Attila Valter, Jan Tratnik and Tom Gloag will all race for Jumbo-Visma in 2023. The Dutch WorldTour squad announced the trio’s arrival on Monday.
Attila Valter and Jan Tratnik had been heavily linked with a move to the team in recent weeks, and they offer further talented reinforcements after the signings of Wilco Kelderman (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Dylan van Baarle (Ineos Grenadiers) for next season.
Reigning Hungarian road race champion Valter has shown his promise as a climber. At last year’s Giro d’Italia, the Groupama-FDJ racer wore the race leader’s maglia rosa for two days on the way to 14th place overall. He also finished fourth in Strade Bianche this year.
“I think this environment is the best for me to develop further,” the 24-year-old said. “Jumbo-Visma is a top team that guides its riders very well to a higher level. Due to the conversations I had with the team management, my confidence was boosted a lot. I’m hoping I can fulfil my potential in the coming years.”
Valter has signed a contract until the end of 2025. “We have been following Attila for several years. Both in races and tests we have seen that he has great abilities,” said the team’s sports director Merijn Zeeman.
Reigning Slovenian time trial champion Tratnik has been a late bloomer in the sport. After an anonymous year as a neo-pro with Quick Step in 2011, he did not return to the WorldTour for seven years.
The Bahrain-Victorious rider wasted no time showing his versatility, winning a Giro d’Italia stage from a breakaway in 2020. He is also strong against the clock and finished in the top twelve of Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders and the Amstel Gold Race this season.
“I'm proud to be a member of one of the world’s top teams. The team has demonstrated its ability to improve riders. I look forward to contributing to the team's future successes,” Tratnik said.
At the opposite end of the experience scale, there’s British neo-pro Tom Gloag, who inked a deal to the end of 2025 with the stage racing powerhouses.
One of the strongest climbers in the under-23 ranks, the Londoner is already racing for the squad this summer as a stagiaire and took a Tour de l’Avenir stage win last week in the colours of the Great Britain national team. He had previously been linked with Ineos Grenadiers after attending a past training camp.
“I can't wait to be a member of this squad because they have demonstrated their ability to develop new riders,” 20-year-old Gloag said. “I don't yet have much experience. That is why I want to immerse myself in all facets of cycling in the coming years. With this team, I am in the right place.”
In their team announcement, Jumbo-Visma also announced the contract extensions of Dutch domestiques Timo Roosen and Lennard Hofstede, till the end of 2023 and 2024 respectively.
