‘Respect the Tour’ - Philippa York slams Primoz Roglic's decision to pull out of the Tour de France

Philippa York has slammed Primoz Roglic's decision to withdraw from the Tour de France and questioned the Slovenian’s appetite for competing in cycling’s biggest event. Jumbo-Visma announced the news on Sunday, with the 32-year-old failing to deal with a back injury he sustained following a crash in stage 5. Ad/> York believes the announcement has become far less palatable, with Roglic due to defend his title at the Vuelta a Espana in just under four weeks’ time.

Tour de FranceTour on a knife edge for Vingegaard and Pogacar ahead of final week — Blazin' Saddles2 HOURS AGO “People talk of respecting the Tour and expect that it's a rider's duty to finish” she said in her piece for cyclingnews. “That's why you see the gruppetto in survival mode — you don't stop unless you really can't continue. If you are eliminated — as Michael Morkov was after riding 202 kilometres in the heat alone — then so be it, but you go down fighting.

“If aren't capable of making the time limit and there are others with you then you tell them to go on so that they can continue. It hurts to not reach Paris — that's proven by the riders in tears handing over their race numbers when they stop on the roadside. “The elephant in the room is Roglic's intended participation in the Vuelta a Espana, which starts in just under four weeks.

He returns as defending champion. Somehow it feels like that has taken precedence over whatever role he could have played in defending Jonas Vingegaard's lead.” The 11-time Tour de France rider admitted the Roglic’s withdrawal is all the more puzzling after a more than respectable performance to date, and believes the Slovenian is fit enough to complete the race. “It's not like he was utterly terrible on the day preceding