The Tadej Pogacar record that Jakob Omrzel has broken with his Vuelta a España victory
CyclingFriday, 04 September 2026 at 13:00
Jakob Omrzel has etched his name into Slovenian cycling history at just 20 years of age. The Bahrain Victorious rider soloed to victory on stage 12 of the 2026 Vuelta a España, finishing at Calar Alto, and became the youngest Slovenian ever to win a Grand Tour stage, even surpassing Tadej Pogačar’s mark.
The win confirms a talent that had already flashed during this Vuelta. Omrzel was fourth on the Aramón Valdelinares stage and, after his exhibition at Calar Alto, jumped again in the general classification to sixth overall.
Omrzel was the strongest from the break and imposed himself on the final climb. An unanswerable victory for a rider in his first Grand Tour, still processing the magnitude of what he has just achieved.
“It doesn’t surprise me, because I know all the work I’ve done. I knew this day would come sooner or later, but I certainly didn’t expect it 100% in my first Grand Tour,” he said after crossing the line.
The Slovenian admitted he was still struggling to believe it. “I still don’t quite believe it, but I felt great. I still feel good; I’m not tired. I’m just enjoying it,” he added.
At 20 years and 166 days, Omrzel also becomes the second-youngest stage winner in La Vuelta’s history. Only Celestino Prieto, a winner in 1981, did it at a younger age.
The most striking comparison is with Pogačar. Omrzel has beaten the age at which the world champion took his first Grand Tour stage win in 2019.
The rider himself downplayed the statistic: “Becoming the youngest Slovenian to win a Grand Tour stage, ahead of Tadej Pogačar, is just a statistic. It doesn’t mean anything more, but it’s a good statistic,” he said.
Jakob Omrzel won stage 12 of the Vuelta a España 2026.
A new jewel of Slovenian cycling
The triumph at Calar Alto didn’t come out of nowhere. Omrzel has long hinted he is set to become one of the key names in Slovenian cycling.
The rider from Novo Mesto, a town with a strong road and mountain bike tradition, started with Adria Mobil Júniors in 2023. Two years later he stepped up to Bahrain Victorious’ continental team and in 2026 reached the WorldTour within the same structure.
His contract with Bahrain Victorious runs until 2029, ensuring the team keeps one of its most promising talents.
Omrzel had already secured a high-value result before his definitive move to the WorldTour: last year he won the Giro Next Gen.
His first season in the top tier has confirmed that progression. Omrzel finished as fifth best young rider at the Volta a Catalunya and was sixth overall at the Tour of the Alps, where he also took third among the young riders. He was eighth at the Tour of Hungary and third at the Tour of Slovenia.
Before arriving at La Vuelta, the Slovenian also rode the Clásica de San Sebastián, finishing 16th, and the Circuito de Getxo, where he placed 45th.
In Spain he had already sent a warning with fourth place at Aramón Valdelinares. But what happened at Calar Alto has decisively raised expectations around him.
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“It’s like playing PlayStation”
Omrzel also credits a large part of his success to how Bahrain Victorious functions. The young Slovenian was especially proud of the collective work throughout this Vuelta.
“The truth is everyone at Bahrain Victorious is fantastic. We riders understand each other perfectly. We work very well together, to perfection,” he explained.
His description of the team dynamic was particularly striking:
“We say it’s like playing PlayStation. We do what we want. We get into the breaks, and with Pello [Bilbao], Santi [Buitrago] and the others, it’s incredible. I’m very proud.”
Despite the impact of his victory, Omrzel keeps a personality seemingly distant from the noise now building around his name.
The Slovenian describes himself as a disciplined rider and shares a nickname with his brother, Mrzu, who is also a racer.
When he thinks about a life away from cycling, his answer is equally revealing: he says he would probably have been an engineer.
And he has a clear motto to guide his sporting career: “stay calm, in the end everything works out.”
In Calar Alto, everything worked out for Jakob Omrzel. At 20, with a win in his first Grand Tour and a contract through 2029, the Slovenian has just authored one of those victories that can mark the true birth of a new star.
Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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