TRENTO (TN) – Jakob Omrzel was one of the most anticipated faces at the Tour of the Alps, the reigning Slovenian champion has moved up to the WorldTour after just one year in the under-23 category. A season, the one with Bahrain Victorious Development which led him to win the Giro Next Gen a PineroloThe Slovenian born in 2006 had then also shown himself at the Tour of the Aosta Valley and winning at Capodarco. Despite a poor Tour de l'Avenir, he then went on to perform well at the Cro Race at the end of the season., so the jump into the WorldTour it seemed like the best solution to continue the growth we had undertaken.
of enfant prodige of the class of 2006, including Paul Seixas, Lorenzo Finn and indeed Jacob Omrzel, the only one left among the under 23s is the ItalianOnly time will tell whether it was the right choice or not, although we have half an idea.
Intermediate steps
There was so much curiosity around Jacob Omrzel, in fact the rider of the Bahrain Victorious between the climbs of the Tour of the Alps he was called to test himself against opponents of a certain calibre. In addition to the winner Giulio Pellizzari he faced Egan Bernal, Thymen Arensman, Michael Storer and other climbers all headed towards the next Tour of Italy.
«First of all I'm happy with how this first year in the WorldTour is going – Omrzel tells us – I'm having a lot of new experiences and I'm trying to go with the flow a bit.I learn a lot and in the meantime I try to improve my condition.
You were just coming off your first WorldTour race, the Vuelta a Catalunya. How did it go?
Well, at the end of the race week I felt really happy with how it went. It was an extremely interesting race, starting from the location but also for the experience of a WorldTour race.. The pace is certainly different, the strategies are different and so is the way of approaching the race. I really enjoyed it, if my legs had felt a little better it would have been even better, but these are my first experiences.
In this Tour of the Alps How did you find it?
Well, I'm comfortable with this kind of effort, even on longer climbs. I don't think it's too high a level; in the end, we're all made of the same stuff, so we just need to work and improve further.
Is the jump from under-23 to the World Tour going well?
Day after day I feel better and better, every time I run I take a step forward. Moving from an under-23 team (Though I have to team up, ed) It was a challenging WorldTourThere are so many more people involved in the process. Trying to process it all isn't easy, but it's stimulating.
Is there anyone who helped you the most?
Everyone is giving me a big hand, starting from the older teammates, through the staff and the sports directorsI think having reference figures like them is a great thing, because they have great experience.
What are your goals for this season?
To challenge myself, learn and understand how everything works. Obviously I also try to get the best possible result, both for myself and for the teamI didn't come here just to be part of the group, I want to try to achieve something both personally and for my teammates.
In what areas is there room for improvement?
Everyone, I definitely feel like a climber, but in this moment of cycling you have to be performing in every areaSure, I'm not a sprinter, but I can go fast on the flat and give myself a chance in a tight sprint.
Many have defined you as a very smart cyclist, it was also evident from the way you won the Giro Next Gen last year…
It's important to evaluate each situation; you can't always run headlong. If I have the chance I try to catch the right moment and read the raceIn terms of personal improvement, I believe that if one tries to learn and focuses as much as possible, one is capable of growing a lot. There is always a way to see things from different perspectives, but this is also the reason why we ride bikes.I like to think about each specific situation and how I will approach it.
You wear the Slovenian champion's jersey, do you feel more pressure?
No, I think it's just an honor to wear it. It's very beautiful and I wear it with pride, but there's no pressure from this shirt.A bit of a better mentality comes along. I don't know how to put it, but you feel more ambitious. It's just a positive motivation.
Many people try to compare you to Pogacar, how do you feel about this comparison?
It's normal for this to happen. In sports it's always like this, if you have someone who is from the same country, the others will surely try to compare you., but I think it's impossible with him (Pogacar, ed.). I just want to be Jakob, I wouldn't complain if I were like Pogacar, but he's one of a kind.
