"Everything in my career is a bit of a surprise" - Laid-back Roglic and determined Jorgenson paint a picture of World Championships without Pogacar
Cycling
In a World Championships without Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic and Matteo Jorgenson paint a picture of the impact the Slovenian's absence has on the elite men's race in Montreal.
Roglic leads the Slovenia team without their key man, but intent on honouring the jersey. Unshackled from the responsibility of controlling the race for UAE rider, Roglic comes into the race off the back of a Vuelta a Espana second place.
But in the Red Bull rider's usual fashion, he appeared laid-back in a pre-race interview as he turned philosophical in his approach to the race, looking back at his career.The veteran offered his opinion on the race, suggesting that a mix of climbers and versatile riders will contest the win on the city circuit.
"Yeah, that's true that unfortunately he cannot be here with us. For me, I didn't really plan it, but everything in my career is a bit of a surprise," Roglic told CyclingProNet.
"So here I am and we'll see what happens today. I'm still waiting for that surprise. I mean, it's hard, it's not so hard that only the climbers could be there or something. So, long, hard and at the end, you have to be good to just be there."
Brandon McNulty, Quinn Simmons and Matteo Jorgenson are all options for USA in Montreal
Laid-back Roglic contrasts to determined Jorgenson
On the other side of the spectrum, many other teams are buoyed by the Slovenian's absence, sensing an opportunity for a gold medal for the first time since his two-year dominance of the race.
Matteo Jorgenson is one of the team USA riders hoping to make an impact But after the Tour de France, the Visma rider slowed things right down as he toured the US and Canada before ramping up his preparations for the race.
He said: "I've had a good time. I've spent a couple of weeks just driving around in a camper van, visiting my friends, kind of training again, resting, getting outside of the cycling bubble a little bit."
Simmons and McNulty also an option for USA
But switching on his focus, Jorgenson sees a world-class team around him and a determination to preserve their energy for a selective finale in Montreal. He thinks he, Brandon McNulty and Quinn Simmons to act as the three major cards for them to play in the final laps of the 273-kilomtre race.
"It is a big one today. We have a really strong team. We have eight riders that are all, I think, world-class level, and I think we're going to try to have numbers in the final.
"That's our main objective, is to have the three of us - Brandon, Quinn and I - in the final and play our cards from there."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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