World gravel champion Matej Mohoric has an accident in Girona 2 weeks before defending his title

Matej Mohoric, who was going to participate in the gravel race at Sea Otter Europa fair this weekend in Girona, suffered a serious fall while reconnoitering the course and is now in doubt for the Road World Championship, where he was expected to play an important role in controlling the race for the Slovenian team alongside Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic.

Matej Mohoric falls while reconnoitering the gravel race at Sea Otter Europa and is in doubt for both the Road and Gravel World Championships

It hasn't been the dream season for Matej Mohoric, with discreet results in all the races he has competed in, with just one stage victory in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and the national time trial, but far from the best in the classics. However, according to his own words, the Slovenian was on track to regain his form in this final part of the season where his goals were to be an important man for his team in the Road World Championship in Zurich and try to defend the gravel rainbow jersey a week later.

With this intention, the Bahrain Victorious cyclist attended the Sea Otter Europe fair that will take place in Girona over the next weekend, which includes, among other activities, a gravel race integrated within the UCI Gravel World Series, the last opportunity before the world championship for many to secure their spot in this event that will take place in Flanders.

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However, a few hours ago, Bahrain Victorious, in a brief statement on social media, announced that Mohoric had suffered a fall while reconnoitering the Sea Otter Europe race course, so he would not be able to participate in the event and had returned home to continue his recovery for the Gravel World Championship scheduled for October 6.

Although, from what can be inferred from those words, the fall would not be serious enough to prevent Mohoric from participating in the Flemish race, nothing is mentioned regarding his participation in the Road Cycling World Championship in Zurich, which will take place a week earlier. A race in which Matej Mohoric would have to be one of the mainstays of the Slovenian team, either by getting into breakaways that could pose a threat or by working to solve any unexpected situation. All with the aim of ensuring that both Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic reach the final part of the race with their strength as intact as possible to have a better chance of competing for the victory.

It is also a shame that Matej Mohoric will not be able to participate in the Sea Otter race from the perspective that he has barely worn the rainbow jersey, only in the Unbound Gravel and a few more races, achieved last year in Veneto due to the tight schedule of a World Tour team cyclist like Bahrain Victorious.