Tadej Pogachar and Urška Zigato won the Slovenian national time trial championship on Thursday.

Pogachar, who had not raced since fracturing his navicular bone in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, won the men's time trial by over five minutes against a strong local field.

Pogachar was 5:14 ahead of Marko Pavlic of Slovenia's MebloJOGI Pro Concrete Continental Team. Ange Skok (Ljubljana Gusto Santic) was third in 6:30.

An hour earlier, Zigato took the title in the women's time trial on the same course. She beat former UAE Team ADQ's Urushka Pintal by 1:43, with Eugenia Bujak (UAE Team ADQ) in third at 5:33.

The 15.7 km course climbed almost constantly from Zgornje Gorje (elevation 635 m) to Pokljuka (elevation 1346 m). Zigert and Pogačar each won their third Slovenian Time Trial title.

The 2023 championships were held on the same course as the 2020 championships, with Pogachar beating his 2020 time by 1:27. Athletes were soaked by the rain in 2020, and Pogachar won by only 9 seconds over Primosz Roglic. Two months later, with the 2020 season postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he confirmed his Grand Tour talent by winning the Tour de France for the first time.

"It was a good test for the Tour de France time trial," Pogachar told Slovenian television. I wanted to do better than I did three years ago; I wanted to do better than I did three years ago." I set a goal to get one minute off my time, and I achieved it, and I'm very happy. Not only did I improve my time, but I also improved a lot on the equipment I use.

"My hands are feeling better. It's not perfect yet, but it doesn't bother me during training. Now I just have to be careful not to fall or hit a bone."

Zigato is expected to compete in the Tour de France Femme from Jayco Alura and recently came close to winning the Tour de Suisse women's race, showing that she is in good form.

"I'm really happy to be able to wear the jersey again this year.

"It was really hot today and a bit scary. I started pretty fast but luckily I had something left in my legs from the last few races. I'm very happy with today's result and I hope to stay in good shape for the July race."