Roglic claims European time-trial crown on home soil

SENCUR, Slovenia: Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar was missing, but Slovenia still had a home hero to celebrate as Primoz Roglic won the European Championships time-trial title on Wednesday.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic time-trial champion started fast and held off his charging challengers to capture the crown by 6.59 seconds ahead of Frenchman Bruno Armirail, whose compatriot Maxime Decomble finished third.

Roglic, 36, benefited from the absence of world and Olympic time-trial champion Remco Evenepoel and Italian specialist Filippo Ganna as he was cheered on by local fans along the 22-kilometre course in Sencur.

"It's simply a great feeling. Of course, it's my victory, but it's also for all the people along the course and everyone who made it possible for the European Championships to take place in Slovenia," said Roglic.

With French prodigy Paul Seixas skipping the European meet to focus on this weekend's final Monument one-day classic — the Tour of Lombardy — none of the medalists from the world championships just over two weeks ago featured on the start line.

In the women's event, world champion Marlen Reusser continued her dominance in the discipline by securing the European title for the fifth consecutive year.

Dutch rider Demi Vollering, who won the world and European road race titles over the previous 10 days, finished second, while Juliette Berthet of France took third. – AFP