'I love snow but not when I'm on my bike': Primož Roglič says ahead of potential inclement weather at Paris-Nice

Jumbo-Visma rider leads the race going into decisive Saturday with ascent of the Col de Turini

Primož Roglič
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Primož Roglič might be a former-ski jumper, but the Jumbo-Visma rider says that he does not enjoy snow when he's on his bike, with bad weather forecast for Paris-Nice's ascent of the Col de Turini.

The Slovenian leads the general classification ahead of the final weekend, keeping control of the race on a testing stage six.

Speaking after he stepped down from the podium, Roglič said "I love snow for sure, but not when I'm riding a bike. I do other things on the snow, I prefer now sun and warmth when I'm riding the bike."

Later at the press conference, he expanded: "No one really likes to ride in the snow in the bike... Going up should be manageable. It will be super cold, super hard, but it's the queen stage, a mountain top finish, so hopefully I will have the legs."

Roglič described the day as "really hard". Riders raced into a headwind almost all day, heading southeast, and came in just ahead of the race organiser's slowest recorded time; they averaged 38.5km/h.

"Yeah today was really hard, going with the wind all day" he said. "It's the beginning of the season, every day here is hard racing. Again today it was really windy, super uncomfortable. One less, tomorrow is the big one. Hopefully I have the legs to go with the best ones."

Last year Roglič lead Paris-Nice from stage four but ended up finishing 15th overall after crashing on the final day of the race. He will be hoping for better fortune in the final days of this year's edition.

 "I don't really think about [winning]," the Slovenian explained after Friday's stage. "I'll do my best, and it's all I can do." 

As for tomorrow: "I expect full gas racing, hopefully I will have the legs to be with the best ones. The climb itself is super hard."

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Adam Becket
News editor

Adam is Cycling Weekly’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling, he's happy. Before joining CW in 2021 he spent two years writing for Procycling. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds.

Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to riding bikes.