Tadej Pogačar's absence offers his Slovenian successor a chance at the European Championships: 'I know the roads well'

Omrzel is in his first year as a pro with Bahrain Victorious, and he’s fully living up to expectations. The 20-year-old Slovenian won last year’s Giro NextGen and, in his own words, had run his course in the U23 ranks. In 2026, he finished sixth in the Tour of the Alps, third in the Tour of Slovenia, and his biggest success came in the Vuelta a España.

The young Omrzel lost some time in the general classification during the first week, but won Stage 12 with an impressive solo breakaway, which moved him into the top ten. He ultimately finished the Vuelta a España—his first Grand Tour—in seventh place. Everyone then expected him to compete in the World Championships, especially after Pogacar withdrew due to injury. Omrzel, however, then withdrew.

"I went to the Vuelta without any pressure," said the top talent, who wasn't actually supposed to ride any Grand Tours at all in his first year as a pro. "After the national championships, however, the idea of doing the Vuelta grew stronger and stronger, because there weren’t really any other races that suited me. The Vuelta was the best option for gaining experience—and especially not as a team leader."

Omrzel surprised friends and foes alike with a stage win and a top-ten finish in the Vuelta, which immediately brought comparisons to Pogačar back into the spotlight. Pogačar won three stages and finished third overall in his Vuelta debut in 2019. “I’ve been asked that question a million times. Pogi is one of a kind; comparing me to him is pointless,” Omrzel told Veliki.

Still, he’ll hear that comparison often enough when he races the European Championships at home, without Pogačar. Omrzel really prepared for the championships, where he hopes to make a strong showing. “The Vuelta was a huge challenge, so racing the World Championships just two weeks later was simply impossible. It would have been too much, so I’m better rested and have focused on the European Championships. I feel good.”

In Slovenia, Omrzel could very well be one of the big surprises. “I know the roads well; I raced there a lot as a junior.”

Skipping the World Championships may prove to be a wise move for the young Slovenian. Last Sunday in Montréal, we saw many of the big names from the 2026 Vuelta a España fade as the race went on.

The likes of Wout van Aert, Juan Ayuso, and even Vuelta champion Enric Mas all suffered at the World Championships, citing exhaustion from the Tour of Spain as the reason. Spain's National team coach Alejandro Valverde told Marca: “We had expected more from them. I don’t know if Enric hasn’t recovered properly from the Vuelta—he doesn’t know himself either.”

The finishing stats from the World Championships also tell the same story. None of the Vuelta finishers made it into the top 13 at the World Championships, showing exactly how much 2 weeks of brutal racing in 35 degree heat can take out of a rider.

We wait to see if the extra weeks rest and training will work in Omrzel's favour at the European Championships on Sunday.