"Pogacar will do what he wants" - Former world champion preparing to race Slovenian in Canada highlights one major factor in World Championships showdown
CyclingTuesday, 11 August 2026 at 09:37
Tadej Pogacar is widely expected by pundits and analysts to have it all his own way at the World Championships next month, but in a surprising admission from one rider who will race against him in Canada, even the competition tend to agree that the Slovenian is head and shoulders above the rest.
Michał Kwiatkowski knows a thing or two about winning the World Championships. The INEOS rider won the rainbow bands back in 2014 as the Polish native held off Alejandro Valverde and Tony Gallopin among others by a single second at the Ponferrada World Championships.
Now a 36-year-old veteran, Kwiatkowski has witnessed the rise of Pogacar as well as the sport's rapid evolution in recent seasons to reach record speeds, climbing records and seismic shifts in tactics and nutrition.
But amidst the ever-changing world, Kwiatkowski remains an experienced rider capable of challenging in the biggest races. Off the back of a disappointing Tour de France for his team, he reveals that the World Championships on September 27th and GP de Quebec and Montreal early next month have been long-term goals since winter.
“Since the beginning of the season, I've been planning to prepare for the World Championships in Canada by competing in the local classics, Quebec and Montreal,” Kwiatkowski told Naszosie.
Kwiatkowski picks up the pieces after Tour de France
The fastest Tour de France in modern times was not a successful one for Kwiatkowski and his team. Despite being part of three breakaway efforts in the second and third week, he dusts himself down in Paris with no major results.
Looking ahead, Kwiatkowski thinks his form is still cooking and that he could well serve his best performances at Worlds and subsequent races, naming the October 4th European Championships in Slovenia as a target - despite a major travel and timezone shift if paired alongside the World Championships.
“Now I have four weeks, maybe even a little more, to catch my breath, train, and prepare not only for the World Championships, but also for the classics that follow.
He added: "Maybe I'll even compete in the European Championships, maybe I'll even be able to go, even though it will be a long trip, because the classics in Canada are at the beginning of September, and then there are the World Championships… Continuing on to the European Championships in Slovenia would be a huge undertaking, almost like a Grand Tour, in terms of travel.”
Michal Kwiatkowski at the 2026 Tour de Pologne
Pogacar "will do what he wants"
Tunnel vision for the Canadian classics in early September might help bring the World Championships into view, but as a former world champion, Kwiatkowski warns that the parcours is always unforgiving and that he enjoys the difficult nature of racing.
“Right now, all my motivation is tied to the desire to make a good impression in Montreal. I enjoy racing on these courses, even though it's well known that this circuit is unforgiving and very difficult.”
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That said, he insists that the competition won't roll over to the five-time Tour de France winner despite admitting that the race could go down on his terms. For now, he's focusing on arriving at the start line with better legs than at the Tour or last weeks Tour of Poland.
"Tadej Pogacar will do what he wants, but we won't give up easily, and I hope to be able to go there in better shape than I was at the Tour de France or the Tour of Poland.”
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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