It’s hard to know what would have hurt more – the 24% gradients upon which Primož Roglič turned himself inside-out to claw back a hefty 37 seconds on the Vuelta a España GC, or being told a short while later that said 37 seconds had been sliced nearly in half by a 20-second time penalty.
Given for drafting behind his team car after swapping to a low-geared bike for the brutal finale, it could be a sanction that will come back to haunt the Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe rider long after his legs have recovered from Sunday’s exertions.
