Jan Tratnik takes his talents to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe in 2025, where he will reunite with fellow Slovenian Primož Roglič. A two-year commitment at Visma-Lease a Bike was up at the end of this year, and the move to the German WorldTour squad will allow the veteran to continue recent momentum for a 17th season.
"Maybe I'm not the youngest, but I'm really happy to join a team with so many ambitions. I still have a lot of personal goals, but I also want to share my experience with the young guys and help the team push the limits in all areas," Tratnik said in a Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe press release.
The 2024 season has been one of his most productive since turning professional as a 19-year-old, which started with second at Vuelta a Murcia, a pair of third places at Clásica Jaén and Volta ao Algarve and then a victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. That Opening Weekend win into Ninove became one his biggest conquests, in a collection with a 2020 Giro d'Italia breakaway stage win in San Daniele del Friuli.
Throughout his career Tratnik has proven to be a valuable domestique on various terrain, having raced all the Monuments and the three Grand Tours. He has represented Slovenia at multiple World Championships and finished eighth in the Olympic road race in Paris.
When Red Bull joined the Bora-Hansgrohe programme, they made a commitment to adding young talent and key leadership in order to make an immediate impact on the WorldTour in 2024. A major strike for the squad was acquiring Roglič from Visma, who brought his vast experience and palmares, and has now added a fourth Vuelta a España victory.
Throughout this season and headed into 2025, Red Bull has exhibited a revolving door of transfers and contract extensions, including new signings of under-23 talents Giulio Pellizzari (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè), Finn Fisher-Black (UAE Team Emirates), Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ) and 24-year-old climber Oier Lazkano (Movistar). Tratnik's signing is a solid reinforcement for the team in the one-day Classics, as well as a critical endurance component for GC leaders in stage races.
"Talent needs experience. That's why it was important for us to sign someone who has been in the peloton for several seasons. Jan is a prime example of a rider who is both a team player and has the hunger and strength to succeed on his own," Ralph Denk, CEO of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe said about the new signing.
Tratnik faced a number of health obstacles in his career, most recently having knee surgery from which he rebounded in just four weeks last year. Early in his career he battled an eating disorder, which caused him to drop from the WorldTour with Quickstep in 2011 and consider quitting the sport. But he rebooted at the Continental level at age 22 and began a trajectory back to the top ranks, where he has raced since 2019.
In July the early transfer talks mentioned Tratnik as a target for the Red Bull team. Before he makes the move for 2025, the Slovenian is expected to line up at his 11th World Championships when he competes in the elite men's road race on September 29.
