"Such determination, mental strength..."; this is something Jumbo-Visma will lose (alongside victories) even more with Roglic's departure

Last Saturday, Jumbo-Visma bid farewell to the man who has elevated the team to new heights in recent years: Primoz Roglic completed his final kilometers of competition in the yellow and black jersey at the Tour of Lombardy, as he will switch to BORA-hansgrohe colors next year. But what will the Dutch team miss most about the Slovenian star? IDLProCycling.com found it out!

First and foremost, we must commend the communication department of the Dutch team. They provided a polished video lasting 3 minutes and 41 seconds that reflected on the departure of the three-time Vuelta winner. Richard Plugge, the team boss, then added another noteworthy statement. The CEO has consistently referred to Roglic as "the king" of the team in recent months.

"I am proud of our journey together," Plugge stated on Saturday. "I have tremendous respect for Primoz, both as a strong rider and as the great person he is. We are going to miss him, and it's unfortunate that we are parting ways, but we wish him all the best. We will stay in touch," said the Dutchman.

Roglic couldn't cap off his final race for Jumbo-Visma with a victory in the Tour of Lombardy. Ahead of the race, he took a moment to reflect in Como on the time he spent with the Dutch team. When asked about his emotions before departing from the Koers van de Vallende Bladeren, he mentioned that "great stories were written together, and he has very fond memories of them." He later emphasized that he was primarily glad that all the recent fuss was behind him.

Although he didn't display much emotion, a smile rarely left the friendly Slovenian's face in Bergamo. His young son, Lev, had the run of the podium at the Italian autumn race while Roglic explained, "There were a lot of things going on around me, but I still gave my all on the bike. So I have no regrets. I'm more than happy. It wasn't so much an emotional moment; it was just very challenging," he replied in his characteristic manner.

Sports directors Niermann and Reef tell what will be missed most about Roglic

When considering what Jumbo-Visma is losing with the departure of 'king' Roglic, you need not look further than Plugge's tweet. Nevertheless, team managers Grischa Niermann and Marc Reef were also able to provide some insights. Niermann, who had been through numerous grand tours with the Slovenian, summarized their partnership during the Münsterland Giro. "We owe a lot to Primoz; he achieved numerous victories for us. It's unfortunate that he's leaving, but this is a good decision for him."

"Primoz's dream is to win the Tour, and we wish him the best of luck with that. He is leaving on good terms, and the team has fully understood his decision," added the German manager, expressing confidence in finding a natural successor among the strong riders and young talents within the team. "We have a wealth of strong riders and many young talents, so we will be able to fill that gap."

Reef was posed the same question after the Tour of Lombardy, "What will you miss most about Primoz?" After a few moments of careful consideration, he responded thoughtfully. "His personality, his killer mentality, and his work ethic. Primoz possesses an incredible drive and mental strength. He always strives to excel, has the ability to do so, and consistently performs at a level that allows him to contend for victories. Of course, we'll also miss his actual wins. All in all, that's what we're going to miss," summarized the sports director succinctly.