Tadej Pogačar is not settling for just one chance at rainbow stripes at the UCI road world championships in Rwanda. The Slovenian will line up in the road race, but first he will test himself in Sunday’s men’s time trial, where defending champion Remco Evenepoel looms as the man to beat.
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Pogačar admitted he has spent more time than usual honing his skills against the clock. “I’ve had quite a few training sessions on the time trial bike. More than usual,” he told WielerFlits, ahead of the Québec and Montréal races. “We’ll see how that works out at the world championships. I always like the time trial discipline, but you have to have a great day when you’re there.”
The 40.6-km course around Kigali will provide plenty of climbing, and Pogi believes it could play to his strengths. “The goal is to challenge Remco Evenepoel—and the other time triallists,” he said. “It’s quite a difficult course, but it should suit me on a good day. Of course, it can also turn into a setback. But I go there with a lot of motivation to be the best on that day. I want to show something there, because… why not?” There are two Canadians racing in the men’s event: Michael Leonard and Laurent Gervais. In the women’s race, Olivia Baril will be there in the red-and-white skinsuit.
The altitude factor
Altitude may add another wrinkle. The Rwandan capital sits nearly 1,600 m above sea level, and Pogačar acknowledged he skipped a preparation camp in thinner air. “I didn’t do that,” he said. “I mainly spent time at home and trained there, that went pretty well. An altitude training camp would have helped, especially for the time trial. Rwanda is quite high, but I couldn’t fit another block at altitude into my schedule.”
Canadian Cycling Magazine will have a report after both the elite men’s and women’s time trials on Sunday, with lots of photos. Here’s to a great week of racing!
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