TakeWorlds5 weeks ago
Slovenia's own coach admits it: without Tadej Pogačar, they drop to the "third or fourth row of favourites" at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships. That collapse in status is the real story — Murn expects Remco Evenepoel to become the individual favourite, and it forces Slovenia into a multi-leader gamble around Primož Roglič instead of a coronation.
Roglič is reportedly in the best form he's shown in years, and Jan Tratnik — lining up for his eighth Worlds — gives Slovenia a genuine second card to play. Coach Uroš Murn's own read is blunt: "Every national team's ambitions increased when they experienced the shock of Pogačar's withdrawal. Everything will change."
Sources
'We will now be in the third or fourth row of favourites' – Slovenia announce squad for Road World Championships with Primož Roglič as leader in Tadej Pogačar's absence"Primoz is in form like he's not been for a long time" - Slovenian coach backs Roglic to fill Tadej Pogacar-sized void in World Championship bidSlovenia put their faith in Roglic for Worlds with Pogacar absent
Analysed 3 sources, written and summarised with AI · How we work