Did Primož Roglič just win his last race for Jumbo-Visma?
Slovenian announces he's moving on, promptly earns Giro dell'Emilia hat trick
On the day that both Primož Roglič and his Jumbo-Visma team acknowledged that the mighty Slovenian will be moving teams in 2024, the four-time Grand Tour titlist took Saturday’s 106th edition of the 1.Pro-rated Giro dell’Emilia, one of the warmup races of next Saturday’s Il Lombardia. It was his first one-day victory of the season after a Giro d’Italia triumph and three other stage race wins. Michael Woods, who has been on the Giro dell’Emilia podium twice, came fifth.
The Course
The first 75 km of the 204 km Giro dell’Emilia were flat. The Samone climb led to the higher ground. Monte Nonascoso just past the midway point was probably the hardest climb of the day. Once the riders ascended 2.1-km, 9.3 percent San Luca for the first time, they were in the Bologna circuits. They’d climb San Luca and Monte “Lou” Albano four times after that and finish atop San Luca.
We're kicking off our Italian block of racing with the 106th edition of the Giro dell'Emilia:
📍 Carpi ➡️ San Luca
🚩 Start 11:40
🏁 Finish ca. 16:45
🛣️ 204km pic.twitter.com/fbS0n7rRwf— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) September 30, 2023
It would be one of the last races that two-time winner Primož Roglič would ride for Jumbo-Visma. He is leaving the team for 2024, his destination yet to be announced.
After a memorable ride together, Team Jumbo-Visma grant Primoz Roglic the opportunity to pursue his ambitions elsewhere in the future. First, all focus will be on the upcoming Italian races. Gremo! 💪 pic.twitter.com/bIWc0Q5tjU
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) September 30, 2023
Eight breakaway riders went clear in the early flat ground and had a 2:00 gap by the time it assailed Samone. After descending Monte Nonascoso, there were only two Italian fugitives left out front with 50-seconds over the UAE-Emirates-led peloton.
The catch
With 41 km remaining and San Luca 1 looming, the escapees were caught. The peloton galloped towards the circuits. A rider from Continental side GW Shimano-Sidermec skipped away when the grades kicked up. Other riders took up the cause, and Quentin Pacher and Chris Harper would be the ones who tipped over, crossing the finish line for the first time. By the time the duo started descended off Monte Albano, it had rolled up a 25-second lead.
On San Luca 2, UAE-Emirates continued to pull the pack. Harper shook loose of Pacher. Various Italians tried to bridge. Harper had 30 seconds with three laps to go, Fausto Masnada in the gap.
The penultimate haul up San Luca 3 would prove to be lethal for Harper’s bid. Tour de France podium man Adam Yates wound it up for Tour runner-up Tadej Pogačar. By the top when they heard the bell, about 10 riders were left in the favourites group including Roglič and Michael Woods. Simon Yates and Woods lagged a bit on the descent.
The Final Lap
There was no danger of the nontet getting caught from behind on the last circuit. They’d fight it out for the flowers and prosecco. Alexandr Vlasov made the first acceleration on San Luca. Adam Yates shut him down. Woods went on the left, but Pogačar responded. Richard Carapaz, Roglič and Enric Mas could hang, but Woods could not. Vlasov made it up to them to make a quintet. Woods and Simon Yates joined in again.
Roglič wound it up from the left hand side with about 300 meters to go, and no one could bring him back. Tadej Pogačar was runner-up and Simon Yates rounded out the podium.
106th Giro dell’Emilia
1) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) 4:49:00
2) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) s.t.
3) Simon Yates (Great Britain/Jayco-AlUla) s.t.
5) Michael Woods (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) s.t.
