"Primoz Roglic hasn’t ridden in support of anyone all season" - Chris Horner warns Tadej Pogacar to watch out for own teammate ahead of Rainbow Jersey fight in Rwanda

Chris Horner has raised questions about how Slovenia will manage the delicate balance between Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic at the upcoming World Championships in Rwanda, warning that the reigning world champion cannot automatically expect full commitment from his most decorated teammate.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the American former Vuelta a Espana winner suggested that while Pogacar is the clear favourite to defend his rainbow jersey, Roglic’s presence could be a double-edged sword. "Primoz Roglic hasn’t ridden in support of anyone all season,” Horner said. “There’s a good chance we might see some rivalry between Roglic and Pogacar at the Worlds because Roglic hasn’t ridden in support of anyone all year.”

Horner argued that Slovenia lack the depth to replicate the flawless tactics UAE Team Emirates - XRG displayed at the GP de Montreal earlier this month, where Pogacar and Brandon McNulty rode clear to a controlled one-two finish after their teammates had dominated the climbs.

“Slovenia don’t have five climbers to wrap around Pogacar like UAE did in Canada,” Horner continued. “They’ll have to dial it down on the climb, ride more as a unit, and get Pogacar deeper into the race. Roglic is their second pure climber – he should be used to reduce the peloton late, not burned early in moves up the road. But the question is: will he want to ride that way?”

Those concerns stand in contrast to the official line from within the Slovenian camp. National coach Uros Murn was unequivocal in downplaying any potential tension between the country’s two Grand Tour superstars.

“In the national team there is no rivalry,” Murn told Slovenian media before travelling to Kigali. “We know our collective chances, and we know the individual possibilities. Everyone adapts to that. Both are world-class riders. When we are in the national team, there is no rivalry. We know what our options are, and as a team we adapt to that.”

For Murn, the Pogacar–Roglic dynamic is a strength rather than a problem – a two-pronged leadership approach that offers flexibility against rivals such as Remco Evenepoel, Del Toro, and Tom Pidcock.

While Pogacar underlined his dominance in Montreal, Horner cautioned against assuming that the Slovenian is currently at his very peak. “We know he’s very good, but we don’t know if he has Tour de France 2025 form,” Horner said. “Montreal isn’t the same kind of field as July or the Spring Classics. But when you can control and win a race that way, you’re clearly the hot-handed favourite for the Worlds.”

The World Championships will be a different challenge: 265–270 km at altitude, with an 800m ramp at 8% on the finishing circuit, and far deeper competition than Pogacar faced in Canada.

Horner also flagged up the riders best positioned to capitalise should Slovenia’s leadership dynamic falter. “Roglic is probably the second best rider starting the Worlds. But if it’s not him, then you could argue for Del Toro or Remco,” Horner said. “Pidcock has to be a favourite too, especially on a punchy climb – remember, he dropped Vingegaard at the Vuelta.”

Evenepoel, a former world champion, has already proven his pedigree in one-day races, while Del Toro has been one of the breakout stars of the season. Pidcock’s consistency across three weeks at the Vuelta, capped by a podium finish, has only strengthened his credentials.

Still, Horner believes the outcome will hinge on whether Slovenia can manage their resources more shrewdly than the disorganised breakaway in Montreal, which UAE controlled with ruthless precision.

“Last year Pogacar went from 100 km out – that was a knucklehead move, even if it worked,” Horner said. “This time, if Roglic makes the race hard in the last laps and Pogacar launches, there’s a good chance we see him win a second rainbow jersey. But if Slovenia misplays their tactics, or if Roglic decides to ride his own race, that opens the door for the opposition.”

With Pogacar in sparkling form and Roglic himself considered one of the strongest riders on the start line, the World Championships in Rwanda could hinge less on raw power and more on how Slovenia balance two champions in one team.