I'd venture he sees the name Nibali on the dossard & thinks twice before squeezing through.
But this really just comes down to Roglič no longer wanting to be a fool in someone's grim spectacle, i.e. like a clown performing for the masses as they laugh at his failures.
Twitter erupted over this because Roglič isn't allowed a seat at the best table in the cycling hierarchy where he's given the respect he's earned. People can deny this but there's always been contempt & disrespect towards this rider, always. Since he's an outsider essentially from a small country who bypassed all the youth categories & made his own career out of nothing, he's got no real backers behind him, no support system, no journalists who have his back, nothing like the larger Anglo world rallying behind Fred Wright, zip.
So now people will insult him some more, say they've lost respect, call him names etc. but what he really wants is for fellow riders to give him respect on the road. He's not looking for people post cutesy messages about his fighting spirit & 'gentlemanly conduct' off the bike, he wants to win.
This statement to me says he's completely 1000% committed to having a better season next year & doesn't care what people say or think. As long as his team have his back.
Roglič is essentially embracing his inner Gino Mäder slayer.
Oh, you can't be serious. He's got plenty of fans. He's also had, till now at least, much and sincere admiration for the way he's handled the bitter pills swallowed, starting with dramatically losing yellow on the penultimate day of the 2020 Tour and to a younger fellow counteyman with it. Without routing for him, I've always, till now at least, given him my respect; and even now comprehend that disillusionment, frustration and dispair have caused a drop in style and messed with his mind. He's had the complete backing of his team, the best in the peleton, until he had to share leadership at the Tour with a stronger rider. But that's just business, not disrespect. Many of his fans like him precisely for his unorthodox arrival into the pro ranks, while it appears his collegues both respect and fear him for his strength. He seems to be thought of as a real hardman. Although he did once at Paris Nice take victory from a rider of mean status when he didn't have to, firmly in the race lead as he was, and could have more noblely let the fading escapee take a deserved win. Such that when he subsequently crashed, failed to catch back on and lost yellow, some did think ironic justice had been served. If, however, Roglic feels Wright had no business being there and that mere pawns need to obsequiously make way for royalty, although I'm not saying he does, but if so; well, then, he would need to get down from his high horse and show some respect for collegues. Wright is paid, like any pro, to carry out team assignments and if in the right position go for a win, exactly as he was when he made the decisive split this stage. In other words, he earned every right to contest the sprint and Roglic had no business trying foolishly to take over Wright's line. Rog simply had lost momentum after a monster pull and for his own safety and that of the others (luckily he only took himself down) should have gotten out of the way. Although as Voderke said, he must not have seen Wright, but he didn't need eyes in the back of his head, just a look around to see. Evidently he wasn't lucid, which is another reason he should have stayed left, also because by the moment of impact he would have been aware someone else had gotten Van Popple's wheel but either was too punch drunk or sinned of hubris to have better judgment.
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