Roglic has stayed completely under the radar in recent months, but can he surprise from Pogacar’s shadow?

Roglic had a hectic (early) summer, starting with the Giro d'Italia in May. He dropped out in stage 16, after which he went to the Tour de France without any extra racing in his legs. An eighth place was a rather disappointing result. After that, the Slovenian only rode the Clasica San Sebastian: the World Championships in Rwanda will be his first race in almost two months.

That could be an advantage: freshness is essential in a World Championship, especially one as grueling as the one in Kigali. Bobbie Traksel has already mentioned Roglic as a dangerous contender who could well play a great game alongside Pogacar. Will Slovenia have two riders on the podium? “Out of your mouth, into God's ears,” Roglic laughs in conversation with 24Ur.

With Pogacar and Roglic, the Slovenian team boasts two riders who can navigate the grueling course effectively. However, with riders like Domen Novak and Matej Mohoric, there are more support options available at the start, allowing them to sustain their leaders' advantage until late in the race. “We have the honor of participating in the race with nine cyclists. We would probably all immediately sign up for last year's result. The race will undoubtedly be very tough.”

Roglic himself hopes to achieve a good result, but the main goal is clear: Pogacar is the undisputed leader, and his teammate, who is almost nine years older, will rally behind the defending champion. “We can all see how Tadej has been performing lately, we just have to give him space so we don't get in his way too much. For the rest of us, it will be a big battle to reach the finish line.”

One of the biggest challengers is Evenepoel, who will join Roglic as a teammate at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe next year. He sees the Belgian's arrival as anything but a disadvantage. “It's great that Remco is coming. It won't be just up to me anymore when it comes to results. He is young and driven, he can take on a bigger role, and I can calmly look for the opportunities and challenges that I still have.”

Rogla will turn 36 in October. How much fuel is left in the tank? “If we knew the answer to that question, it would be easier for all of us. Time will tell; the environment will provide us with enough signals, and then we'll make our best move at that moment. Right now, I hope there's enough fuel, because we have a very tough race ahead of us in Africa.”