Very little remains of Slovenia’s ambitions for the 2026 World Cycling Championships in Montreal, Canada. With Tadej Pogacar, the cycling powerhouse had the top favourite in the running for a third consecutive world title, but after a crash in the Vuelta a España, he will not be competing. After his fiancée, Urska Zigart, also dropped out following a crash, another name can now be crossed off the list.
Pogacar’s absence is clearly having an impact on Slovenia, which will have no illusions about winning a world title in Canada on September 27. Primož Roglič is now being positioned as the team leader, but the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe rider is still in a different league than his teammate from UAE Emirates-XRG.
It got to the point where UAE teammate and Pogacar’s longtime right-hand man, Domen Novak, had already written off the World Championships because his team leader wouldn’t be there. “What am I even doing there now?” he asked himself aloud. And so Uros Murn had to turn to eight other riders for the World Championships. And now there are only seven of them left.
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Tadej Pogacar will not compete in the 2026 World Cycling Championships in Montreal, Canada.
Jakob Omrzel withdraws from the World Cycling ChampionshipsInitially, Murn selected seven riders to support team leader Roglic. Tilen Finkst, Gal Glivar, Matevz Govekar, Luka Mezgec, Matej Mohoric, Jan Tratnik, and Jakob Omrzel received invitations. However, there was a question mark behind the latter’s name, and that has now turned into a cross. Omrzel will not be competing in the World Championships.The 20-year-old Slovenian made an impression in his Grand Tour debut by immediately winning a stage in the Vuelta a España for Bahrain Victorious. That result also propelled him so far up the overall standings that he was in contention for a spot in the top ten during the final weekend. Omrzel ultimately finished seventh, confirming his incredible potential.However, according to cycling journalist Matic Rupnik, Murn will not be able to count on the young top talent in Canada. Rupnik wrote on Saturday morning that Omrzel has withdrawn, and that the national team coach isn’t even selecting a replacement. This says everything about the depth of the Slovenian cycling scene, which has suddenly become somewhat thin due to the loss of key players.