Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) will race both the Slovenian national time trial and road race on June 26 and 28, his first appearance at the event since 2020. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) is not on the start list for either discipline, according to Sportklub.
The return comes during a winless 2026 season for Roglič, who at 36 has redirected his programme away from the Tour de France and toward the Vuelta a España, where he is chasing a record fifth title.
Speaking to Slovenian broadcaster Val 202, Roglič said (translated from Slovenian, as reported in Sportklub): "I'm already looking forward to nationals. I don't have a real plan, but I want to give my best and be as good as possible. I'm not planning the Tour de France. After Switzerland, the national championships, and then building form toward the Vuelta."
At Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe's media day earlier this year, the squad indicated that Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz would lead the Tour de France campaign, while Roglič would spearhead the Vuelta. Speculation abounded that Roglič may in fact attend the Tour, following the Slovenian training for a team time trial and testing the suspected next generation S-Works Tarmac expected to be released at the Tour.
The team's Tour team is yet to be confirmed but Flemish media has confirmed that it includes Evenepoel and Lipowitz in leadership roles, but not Roglič.
Course and schedule
The time trial on Friday takes place on a hilly 14.4km loop between Karteljevo and Poljane pri Mirni Peči, ridden twice for a total of 28.8km with roughly 250 metres of climbing per lap. The elite men's start is scheduled for 18:40 local time.
Sunday's road race in Gabrje, near Novo Mesto, covers 163.5km over 15 laps of a 10.9km circuit with 225 metres of elevation per lap. The elite men start at 14:15.
When Roglič last raced the nationals in 2020, he won the road race title and finished second in the time trial behind Pogačar. He also holds a Slovenian time trial title from 2016.
Roglič's 2026 results have been steady, if unspectacular. He placed fifth at Tirreno-Adriatico, third at Milano-Torino, 16th at the Tour of the Basque Country, 18th at the Tour of Romandie and eighth at the Tour de Suisse. He has yet to win this season; for a rider with 91 career wins, an Olympic time trial gold and four Vuelta titles, the drought stands out.
Pogačar's absence removes the obvious domestic rivalry from the weekend but is consistent with his own programme. He won the Tour de Suisse earlier this month and is expected to focus on the Tour de France, which begins on July 4.
For Roglič, the nationals offer race intensity and a chance to wear the Slovenian champion's jersey into his Vuelta preparation.
The time trial in Karteljevo on Friday will be his first Slovenian nationals start in six years.
Cover image credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com
