Home > News

After his Tirreno-Adriatico win, Primož Roglič made good on his promise to shave his legs

The Slovenin took a stage with some furry gams

Primoz Roglic on the podium at Tirreno-Adriatico Photo by: Team Jumbo–Visma
March 10, 2023
Share on SMS

Primož Roglič is back. And smooth as silk. His stage 4 win from Greccio to Tortoreto marked his first win since his stage victory at the 2022 Vuelta a España. The Slovenian’s off-season was spent with a long rehabilitation following shoulder surgery to fix recurring dislocations. His shoulder and arm were immobilized for two months and he then got back to work putting in the miles to get his form back.

The Jumbo-Visma rider also won the race with hairy legs, a rare sight to see in the pro peloton. Pro cyclists shave their legs for a few reasons. The first is for post-race or pre-race massage. If a soigneur is applying embrocation to some fuzzy quads, it’s not gonna be fun for either party. Same goes for the recovery rubdown. Snagging fingers on furry quads is not going to feel great for a rider trying to get ready for the next day. The other reason is to make it easier to apply bandages or dressings on wounds following a crash. Although most amateur cyclists probably don’t have their own personal soigneurs, many will shave for aesthetic reasons. A skintight jersey and shorts don’t exactly flow with hairy legs.

The sight of Roglič on the podium with fuzzy limbs was quite the sight. Turns out, he promised himself he’d only shave them after he won a race. And sure enough, on Friday’s stage 5, his legs were smooth and shaven. He even joked to journalists that had he ridden the time trial stage with shorn gams, he wouldn’t have lost a minute to Ganna.