Pogacar returns to racing after 47-day break: The Canadian races serve as crucial preparation for Pogacar’s primary late-season objective: defending his rainbow jersey at the UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda from September 21-28. In a significant development, Pogacar has committed to competing in both the individual time trial on September 21 and the road race on September 28, aiming for an unprecedented double world title.
“I’ve been training with my time trial bike a few times over the past few weeks. More than usual, you could say,” Pogacar revealed. The hilly 40.6-kilometer time trial course in Kigali, featuring 680 meters of elevation gain, plays to his climbing strengths and could neutralize the aerodynamic advantages typically held by specialists like defending champion Remco Evenepoel.
Slovenia has assembled a formidable team around Pogacar, including three-time Vuelta a España winner Primož Roglič, who will skip the time trial but support the road race defense. As the second-ranked cycling nation, Slovenia can field a maximum of eight riders for the historic championships—the first ever held in Africa.
