As the 2020 cycling season draws nearer to its end, it has certainly been anything but predictable—but perhaps we should have seen this one coming. Following Primož Roglič’s history-making win at the 2019 Vuelta, a first-such title for a competitor from his home country, the Slovenian cyclist has claimed Grand Tour glory again, earning back-to-back Vuelta victories and returning La Roja to the “sunny side of the Alps.” And just as in last year’s win, he led the way with fizik.
A NAIL-BITING BACK AND FORTH
From a early-season training to claiming his second Vuelta victory, Primož Roglič’s 2020 season has been dramatic, to say the least. After narrowly missing out on the maillot jaune in the Tour’s final time trial, fate saw fit to restore Roglič’s leader status following another race against the clock, this time on the Vuelta’s thirteenth stage, leading to his third (and ultimately lasting) turn wearing red.
And while Roglič’s commitment to winning was evident all along, getting there was anything but easy. In addition to the challenge of La Vuelta’s eighteen daunting stages, he’d soon find himself locked in a heated fight for first against fellow fizik rider and 2019 Giro d’Italia champion Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers).
From the outset climbing Alto de Arrete, the battle between these two riders was fierce, with Roglič ending this year’s opening stage in the same color as last year’s final, and managing to hold the top spot before a blistering attack on stage six catapulted Carapaz from third to first. Making up ground on the eighth stage, Roglič beat Carapaz to the finish atop Alto de Moncalvillo, narrowing the Ecuadorian’s overall lead before re-donning the red jersey two days later, somewhat controversially, with tied overall times.
Again two stages later, the jersey swapped backs as Carapaz managed to break the three-day, two-way tie on the steep slopes of Alto de l’Angliru. But this short lead wouldn’t hold, with Primož poetically reclaiming La Roja in an individual time trial, restoring self-confidence in a format that cost him considerably earlier in the season.
SUPPORTING VICTORIES
Beneath Primož Roglič’s powerful Vuelta performance sits the fizik Antares 00 Saddle, a race-bred saddle that’s earned accolades throughout the pro peloton as well as top spots on cycling’s grandest podiums. Rewind to Roglič’s 2019 Vuelta win, and while the competition was different, the saddle was the same.
Of course, Primož wasn’t the only pro making waves at La Vuelta with fizik. Second-place finisher Richard Carapaz can stand tall following a strong showing throughout the race as well as the entire season.
To Primož Roglič and his Jumbo Visma team, as well as all our fizik riders and fans around the world, congratulations on creating history again, on re-winning the Vuelta and making it an unprecedented, unforgettable Grand Tour season!
The 2019 Giro has been amazing for fizik riders, with overall victory for Richard Carapaz of Movistar Team and a podium for Team Jumbo-Visma’s Primož Roglič. The 102nd edition of the Corsa Rosa brought a fresh format and new character to the 21-stage Grand Tour and was closely fought throughout. The General Classification battle swung from one fizik rider to another and was tough to predict right to the end, with the top four placings all up for grabs on the final day time trial shootout in historic Verona. But the Ecuadorian climber’s efforts throughout the three weeks – with great support from his Movistar Team – had given him a big enough lead and was enough to ensure he held on to the spot in his Infinito R1 Movistar Team shoes and Antares 00 saddle. In the final overall standings Carapaz was 1’05” ahead of Vincenzo Nibali, and 2’30” from Roglič with Mikel Landa just 8 seconds behind. HOW CARAPAZ DID IT The 26-year-old – who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday 29 May – set the GC battle alight as he won Stage 4 by pulling away from a strong breakaway group, then claimed Stage 14 with a brilliant solo attack on the last two climbs. He benefited from the superiority of his team – who won the General Super Team – not least the efforts of Landa who finished in a fine fourth position having worked hard for his younger team-mate in the final week. With a previous General Classification third place at the Corsa Rosa, and a near-miss at the Tour de France, Landa is undoubtedly a class act. And his two stage podium finishes this year – third on stage 13 and second on stage 20 – in