"Jan immediately stopped pedaling, waited and then helped" - Slovenian coach explains how Tratnik's quick-thinking played key role in Tadej Pogacar's Rainbow Jersey victory
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar was undoubtedly the strongest in the men's elite road race at the 2024 World Championships in Zurich. The thing about bike racing is though, the strongest doesn't always take victory. You need a little luck, good tactics and ever better teammates. In the form of Jan Tratnik, Pogacar certainly had the latter.
In the World Championship road races, there are no team radios. As such, when Pogacar attacked the peloton with 100km to go, Tratnik, who was up ahead in the breakaway, didn't initially know what had happened behind. As explained in a fascinating story by Slovenian national coach Uros Murn to Wielerflits, Tratnik used all his vast experience, racing guile and brilliant quick-thinking to pull a genius tactical move that ultimately helped fire his compatriot into the Rainbow Jersey.
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"You know, we don't have the strongest riders in the world, but they are very smart," laughs Murn as he begins his explanation. "Jan saw on the time board that the lead had suddenly decreased very quickly. It went from two and a half minutes to one minute and twenty."
Sensing something big might be happening behind, Tratnik pressed those around him for further information. "Jan asked a racing bike what was going on. The biker said that Tadej was coming, alone," continues the Slovenian coach. Upon hearing this, Tratnik had no second thoughts and immediately sacrificed his own chances in the lead group. "Jan immediately stopped pedalling, waited and then helped. That makes him a true champion," Murn says warmly.
"We know that we are a little bit weaker compared to other countries. That's why we agreed on plan B, that we would sense when the right moment was," he continues, detailing how while a 100km attack hadn't been part of the plan, a long range Pogacar move had been discussed. "If he decides to go, he feels that this is the right moment and he knows that he can finish it. Especially because that group was still in front and Jan was there. I thought he could go in there for another lap and then go solo, but nobody wanted to work with Jan and so Tadej left early. That wasn't the plan, although I always said: maybe go before the last lap."
Nonsensical explanation. Not possible for any rider to talk to a motor marshall while at speed, let alone have a conversation There were several dubious goings-on in the race. Not the least being the closeness of motors to Pojacar, particularly on the stiffest climb. Roglic's inactions don't add up either, you would have thought he may have active in blocking the chase group. Oh, and the antics of a team car in supplying feed before last lap need a question
I've been racing for years, and it's easy to talk to motos during the race. The coverage didn't show Jan talking to a Marshall but its certainly possible, and as the coach said it happened I don't see any reason to doubtbit
In any case, it involves quite a few people, wouldn’t be so hard to discover if the story backs up.
The fans in the side road are watching live on their phone so that they know exactly what's happening in the peloton when Pogi attack.
« Live », there’s quite a delay depending on which form of reporting and broadcaster and courses sometimes go through zones with no coverage. That having been said, if all goes pretty well and you have the right fans standing in EXACTLY the right places, smart enough to know how the communicate effectively with the right rider fast at exactly the right moment then yes, it could have happened but anyone relying on this form of information exchange is much more likely to mess up.
I was reading and wondering if Tratnik saw the time drop and just assumed it was Pogacar - good to know that he actually heard from the bike. Fascinating that the bike would give the information, and excellent response by Tratnik. I had wondered how he would hear from someone on the side of the road, how would they even know? (Edit: I read elsewhere that Tratnik heard it from a media bike traveling with them, not that he was told. Honestly, that sounds more likely.)
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- I mean the year before cables were external aspect should help narrow down the options as that can only be 1 year if you look at every bike it's the year cables disappeared.HoopoeChai15-04-2025
- If other riders just give up when VDP and Pog turn up to race why bother at all. Sad to hear this attitude and there is the problem riders saying we have lost before the start . We have seen loads of time both riders can be beaten. Less neg and more positive.paultryan200215-04-2025
- I always though the very best in a sport drove each other and their closest rivals to be better, Tadej and MVDP are driving each other to be better does that mean the rest have given up? To hear many of the pundits you'd think that was the case, they need to drag themselves up to the level to beat MVDP and Tadej because the two of them are not going to waitslappers6615-04-2025
- Must feel like a dream when he's back riding the smooth roads hahaPogboom15-04-2025
- Covid racing was great! You could actually hear the cyclist suffering.
Front24215-04-2025 - I'm pretty sure that it was 2011, when he as on the Saxo Bank team, and the bikes in question are the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL3 and SL4.
santiagobenites15-04-2025 - It looks like either year, they were sponsored by Specialized. Good to know.acem8214-04-2025
- Alcohol is never an excuse, on the contrary, it's an aggravating factor.
maria2024202414-04-2025 - In the race they talk constantly to each other; it seems as if they're teammates. Obviously, when the crucial moment arrive, they attack each other to win, but it's evident the respect, sympathy, and friendship between them.maria2024202414-04-2025
- True, sorryMistermaumau14-04-2025