"We shouldn't be afraid of anybody" - Primoz Roglic & Jan Tratnik confident of bringing Slovenia more Grand Tour success at 2025 Giro d'Italia

Long-time friends, Slovenian duo Primoz Roglic and Jan Tratnik have reunited in 2025 at the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe team, after previously racing together at Jumbo-Visma, and their biggest assignment of the season so far is coming up at the Giro d'Italia.

For Roglic, the Giro brings back fond memories after he dramatically edged out Geraint Thomas by just 14 seconds to win the 2023 edition of the Italian Grand Tour. "From my side, this is just a pleasure," Roglic tells Cycling News about his return to the Giro d'Italia for the 4th time in his illustrious career. "It's the first of the Grand Tours, one of the biggest races of the whole year and doing it together with my friend and teammate is even nicer. So yeah, I'm just looking forward to the challenges to come."

Tratnik too has had success in Italy, winning his only Grand Tour stage to date back in 2020. "That was in the COVID year, so the whole season was really 'rock'n'roll', I didn't know what to expect," recalls the 35-year-old. "It was nice to take that last opportunity in the Giro because all the next stages were really hard ones. It also happened quite close to Slovenia, we actually went through it on the stage and many fans were there, so that was a good memory." 

As for this year's edition, the Tratnik - Roglic axis could be the key factor in any potential success for the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe team. "I'll organise the team during the race, help contacts between riders and sport directors and read the race to see what will happen, to execute actions and keep everything under control for as long as I'm there," Tratnik says of his role. "I think I'm the guy who can do a lot of flat, medium, hilly stages, tricky ones, but anyway for the high mountains, we have a really strong lineup too: three to four great climbers, and the rest of us will work more on flat and the medium-flat. So that's mainly going to be my job."

For Roglic meanwhile, it's all about the Maglia Rosa. "I try to find that extra motivation in everything. I try to find it every day, something to make it a bit nicer, and when I'm doing the Giro, definitely that motivation is there," he previews. "Sometimes it feels crazy that I'm even there, but then the second feeling I have is it's good, whatever. I'll be racing there with Jan and we'll definitely do a good race."

"The team will be really strong in the Giro," Tratnik concludes. "The mountain support is really strong and for the flat and hilly stages we have a really good group that's well connected. I'm really looking forward to racing there, and I know I know how much easier it is when you have a roster of eight strong guys. We shouldn't be afraid of anybody, we've been working every day here for the Giro. And now it's time we pin on the numbers and start racing."