Sports director Niermann on Roglic's departure: "We'll fill that gap with strong riders and young guys"

Primoz Roglic bids farewell to Jumbo-Visma at the end of this week, marking the end of an era for the Dutch team. Team Manager Grischa Niermann was in the car for many of the Slovenian's successes, and he too feels it's a shame that Roglic is leaving, as he shared at the Münsterland Giro with IDLProCycling.com.

After a masterpiece by Jumbo-Visma with Christophe Laporte, Edoardo Affini, and eventual winner Per Strand Hagenes, Niermann was eager to praise his men for their work. However, he also took a moment to speak to this website near the Castle of Münster.

The news that Roglic - likely heading to BORA-hansgrohe - is leaving, deeply affected Niermann. "We owe a lot to Primoz; he has secured countless victories for us. It's unfortunate that he's departing, but it's a good decision for him."

The sports director from Germany explains his perspective. "Primoz's dream is to win the Tour, and we wish him all the best. He's leaving on good terms, and the team has accepted this," he reveals some of the background to the transfer. Within Jumbo-Visma, it would become more challenging for Roglic to claim the leadership role, especially with the team having Jonas Vingegaard, the two-time winner, at their disposal.

Niermann is confident about Jumbo-Visma's future

"Primoz's departure is undoubtedly a pity, but we have many strong riders and young lads, so we'll bridge that gap," asserts Niermann confidently. Regarding other merger intricacies, he didn't want to share too much. "There's a lot happening right now, and clarity would be good for everyone, but I'm confident that next year we'll have a fantastic team with great sponsors," concluded the former rider.