Baby Giro winner Jakob Omrzel to turn pro early with Bahrain-Victorious for 2026
Jakob Omrzel will join Bahrain Victorious’s WorldTour squad for the 2026 season after a standout season with the team’s development programme.
Originally expected to remain at the U23 level until 2026, the young Slovenian climber's performances this year have accelerated his progression to cycling's highest level.
Back in June, Omrzel became the second Slovenian, after Tadej Valjavec in 1999, to win the prestigious Giro d’Italia Next Gen, the U-23 equivalent of the Italian Grand Tour, confirming the hype surrounding him. His talent was already evident during his junior career, highlighted by victory at the 2024 Paris-Roubaix Juniors with the Slovenian National Team.
"The big dream of every young cyclist is to one day become a pro rider, and I was no exception. To already have the opportunity to turn professional after just my first season at the U23 level is truly indescribable for me," Omrzel said in a statement released by Bahrain-Victorious.
Omrzel has already raced a couple of times for the WorldTour team, impressing particularly at the Tour of Slovenia, where he finished fourth overall just a week before his exploits at the Baby Giro.
Despite his age, Omrzel is already the elite national road race champion of Slovenia, rounding out an exceptional month of June. More recently, he celebrated his first U23 one-day race victory at GP Capodarco and claimed two runner-up stage finishes at the Giro della Valle d'Aosta, before finishing 13th at the Tour de l'Avenir.
"With Bahrain's Development Team, I gained a lot of experience and discovered a completely new perspective on this sport. Joining this team was without a doubt the best decision I've made," Omrzel explained.
Looking ahead to his WorldTour career, Omrzel has set ambitious but measured goals: "My goals are not only to achieve strong results in high-level races but also to continue improving as both a rider and as a person. I know that if I keep showing my commitment and dedication to this team, I will earn more opportunities to deliver strong results and maybe one day even fight for a podium in a Grand Tour."
The young Slovenian joins a growing list of talented riders from his nation making waves at the sport's highest level, with the current golden generation including Tadej Pogačar, Primož Roglič and Matej Mohorič.
"I truly believe I have the potential to succeed in this sport, and I will give everything I can to make my dreams a reality," Omrzel said.
