Primož Roglič will start his season at Tirreno-Adriatico on Monday after he was a surprise addition to the Jumbo-Visma line-up for the race.
The Slovenian was initially slated to start his season later this month at the Volta a Catalunya, which was due to be his lone competitive outing in 2023 ahead of the Giro d’Italia.
Roglič has not raced since he underwent bone graft surgery to stabilise his left shoulder following the crash that forced him out of last year's Vuelta a España.
“He worked hard and is ready for it,” sports director Merijn Zeeman said in a statement from the team. “Racing is the next step in the build-up to his goals. He will start without pressure or results in mind.”
Roglič’s teammate Wout van Aert will also begin his road season at Tirreno-Adriatico, having opted to miss Strade Bianche on Saturday after losing some training days to illness last month.
Van Aert and Roglič are joined in a strong Jumbo-Visma line-up by Wilco Kelderman, Attila Valter and Koen Bouwman, as well as the two winners from Opening Weekend, Dylan van Baarle and Tiesj Benoot.
The opening day time trial along the coast at Lido di Camaiore will serve as an early test for Roglič, while the race later features a summit finish at Sarnano-Sassotetto. Roglič last appeared at Tirreno-Adriatico in 2019, when he won the overall title as part of his build-up to that year’s Giro.
"After my operation, it was a little more difficult for me to sit on the TT bike because I have an extreme position, but now I can do it normally. Ahead of the Giro, I will devote as much time as possible to it," Roglič told Slovenian broadcaster RTV last month from a training camp on Mount Teide. He is due to return to train at altitude in the build-up to the Giro.
The 33-year-old has been persuaded to return to the corsa rosa this season, where his opponents will include world champion Remco Evenepoel. The Belgian won the UAE Tour last week and he is currently training at altitude ahead of the the Volta a Catalunya.
Roglič had long since opted against defending the Paris-Nice title he won last year, and Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard will instead lead the line for Jumbo-Visma in France next week. The Dane warmed up for his encounter with Tadej Pogacar by dominating the recent Gran Caminõ event in Galicia.
