Slovenian riders winning on mountain-top finishes at the Vuelta a España is nothing out of the ordinary; Primož Roglič has been doing that for years, and before he crashed out, Tadej Pogačar had done similarly in his limited appearances.
But stage 12 of the Vuelta saw a new name from the Central European nation, which has come to dominate the current cycling era, come to the fore: Jakob Omrzel (Bahrain Victorious).
With a dominant solo performance from the breakaway, the youngest rider at the 2026 race earned himself a maiden stage win on debut, but also beat Pogačar’s benchmark to become Slovenia’s youngest-ever Grand Tour stage winner, and became the second-youngest stage winner in Vuelta history after Celestino Prieto in 1981.
Latest Videos FromCyclingnews
“I mean, it’s an incredible statistic; it doesn’t mean anything specific,” said a nonchalant Omrzel as he sat down for his post-race press conference. “I still need to work hard, and it’s a nice statistic to achieve, but that’s also it.”
Also asked about it in his flash winners interview, he reiterated his point: “That’s just a statistic; it doesn’t mean anything else, but it’s a nice statistic.”
You may like
Clearly not overly interested in the comparisons to his compatriots and instead wanting to be his own rider, not the next Pogačar or Roglič, Omrzel naturally still had to field questions about the two greats who have come before him.
“The best guys in Slovenia in history, and I mean, Pogi is Pogi; there’s not much more to say. Primož also, how much he achieved in his career is just something unbelievable,” he said. “For sure, they are both role models.”
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Even if he doesn’t want to be compared to Pogačar, the way in which he rode the finale is going to make the comparisons seem fair, taking on the final 12km alone and appearing not to be struggling after he distanced Urko Berrade – which he then confirmed at the finish with a warranted level of confidence.
“I’m not surprised because I know how much work I put in, and I knew that these days were going to come sooner or later. But for sure, I was not expecting 100% to do it on my first Grand Tour,” said Omrzel.
“So, I mean, I still can’t believe what I did, but I felt super good. I’m still feeling OK. I’m not tired, so I don’t know, I’m just enjoying it at the moment.”
What to read next
He went on to further detail the ease with which Bahrain Victorious dominated the 30-man breakaway on stage 12 by comparing it to playing a video game.
With Pello Bilbao putting in a solid shift on his final Grand Tour appearance, Santiago Buitrago strengthening his hold on the KOM jersey, Omrzel not only had experienced support alongside him before going off on his own, but his team were able to tick off several goals in one stage.
“Actually, the team behind us is really great. As riders, we understand each other really well, and at the moment, we are working so well together. The whole team is just perfection,” said Omrzel.
“We said that we are playing PlayStation, and that’s what we are doing at the moment! What we want, we do. We go in the breakaway with Pello [Bilbao], Santi Buitrago], and the other guys. It’s just amazing, and I’m really proud of that.”
As a Baby Giro winner and top prospect coming out of the under-23 ranks, Omrzel seemed destined for success as a pro, but perhaps not this quickly. Even as their current superstars are nearing the latter years of their careers, Roglič is now 36, and Pogačar is turning 28 later this month; Slovenia likely have their next figurehead in Omrzel.
For unbeatable coverage across road, gravel and tech, subscribe to Cyclingnews. You’ll get comprehensive race coverage of La Vuelta a España, subscriber-exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! Join today.