Inside Training with Primož Roglič
Inside Training with Primož Roglič
fizik

When the 2020 road racing season finally kicks of this fall, it will almost certainly look quite different than in years past. As riders prepare in the runup to the first races, training has also taken on a different form, with group rides in the great outdoors swapped for solo spins inside and training camps traded for time at home with family.

To find out more, we spoke with Primož Roglič, last year’s Vuelta winner and the first Slovenian to claim Grand Tour victory, to ask how he’s been staying physically and mentally fit as well as what training means without his fellow Jumbo-Visma teammates.

First off, can you introduce yourself?

I’m Primož Roglic. I’m 30 years old and Slovenian.

Where have you spent this period of global quarantine? Can you tell us a bit about where you live?

I spent the whole lockdown at home in Slovenia. I am fortunate to be able to live in the midst of greenery and in nature, so I have not suffered much from having to stay at home. Instead, I tried to convey the message to others that you had to stay at home, It’s a question of respect for yourself and for your neighbor.

What has training looked like for you?

Thanks to Zwift and the rollers, I was able to continue pedaling, even without being able to train outside. Obviously, it was a completely different workout. I never really liked the rollers, I always preferred to ride outside, even in winter when it is cold or in bad weather.

It was strange to be able to train solely and exclusively on the rollers for more than forty days. Some days, I even had more than two sessions a day. You need to be very focused to be able to hold on to the rollers for more than three hours.

Although with Zwift you seem to be pedaling somewhere real, it’s not the same as the wind in your face, and the fatigue isn’t the same. I cycled every day with my child who enjoyed holding my water bottles, and this was the best thing about riding inside.

Are there any particular Zwift routes you recommend?

I don’t feel like recommending any virtual path. Ride outside, outdoors, be careful, but don’t give up the pleasure of freedom.

What fizik products are you riding?

I have been riding with the Antares 00 saddle for three years now. I like the stiffness of the saddle and its lightness. These two factors are fundamental for marginal gains when you are going uphill and every small component can make a difference.

The thing I like most about fizik is that I can work with innovative people who listen to my feedback to try to improve continuously. The Adaptive saddle fascinates me a lot. I think that with this new product, fizik has managed to get noticed even more as a brand aimed at absolute innovation.

I believe that everyone needs to have a dedicated product for themselves, and with this saddle in a few years, everyone will be able to have an exclusive rigid performance saddle, suitable for any type of need.

How have you been staying mentally fit during this time?

The lockdown was a very strange moment for an athlete of my caliber, who is used to being away from home for training at least four hours a day and staying away from home for competitions, retreats and commitments with the team for more than 250 days a year. Usually, I’m only off for a few weeks in October, and I’ve never had the chance to spend so much time at home with my family. It was pleasant to spend time with my little boy, who was born last year shortly after the Giro d’Italia. I had the opportunity to be able to spend a lot of time with him, to see him grow up and to be a dad full time.

I can say that, thanks to my family, I have not suffered so much.

What are you most looking forward to from the upcoming racing season?

It will be great to get back into the thrill of competition, to feel the energy and excitement and to ride with my teammates again. I expect it will be a bit bittersweet to leave my home and family and our new normal, but I’m eager to push myself again and to see how this unusual training season pays off.

As we too eagerly anticipate the excitement and familiarity of the pro cycling season, we wish Primož and all our fizik riders, whether indoors or out, happy riding and a fast return.  

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