“The number one objective has to be to have Tadej Pogacar in the wind” – Chris Horner shares his strategy to defeat the Slovenian star

The World Championships are taking place this week, and on Sunday 28 September, it is the turn for men to be in the spotlight. A daunting route is awaiting them, with 267.5km and over 6000 meters of climbing that will push everyone to the limit.

Former Vuelta a España winner Chris Horner previewed the race, arguing that it will revolve around one man, Tadej Pogacar, and shared his thoughts of what other teams need to do in order to counteract the Slovenian superstar.

Horner opened with a blunt directive for every team on the start line, except Slovenia for obvious reasons. "The number one objective for every team starting Sunday’s race besides Team Slovenia, has to be what? The number one objective has to be to have Tadej Pogacar in the wind. You need the Slovenian kid in the wind, and you need him in the wind a lot,” said Chris Horner on his podcast.

Horner repeatedly stressed how last year’s Zurich race proved the danger of allowing Pogacar to dictate. “In 2024, Tadej Pogacar became the current Road World Champion. He was in the wind from 100 kilometres out. He bridged across to his teammate, drilled it for 25 kilometres, then attacked the next time up the climb with three laps to go. He had Sivakov willing to pull with him—who can pull even with Tadej Pogacar?—and that mistake allowed him to solo the race. If he’s on fantastic form again, teams need to avoid repeating that scenario.” Horner explained.

Horner turned his attention to the Belgian plan and Remco Evenepoel’s role. “The possibility of Evenepoel beating Pogacar increases only if he’s forced to work 100 percent of the time while Remco is protected in a small group, rotating with five, six, seven riders where he’s in the wind just 10 or 20 percent of the time. There is no other way to beat the Slovenian. If you bring him to the line on that final 11 percent cobble climb, he’s going to light you up every time.”

Evenepoel’s challenge is twofold: capitalizing on his recent time trial win and managing his tendency to fade, which has been a constant this season according to Horner. “Remco Evenepoel won the individual time trial 40 kilometres up over the same cobblestone climb, but that doesn’t mean he’ll hold form for the one-day race."

"Looking back at the season, we saw him come in hot after training and then fade at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Flèche Wallonne, the Dauphiné, and even the Tour de France. So will he continue to have that drop in form for a fourth time in the season? I can't answer that question. We're gonna have to wait for Sunday's race to know for sure.”

Horner stressed how Belgium must avoid the chaotic, reactive racing that last year left Evenepoel isolated. “Last year when Pogi was in the wind, Belgium and the Netherlands had a perfect opportunity to leave Tadej Pogacar out there. But the two teams worked together instead for just one lap and then Remco Evenepoel was blowing everybody up, having to go on tacks left, right, centre... in every direction just to get abused by every rider sitting on his wheel."

And that is something Begium cannot allow to happen again. "They can't have that mistake happen again. So Belgium has to be incredibly intelligent this time around, and if Pogi decides to go early, you got to leave him out there and you got to hope to have some help.”

Horner also pointed to other Slovenian threats, as Pogacar is not the only leader the team has. Primoz Roglic remains, according to him, the unpredictable X-factor, and he doubts whether he will actually accept taking domestique duties.

“Primoz Roglic is the second best rider in the world when he’s on 100 percent form. Nobody stays more secret than Roglic, he’s coming from altitude and leaks no information. You have to figure out right away what kind of fitness he has and whether he’s willing to ride for Tadej Pogacar. I’ve yet to see Primoz ride for a teammate in the last two seasons, so it’s hard to believe he’ll suddenly start helping Pogacar win a second rainbow jersey.”

Horner insisted that he believes Roglic will be fighting for his own result. "Will he ride 100% for Tadej Pogacar? Is he willing to bring Tadej Pogacar to the finish and have the Slovenian that beat him at the Tour de France in 2020 win the Men's World Championships for the second time? I've yet to see Primoz Roglic in the last couple seasons riding for a teammate in any style whatsoever, so it's hard for me to believe going in the World Championships that I'll see him riding the front for one Tadej Pogacar helping him win a second Rainbow Band jersey," he concluded.