It may not have been a real surprise, but it was certainly remarkable. The winners of the Giro, the Tour, and the Vuelta in one team for the World Road Cycling Championship, next Sunday. Primoz Roglic stands alongside Tadej Pogacar, representing the Slovenian delegation. And, in fact, we only hear voices talking about the title for the latter. That’s no surprise, if we are to believe Matej Mohoric.
The rider from Bahrain Victorious, a regular fixture at championships, highlights Slovenia’s mission at the World Championships. Winning is simply the objective. And then Pogacar is a bigger favorite than Roglic, who is still one of the best riders in the world. But the Vuelta winner has already indicated that he is tired after a long season. Because of this, we can pretty much point to Pogacar as the sole leader. “It’s important that we, as a team, stay focused on the goal. We just have to win that World Championship,” Mohoric told Cyclingnews.
Mohoric thinks that Pogacar can also play a supportive role: “He will race for others in the future”
Recently, we saw the Belgians sprint with two trains at the European Championships. Nothing of the sort at the World Championships, if we are to believe Mohoric. The Slovenians will work as one team to guide Pogacar to victory. “With Tadej Pogacar in Zürich, we’re going there with one clear goal. I will do my best to contribute. I think Tadej deserves this. I believe there may come a time in the future when he can do the same for another rider on the national team, so I think it’s important that we stay united. We’ve never managed to win the World Championship.
That Mohoric and Pogacar are friends is beyond doubt, but it doesn’t seem to be the reason behind this discipline. It’s simply because of the magnificent year the three-time Tour winner is having. “We train together a lot in Monaco. So, I would say we are good friends. He is super open, easy-going, sometimes almost too relaxed. He’s just living his best life. He enjoys every moment,” describes the Slovenian, reflecting on the winning spirit he sees in his countryman.
Be the first to comment