Jumbo-Visma bolsters team for 2023 with Attila Valter, Jan Tratnik, Thomas Gloag

Published August 29, 2022 07:23AM

The trio make it five new signings for the Dutch team ahead of 2023 with Dylan van Baarle and Wilco Kelderman already confirmed for the forthcoming year. Both Valter and Gloag have signed deals through 2025, while Tratnik’s runs through 2024.

Jumbo-Visma has grown to become one of the dominant teams within the men’s peloton. It won the Tour de France in July with Jonas Vingegaard and claimed six stage wins along the way. The string of new signings will likely only further strengthen the team.

The 24-year-old Valter is in just his third season as a professional after he turned pro with the CCC Team in 2020. He came to prominence last year with a standout performance at the Giro d’Italia that saw him spend several days in the race lead before ultimately finishing 14th overall.

He struggled to back that up at this year’s Giro, but he’s still enjoyed some top performances, such as his fifth-place finish at the Tour of the Alps in April.

“I think this environment is the best for me to develop further. Team Jumbo-Visma is a top team that guides its riders very well to a higher level,” Valter said. “Due to the conversations I had with the team management, my confidence was boosted a lot. I’m hoping I can fulfill my potential in the coming years.”

Tratnik is a stalwart of the professional peloton after making his WorldTour debut with Quick-Step back in 2011. The Slovenian has spent the four seasons with the Bahrain Victorious squad, where he has taken a number of significant victories, including a stage of the Giro d’Italia and back-to-back national time trial titles.

“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,” he said.

The announcement of Gloag’s signing comes off the back of a recent stage win at, prestigious U23 race, the Tour de l’Avenir. Gloag had already impressed the team prior to that as it had signed him up as a stagiaire for the remainder of the 2022 season.

Though he has struggled somewhat with illness and injury this season, Gloag has brought in some impressive results during his time as a U23. Last year, he finished just shy of the podium in the U23 Giro d’Italia and he won a mountainous stage of the Ronde de l’Isard, which finished atop the Plateau-de-Beille.

“I can’t wait to be a member of this squad because they have demonstrated their ability to develop new riders. 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,” Gloag said.

Jumbo-Visma hopes that the three new signings will bolster the team in the coming seasons.

“We have been following Attila for several years. Both in races and tests we have seen that he has great abilities. We look forward to working with him and helping him reach his potential,” sport director Merijn Zeeman said. “We are delighted with Jan’s arrival. Team Jumbo-Visma is ambitious to compete for the win in the biggest races the entire season. Jan is highly valued as a personality and a rider to realise those ambitions.

“Thomas is a wonderful talent with whom we will work in the coming years. Thanks to a balanced programme, we give him plenty of time and space to improve. Together we will let his talent blossom to the fullest.”