage 6 to his benefit.
“It was a bit dangerous with O’Connor as a result of he was fourth within the Giro d’Italia and fourth within the Tour, and so they let him achieve an excessive amount of time. However Roglič confirmed that with out panicking he was capable of pull again the time on all of the completely different climbs after which declare the jersey again in Moncalvillo.”
“Possibly he wasn’t as sturdy as different years, however he raced very intelligently.”
As Heras factors out the breakaway with O’Connor gave the race a level of curiosity that maybe would have been missing had Roglič’s superiority been extra clearly established from the beginning.
“That helped preserve the strain since you by no means knew how a lot or how little time Roglič would be capable of pull again on every mountain stage, significantly as he wasn’t delivering actually dominating performances every day. Nothing may very well be taken without any consideration.”
“If he’d simply taken the lead on stage 4 after which held all of it the way in which to the end, it could have been way more predictable.”
Fairly other than Roglič’s personal efficiency, Heras was significantly impressed with how Crimson Bull had managed to play off one rival group towards one other, and because of this, didn’t have to make use of up an excessive amount of vitality too quickly within the race.
“In sure factors of a race, managing your group’s effort in a three-week race is as elementary as what the person leaders do and within the Vuelta this yr Bora didn’t should work from starting to finish, in order that was positively of their favour.”
“On the similar time, Bora had been all the time capable of hold assist riders with Roglič up till the final three or 4 kilometres on every climb, and that was one other signal of how properly they had been dealing with their race, too.”
As for whether or not Roglič may win a fifth Vuelta a España, Heras argues that “quite a bit, however not every little thing, is dependent upon whether or not Tadej Pogačar (UAE Staff Emirates) or Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) participate.”
“We all know proper now that each Pogačar and Vingegaard are hands-down favourites for Grand Excursions wherever they race, so clearly if they arrive to the Vuelta with the intention of profitable then it’d be quite a bit harder.”
“However after all, Roglič’d nonetheless have choices on the ultimate victory too even so. And there’s little question that in terms of Grand Tour racing, Roglič is aware of precisely how you can handle his effort and his restoration to have the ability to go for the win.”
“So sure, he may go for a fifth. With Pogačar and Vingegaard on the beginning line, it’d be quite a bit harder to take a victory, however even then you definitely positively couldn’t rule it out. In truth with Roglič, he’s received a lot class and willpower, that you just by no means can.”
Heras feels the identical state of affairs additionally applies within the Tour de France, that Vingegaard and Pogačar could be massively influential components on whether or not Roglič may go for a win, however once more, he says it’s “troublesome” however not inconceivable. Nor does Heras really feel that Roglič’s age is essentially an obstacle to choosing Vuelta victory quantity 5, given he began each driving a motorcycle and his skilled profession comparatively late.
In comparison with a lot youthful challengers, he argues, he nonetheless has comparatively little underlying put on and tear on his physique of racing at a excessive stage.
“It’s not simply bodily, but additionally psychological,” Heras factors out. “It’s true that as you grow old on paper the utmost stage at which you’ll be able to carry out ought to are likely to drop off, little by little. However the psychological facet of issues has an enormous impact on what you are able to do bodily and he’ll know what he can nonetheless go on to do in a three-week stage race subsequent yr.”
“He’s a tremendous rider with an enormous palmares from every kind of races from one-days to week-long stage races to Grand Excursions. I’m very proud to have the ability to share this report with him.”
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