“They didn't up their level to go with Tadej... Pogacar brought his level down” - Chris Horner claims world champion gaslit rivals during Romandie stage 1 win

Tadej Pogacar’s stage 1 victory at the Tour de Romandie was shaped on the slopes of Ovronnaz, but according to Chris Horner, the decisive factor was not the selection itself, but how it was made.

As Pogacar moved to the front on the final climb, the race narrowed rather than fully breaking apart. Lenny Martinez was the first to respond, with Florian Lipowitz and Jorgen Nordhagen later joining to form the four-rider group that would decide the stage.

That outcome, Horner argued in his post-race analysis via the former Vuelta a Espana winner's YouTube channel, reflected Pogacar’s approach as much as the level of those around him. “Those guys did not up their level to go with Tadej… Tadej Pogacar brought his level down.”

The key moment came when Pogacar took over pacing duties on Ovronnaz, with his team already having reduced the peloton beforehand. Rather than launching a single decisive attack, the Slovenian rode a sustained effort that kept the group small but intact. Martinez remained on his wheel, and others were able to return before the summit.

“Not because physically he doesn’t have it, just because mentally he wants to take a little bit easier day,” Horner said. “He wants some company with him. That’s why they were there with him.”

With more than 30 kilometres still to race after the climb, including a headwind section, the decision not to force a separation shaped the rest of the stage.

That approach led directly to the race situation seen in the final kilometres. Pogacar, Martinez, Lipowitz and Nordhagen entered the flat run-in together, holding a gap of around 20 to 30 seconds over the chasers. Despite limited cooperation at times, especially from Lipowitz, the group maintained its advantage.

The stage was then decided in a sprint. Pogacar launched from around 200 metres to go and quickly created a gap, taking the win ahead of Lipowitz and Martinez.

For Horner, the way the stage unfolded reinforced his view that Pogacar never needed to reach his highest level. “The fact that he didn’t use Grossschartner means what? It means he’s at a casual race here at Romandie.”

He also pointed to the broader context of the week, noting that this is Pogacar’s first stage race of the 2026 season after already building his campaign around the spring Classics. Instead of committing fully on the climb, Pogacar kept something in reserve and relied on a smaller group and his sprint to finish the job.

If Pogacar’s ride was controlled, Horner was critical of the riders around him. The chasing group behind at times contained multiple riders from the same teams, but failed to organise a sustained effort. “Everybody that was working with Tadej Pogacar is a knucklehead,” Horner said.

With numbers behind, there were opportunities to either bring the race back together or force Pogacar into a harder effort. “If Tadej Pogacar wants to hold off the riders in the back, well, he’s going to have to start doing some work.”

“You’ve got to abuse him later on the flat sections,” Horner added. “On the flats, you’re saving 100 to 200 watts sitting on the wheel.”

Instead, the combination of hesitation behind and cooperation in the lead group allowed Pogacar to manage his effort all the way to the line.

The result gave Pogacar the stage win, time bonuses and the race lead, but Horner’s analysis points to a wider implication.

If Pogacar was able to control the race without going to his limit, the challenge for his rivals over the remaining stages becomes more complex, as they may need to change their approach to avoid a repeat scenario.