"I'm feeling better than last year" - But can Jan Tratnik beat Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad?

Jan Tratnik is gearing up to take on Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this weekend, aiming to defend the title he won in epic fashion last year. However, this time around, the Slovenian will be racing in new colours, having moved from Team Visma | Lease a Bike to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe over the winter. Can he repeat his win in new colours?

Tratnik’s victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024 was one of the best moments of his career to date. In a chaotic and hectic race, he made the winning move inside the final 10 kilometres, dropping Nils Politt and holding off Wout van Aert to secure his biggest ever one victory.

It was an incredibly bold attack and powerful solo effort that forced Visma into a position where they had to control the chasing group, allowing him to ride to victory, even with Van Aert on the team! Now, as the defending champion, he will be taken much more seriously if he makes a break for victory again and show that last year was no fluke.

Tratnik believes he is in better form than last year, even if his early-season results do not reflect it. Speaking to Cyclingnews, he said, "I'm feeling better than last year though the results are not the same.

“Ok, Bessèges was a bit of a chaotic race and I couldn't really test myself there. But already on the stage 2 summit finish here, I saw that I pushed higher numbers than last year."

He also noted that his Algarve campaign had been different this time, given his role supporting Primoz Roglic, who joined Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe in 2024.

"Here in the Algarve, too, I'm coming in with a different approach because we have Primoz Roglic. But we are on the right track, I'm on the right track, the team is on the right track. So I'm happy with these numbers and with my performance."

Tratnik will be part of a well-rounded Red Bull – Bora - hansgrohe squad at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, featuring Oier Lazkano, Roger Adrià, Jonas Koch, Jordi Meeus, and twins Mick and Tim van Dijke. They will be up against some of the biggest names in the sport, including Wout van Aert, Biniam Girmay, Tom Pidcock, and Jasper Philipsen, and it will be incredible if Tratnik can pull off another win.

The Slovenian acknowledges that success will require a tactical approach, rather than focusing solely on one leader.

"We have quite a strong team with young guns, and you know how it goes with those races, it's quite hard to say it's only going to be with one leader, because so many scenarios can play out. You need to have more bullets in the pocket to play well."

He also embraces the idea of shared leadership within the squad.

"I'm a rider who likes to share leadership with the others too and it's a race where we want to play more cards. It doesn't matter which rider is the best. It's important that we try to win as a team, not as an individual."

Tratnik has been balancing his one-day racing ambitions with Grand Tour preparations, and while the cobbled classics remain a key part of his season, they are no longer his sole focus.

"For me, it's a different race plan every year. Maybe I'll be doing the cobbles, or two Grand Tours – like in 2025 – but each time the cobbled Classics are a little bit less on my programme."

That said, he still sees himself as a versatile rider who can adapt to any terrain.

"Finally, though, it doesn't matter where I go or what I do: I'm good on every kind of terrain and the team can use me if it's hilly or the cobbled Classics or whatever."

Tratnik and Primoz Roglic were teammates at Visma, and their reunion at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe adds an interesting dynamic. However, it also means Tratnik will have to battle against Wout van Aert if he wants to retain his title.

"Yeah, the good thing about that is that now if I'm on the front, I can just follow him and I will be in a winning position."

Tratnik has spent time reconning the final 80 kilometres of the route and feels confident in his knowledge of the race. However, he acknowledges that weather conditions can play a major role.

"I'll do the last 80 kilometres of the race as a recon on Friday, and then it's enough. I know the route already, in any case, but what can really change from one year to the next is the weather. Hopefully, it'll be sunny and there won't be any snow."

And while he is known for his well-timed attacks, he remains open to early aggressive moves.

"It's what happens in the race that matters the most, because these days you never know what can happen. Maybe I'll go on the attack 150 kilometres from the line."