support of Carapaz and in defence of his Maglia Rosa, also mark him as a loyal team player. But it was Carapaz who was strongest and became the first Ecuadorian to win the Giro d’Italia – and the second South American after team-mate Nairo Quintana. With the final eight days in the Maglia Rosa, Carapaz sustained peak performance using his Infinito R1 Movistar Team shoes and Antares 00 saddle. THE FIGHT FROM ROGLIC 29-year-old former ski jumper Primož Roglič captured the hearts of many fans with huge sustained effort to finish third overall with his Antares 00, as well as taking two stage wins at the 2019 Giro. In doing so, Roglic became the first Slovenian to make the final podium of a Grand Tour, his previous best having been fourth at the 2018 Tour de France. But this year his target has been the Corsa Rosa, the early stage races building up to a Giro that featured three Individual Time Trials, and all with some climbing. And he set about it with determination from the very first starting ramp. Roglič beasted the opening 8km Time Trial in Bologna – with its steep 2km finish – with a clear indication of his intent for the Grand Tour, setting him up for five days in the Maglia Rosa. He then took the second TT, Stage 9 into San Marino, winning by 11 seconds on the 34.8km route, putting himself back into second place on GC. And the fairytale ending would have been making it three-out-of-three with the closing 17km TT in – but the final week in the mountains, and the Movistar riders, had caught up with him.
But this edition belonged to Richard Carapaz: it seems certain that we will see him with more Grand tour victories. And Roglic? He’ll be back! Thanks to everyone for the entertainment. The 102nd edition has been a hugely exciting and successful Giro d’Italia for fizik riders, with overall victory for Richard Carapaz of Movistar Team. The three-week race was very tightly competed and the General Classification was impossible to call right down to the last days. As well as the GC victory there were two stage wins for Richard Carapaz. The Ecuadorian climber’s superb efforts enough to carry him to victory in his Infinito R1 Movistar Team shoes and Antares 00 saddle. Carapaz won the 228km Stage 4 by brilliantly pulling away from a group of strong breakaway riders to hold off one of the world’s most renowned sprinters, matching his 2018 Giro stage win. Then, just a few days before his 26th birthday, he claimed Stage 14 with a brilliant solo ride, attacking on the Colle San Carlo, showing a brave descent then soloing up the final climb to Courmayeur. It was a ride that took him into the overall lead and brought the world’s attention to the young Colombian’s talent. An amazing spectacle, thrilling from the very first stage, through the mountains and right to the closing time trial in Verona. Congratulations to Richard and thanks to all our riders for their enormous efforts and delivering such a great result! Movistar Team’s Richard Carapaz claimed a stage victory for the second consecutive Giro d’Italia with an unlikely stage win in Frascati on a 235km course that had been expected to result in a bunch sprint. He, and Team Jumbo-Visma’s General Classification leader Primož Roglič took their opportunities when they found themselves on the “right side” of another late crash on stage 4 that caused splits in the peloton. A group of six riders – including the Ecuadorian and the Slovenian –broke away in the last kilometres of what became a chaotic stage finish. Carapaz knew that the six included sprinters and was brave to time his move perfectly at only 400m out, after almost 6 hours of racing, to hold off a late effort by fast-man Caleb Ewan. 25-year-old Carapaz took his second Grand Tour win, and Roglič saw his GC lead grow from 19 seconds to 35, as some of his main rivals were held up in the aftermath of the crash, including Movistar Team’s Mikel Landa who dropped 36 seconds. 29-year-old Roglič retains the Maglia Rosa that he earned with his convincing win on Stage 1 in an unusually short Individual Time Trial, featuring steep climbs in the last 2 of its 8km, up to the San Luca sanctuary just outside Bologna. As well as putting down the power on that opening stage he has shown the wisdom to stay out of trouble on the following days – all part of the craft of a serious GC contender, which is exactly what Roglič looks right now! It’s been an exciting and unpredictable opening four stages, with no doubt lots more drama to some before we reach Verona on 2nd June.
