Jakob Omrzel on Slovenia's cycling boom, Pogacar comparisons, and his patient path to the Giro

Even casual cycling fans will have noticed Slovenia punching well above its weight, collecting some of the sport’s biggest prizes, from Grand Tours to Monuments and the Classics. Primož Roglič, Tadej Pogačar, Matej Mohorič and Jan Tratnik sit at the head of a Slovenian wave that has reshaped the sport, with a country of just over two million producing riders who win on cycling’s biggest stages.

Jakob Omrzel is tipped to become the latest name on that list. The 19-year-old from Novo Mesto, close to the Croatian border, won the Giro Next Gen in 2025, claimed the Slovenian national title at the elite level, and signed a long-term professional contract for 2026 with Bahrain-Victorious.

For Omrzel, Slovenia’s rise still feels improbable in scale. “It’s incredible because we are really, worldwide, just one dot on the planet,” he tells Domestique. “To have that big of an impact on cycling is an amazing story. We don’t have just one guy, but many of them. It’s great to be in this era.”

Omrzel credits Roglič as the catalyst for the country’s current generation and the wave still coming through. "He [Roglič] was the opening one, the big, big one," Omrzel says. "Once he showed it was possible, everyone got the mentality: okay, if he did it, I can do it."

Pogačar's Tour de France wins, the first coming when Omrzel was around 15 years old in 2020, only amplified that belief of young riders within Slovenia. "Pogi [Pogačar] is just a different breed," Omrzel says. "He's making the sport. To compare with him is a bit stupid, honestly. I know I can be a great rider, but Pogi is not just a great rider; he's something else. I just know what my role is and what I can do realistically."

It's a grounded perspective, especially for a teenager who's already being talked about as Slovenia's next Grand Tour contender. Omrzel admits the comparisons come with the territory, but he's not letting them dictate his path. "I need to keep my feet on the ground. It's not even hard to be compared to Pogi because I just don't care; I focus on my own development."

Style-wise, though, Omrzel sees some similarities. "I'd say I'm closer to him than to Roglič in riding style," he explains. "I like everything. I'm not the fastest, but I try to get myself into everything, cobbles, flat ground. It's a challenge, but I feel comfortable with it."

That all-rounder profile served him well at the 2025 Giro Next Gen, where Omrzel beat a stacked field including Lorenzo Finn (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) and Jarno Widar (Lotto-Intermarché) to claim the maglia rosa.

"I figured out I could win on the second-to-last stage," Omrzel recalls. "I'd come from seventh after the prologue to second place, and I felt incredible, three times better than at the start of the race. My form was just improving day by day. I knew I was so close that now I couldn't mess it up. I went all in."

That mentality shift, committing fully when form and confidence align, is something Omrzel plans to carry into the pro ranks. "It's not every day like this, not every race," he says. "Maybe one or two times per year, you feel that peak. When I do, I'll go for it 100%."

His win at Paris-Roubaix Juniors the year prior in 2024 had already hinted at his versatility and mental strength. "You grow up watching Roubaix and never think you'll win it, even as a junior," he says. "Crossing the line first in the Vélodrome was a game-changer for me. It made me think, if I keep working like this, I can really make it in this sport.”

Omrzel is leaning on veterans who have showcased an ability to win at Bahrain -ictorious. “With guys like Matej Mohorič, Pello Bilbao, Santiago Buitrago, there’s so much experience and attention to detail. My job is to listen and soak everything in.” A tight Slovenian group on the team helps, too. “It makes you feel even more comfortable,” he says.

Unlike some young talents thrust into the spotlight, Omrzel and his team are taking a deliberately patient approach to his development.

Omrzel confirmed to Domestique that he is slated to make his WorldTour stage race debut at the Volta a Catalunya in March, head to the Tour of the Alps in April, and the Tour of Slovenia in June, which is his main GC target. He will also add a handful of one-week stage races and ProSeries events. 

He will not race a Grand Tour this year, with a debut more likely in 2027.