"I adore him... He plays a huge role on the road" - Rolf Aldag on 'overlooked' transfer that could prove key for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe
Cycling
A lot has been made of the transfer moves made by Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe over this transfer window. The likes of Maxim van Gils, Oier Lazkano and Giulio Pellizzari have arrived among others, but according to sports director Rolf Aldag there's one signing in particular that stands out.
That signing being, the acquisition of Jan Tratnik from Team Visma | Lease a Bike. "I have to say about Jan Tratnik that I adore him," Aldag says of the Slovenian ace in quotes collected by Siol, expressing his long-term interest in the 34-year-old former Giro d'Italia stage winner. "I have known him for a long time. I know very well that he was overlooked by Quick-Step. And I still feel sorry for him, how they let him go, because you know what he can contribute to the team."
Even in 2024 Tratnik proved his worth to Visma, taking victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, but in Aldag's opinion, it's the time Tratnik spent at Bahrain - Victorious that left the biggest mark in the career of the Slovenian. "I heard about his legacy with the Bahrain Victorious team. It is nice to see what he can contribute to the team, and it is not just exceptional victories," he explains.
As such, heading into 2025 with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe and reunited with compatriot and former Visma teammate Primoz Roglic, Aldag is hopeful the experienced Tratnik can play a key role in improving the team both in the Classics and the in the Grand Tours. "He plays a huge role on the road," Aldag adds, noting how Tratnik can be key in putting race directions out to riders during races. "How he brings information to the sports directors... And that is why he is very much appreciated in every team," Aldag concludes warmly.
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- he can do what he wants, and if he can state his feelings, so can I. and my feeling is, it is fun to see the best riders in the biggest race. there are always stages to go after. and racing is more fun with an MVDP to cheer for. and to the point of the other guy, he raced 7 races prior. he will do 11 or so cross races. yes he races to win, but as a fan I would really love to see him in the race. I'm being greedy admittedly. to the point of vappaxbipmv, he isn't exactly racing his legs off with the races he has been doing.mij07-01-2025
- Well not his last year, but my argument is he can't he win the Tour. Remember this thread during the upcoming Tour, btw, I do admire Primoz.awp07-01-2025
- He did a convincing display at Ancares doing peak numbers even without optimal preparation in a team that is weaker in grand tours. Sure he's getting older but the narrative that he's in his last year is ridiculous.alsene07-01-2025
- He is not anti-doping. He is pro-whining. He is more than happy to cheer for the dopers he likes and believe in the miracles he likes.
MarkFour06-01-2025 - Froome has found a genuine way to race slow .. no further gears restrictions needed for him. And speaking about safety - this overnight packfodder to GT winner should start with holding the tt bars while descending with both hands. What a clown!!
UltimateOpportunist06-01-2025 - Nice, yeah, if you’re around a 6-7% gradient when they attack you’re not going to see much, it’s not for nothing the steepest sections are so crowded. If on TV you see an overweight fan running along for more than 30m you know they’re nowhere near that speed there;-)Mistermaumau06-01-2025
- Merry Crossmas to you tooMistermaumau06-01-2025
- I respect his anti-doping stance but in trying to rehash everything he’s no longer looking at the changes. It’ not just one or two riders who suddenly improved, the whole peleton has gone through an upgrade. For sure there are still cheaters, may e even amongst the very best but a large part of the improvement is generic and explainable. Even racing itself has changed. There is progress in EVERY sport, constantly, why would cycling be the odd one out?Mistermaumau06-01-2025
- Don’t doubt your cynical side ;-) It’s hardly likely to be true either and he is hardly in a position to judge for others who is best this or that. If he’d just said, he was always good to ME that would have been more truthful and then everyone could draw their own conclusion, now he’s basically shot himself in the foot for nothing (as far as we know).Mistermaumau06-01-2025
- He's the best teammate with Domen Novak cruising Pogi to become Cycling World Champion.
James2631806-01-2025