Some accidents slip under the radar, and that was the message Primoz Roglic aimed to convey after pulling himself from the Vuelta early this week. The Slovenian rider, who had suffered a fall near the finish of the Tomares section outside Seville, urged that no one should be immune to scrutiny. The Jumbo-Visma team leader called for a thorough investigation into the incident to understand its causes and to prevent a similar event in the future. A different rider, Fred Wright from Bahrain-Victorious, who also race from Monaco, faced questions about the sequence of events that led to Roglic’s crash and the subsequent risk to the race’s progression.
In Talavera, the penultimate sprint of the Vuelta saw a victory by a Danish rider, adding to an already dramatic edition of the race. The day before the mountains in Madrid, a route that featured multiple ascents through Navacerrada, Navafría, Canencia and La Morcuera, loomed as the decisive moment for the overall classification, with Remco Evenepoel leading and Enric Mas still running in second on the general table.
Roglic’s exit cast a shadow over the race and immediately sparked questions about the fall’s origin. Was it a slip, or an error by a fellow rider? Early footage and the rider’s own team communications did little to settle the debate. Roglic chose to speak up, casting doubt on the actions of a younger sprinter who is still establishing himself on the world stage.
During the broadcast, a comment from the televised coverage highlighted a celebrated moment from a past edition of the event—a stage win by Mads Pedersen for Trek-Segafredo, which had been highlighted in social media replays. The race continued with fan reactions and highlight reels circulating online, underscoring the enduring excitement surrounding La Vuelta.
Roglic later expressed that the accident was regrettable and unacceptable, stressing that it should not be treated casually. He questioned whether he would be able to compete again within the season after having already left the Tour de France in 2021 due to injuries sustained in a crash.
According to Roglic, the incident was not the result of a poor road or insufficient safety measures, but rather the action of another cyclist. He described a situation in which he lacked vision behind and could not anticipate the manoeuvre that would take his hands from the handlebars. In his account, the collision came from behind, leaving him to bear the impact of the other rider’s actions on the hectic finish. With five stages remaining, Roglic had not given up on challenging for the win and possibly extending his team’s presence at the table.
There was no clear visual consensus about what happened, prompting Jumbo to request a formal investigation by the governing authorities. The international cycling body was not shown to be actively re-watching the footage in a definitive way, partially due to ambiguous camera angles. The case also raises questions about how ride behavior could be judged in real time and what standards would apply if a formal review were conducted. Roglic remains a central figure in the sport, but his future in the race was unsettled as the competition moved toward its later stages.
Observers noted that the incident also represented a setback for Roglic’s team, which had enjoyed leadership stability throughout the season. With the looming Tour de France in the following year, where Jonas Vingegaard would presume leadership for Jumbo, the Slovenian rider faced a critical decision about his role within the squad. The outcome of Navacerrada and the subsequent stages would influence how the team navigates the rest of the season and plans for 2023.