It’s official: Pogačar will not race the European Championships and Roglič will lead Slovenia

There are no more doubts. Tadej Pogacar will not compete in the European Cycling Championship this Sunday, October 4, in Ljubljana. Slovenia has published its final roster for the road race, and the reigning continental champion is not among the eight selected cyclists.

Slovenia leaves Pogacar out and the uncertainty ends

The list thus confirms the position that UAE Team Emirates-XRG had maintained over the last few days and definitively closes the possibility of an early return for Pogacar to race in front of his home crowd.

Primoz Roglic will be the main reference for a selection that will also include Jan Tratnik, Domen Novak, Matej Mohoric, Gal Glivar, Luka Mezgec, Žiga Jerman Govekar, and Jakob Omrzel. Roglic and Tratnik will also compete in the time trial.

The final roster puts an end to several days in which the possible return of Pogacar went from seeming practically impossible to becoming an option that was even on the table.

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The Slovenian was initially included in his country's preliminary selection, and his rapid physical recovery further fueled speculation. Just four weeks after his fall in La Vuelta, he was already back training on the road.

The situation took a new turn when it was published that Pogacar was pressuring UAE to allow him to race in the European Championship. According to that information, the Slovenian had even contacted Xavier Mir, the surgeon who operated on his collarbone, seeking medical clearance to return to competition.

Pogacar's intention, however, clashed with his team's plans. Mauro Gianetti ended up being blunt and ruled out Pogacar's return in the European Championship. "His desire to be there is easy to understand, but it is too soon, health is the priority, so it will not happen," assured the head sports director of UAE in statements reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Now Slovenia's final roster turns that message into a fact. Pogacar will not defend his European title in Ljubljana.

Roglic takes the lead for Slovenia

Without Pogacar, Slovenian leadership will mainly fall on Primoz Roglic. The veteran rider will lead a selection of eight cyclists, which also highlights the presence of young Jakob Omrzel, one of the great revelations of the last Vuelta a España.

The absence of Pogacar also significantly changes the landscape of a race that takes place at home for Slovenia. The reigning European champion was, on paper, the big figure that the local audience expected to see on Sunday.

With the final list published, the European Championship is definitively ruled out, and for now, the roadmap set by UAE remains, indicating that he will not compete for the rest of 2026 and will prepare for his return in 2027.