Can Remco Evenepoel stop Tadej Pogačar at the World Championships?

The Belgian will lead his nation in Switzerland in a fortnight, in the absence of Wout van Aert

Can anyone stop Tadej Pogacar? This will be the question on everyone’s lips at the Road word championship In Zurich It is hard to look past the Slovenian, the man who dominated the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France to such an extent that the question became how many stages would he win at both races rather than could anyone challenge.

One man who will be hoping to do so – and possibly the man with the best opportunity – is Remco Evanpoel of Belgium, who was confirmed to be leading his country on Tuesday.

While he will have to do so without Wout van Aertwith the rest of the season due to the Knee injury sustained at the Vuelta a España, Evenepoel will start as the second favourite behind Pogačar.

He might not have the Grand Tour prowess of his Slovenian rival, but the Evenepoel is a serious threat in one-day races, particularly ones as hilly as Zürich will be; the last World Championships with a comparable amount of climbing, of course. Just last month

Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the most similar of the Monuments, has been won by either Pogacar  for Evanpoel the last four editions, with two apiece. However, there has never been a duel between the pair at the race, with one always absent, so Zürich will provide the opportunity.

The Belgian team also includes Maxim Van Gils, Victor Campenaerts, Tim Wellens, Jasper Stuyven, Tiesj Benoot, Quinten Hermans and Laurens De Plus.