Best neo-pro 2015?

[Hugo Koblet]

I think the poll result might be misleading now but who cares, it's the comments that really matter

For me, looking at results, Alaphillippe takes the prize. These are really impressive results for a neo-pro. Benoot is a close second though and looking at performances and not just results - while perhaps also taking age into consideration - I think that Benoot is the most impressive this year.

 

[Guybrush]

Fernando Gaviria, don't know if stagiaire is a neo-pro or not, but he was impresive

 

[nobilis]

Re:

Fernando Gaviria, don't know if stagiaire is a neo-pro or not, but he was impresive

No he will be Neo-pro next year I guess. But if there is a thread for best stagiaire, he should take it by a margin.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

I thought about only including first year pro's but in the end went with the official definition. I don't know why the poll doesn't work by the way

Not really interesting is the offical way imo.
Should've been about first years.

Benoot for me.

 

[dicanio_michael]

It's a close call between Tiejs Benoot or Julian Alaphillippe and one year or two year.

Anyway, I think Yves Lampaert deserved a mention. He is also a 'real' neo-pro to all definitions and did very impressive. I would say as good as Benoot based on their chances to perform. Benoot was one of the protected riders for Lotto, but Lampaert had to do more supportive work for his star-studded team in big races like Paris–Roubaix and Ronde van Vlaanderen.

Yves Lampaert

Victories
1st Overall Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen
1st Stage 1 Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen

Notable results:
2nd World Team Time Trial Championships
2nd Overall Ster ZLM Toer
2nd National Time Trial Championships
5th Le Samyn
6th Paris–Tours
7th Paris–Roubaix

 

[BigMac]

I agree with that, michael.

 

[Billie]

It's a close call between Tiejs Benoot or Julian Alaphillippe and one year or two year.

Anyway, I think Yves Lampaert deserved a mention. He is also a 'real' neo-pro to all definitions and did very impressive. I would say as good as Benoot based on their chances to perform. Benoot was one of the protected riders for Lotto, but Lampaert had to do more supportive work for his star-studded team in big races like Paris–Roubaix and Ronde van Vlaanderen.

Yves Lampaert

Victories
1st Overall Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen
1st Stage 1 Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen

Notable results:
2nd World Team Time Trial Championships
2nd Overall Ster ZLM Toer
2nd National Time Trial Championships
5th Le Samyn
6th Paris–Tours
7th Paris–Roubaix

he's not. he's in in his 3rd year as a pro so he doesn't fit under any of these definitions

 

[saganftw]

rookie of the year Benoot,neo pro alaphillippe as i consider his results to be more impressive

 

[dicanio_michael]

It's a close call between Tiejs Benoot or Julian Alaphillippe and one year or two year.

Anyway, I think Yves Lampaert deserved a mention. He is also a 'real' neo-pro to all definitions and did very impressive. I would say as good as Benoot based on their chances to perform. Benoot was one of the protected riders for Lotto, but Lampaert had to do more supportive work for his star-studded team in big races like Paris–Roubaix and Ronde van Vlaanderen.

Yves Lampaert

Victories
1st Overall Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen
1st Stage 1 Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen

Notable results:
2nd World Team Time Trial Championships
2nd Overall Ster ZLM Toer
2nd National Time Trial Championships
5th Le Samyn
6th Paris–Tours
7th Paris–Roubaix

he's not. he's in in his 3rd year as a pro so he doesn't fit under any of these definitions

Sorry my bad. I overlooked Topsport as CT.

Stefan Kung won Worlds TTT in his first year also pretty impressive too. I hope he can race more next year.

 

[greenedge]

I voted Ewan, because of his 11 victories and that Vuelta stage win was very impressive for such a young rider. Although I'd forgotten about Benoot (I think some bias came to the fore). Most of the others had been pro for a year already, so although impressive they didn't stand out to me as much as those who were first year pros.

Latour was also very impressive to be the best of the rest behind Contador and Quintana at Route Du Sud.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

I voted Ewan, because of his 11 victories and that Vuelta stage win was very impressive for such a young rider. Although I'd forgotten about Benoot (I think some bias came to the fore). Most of the others had been pro for a year already, so although impressive they didn't stand out to me as much as those who were first year pros.

Latour was also very impressive to be the best of the rest behind Contador and Quintana at Route Du Sud.

Good mention. Really loved the way he fought on Port de Bales

 

[dirkprovin]

Re:

I voted Ewan, because of his 11 victories and that Vuelta stage win was very impressive for such a young rider. Although I'd forgotten about Benoot (I think some bias came to the fore). Most of the others had been pro for a year already, so although impressive they didn't stand out to me as much as those who were first year pros.

Latour was also very impressive to be the best of the rest behind Contador and Quintana at Route Du Sud.

Going to disagree with you on Ewan. Yes, he won a Vuelta stage ....... on the only stage he completed where he WASN'T pinged off the back and crying "taxi" to get to the finish. The overwhelming bulk of his wins were in 2nd and 3rd tier races against 2nd grade, and often lower grade, competition.

He's yet to really prove that he can hack the pace of World Tour, let alone GT, racing on a day to day level. His progression may not be nearly as quick as some may predict. Do not be surprised to see a quota of "HDs"/failures to make time cuts this year if he's sent to more higher ranked and harder races.

 

[hrotha]

Meh, there's so much leniency with HDs these days that I doubt he'll be in much trouble. If he manages to miss the now usual 150% time cut, all he has to do is whine a little on Twitter.

 

[dirkprovin]

Re:

Meh, there's so much leniency with HDs these days that I doubt he'll be in much trouble. If he manages to miss the now usual 150% time cut, all he has to do is whine a little on Twitter.

Fair point ..... but he really needs to develop a great deal more stamina and a distinctly bigger 'engine' if he's ever really going to "cut it" consistently in the big league. His showings against the big boys in 2014 (CG & Ride London) raised for me a number of doubts about his "readiness"/capacity; none of which have really been "allayed" in 2015 notwithstanding his regular "beat ups" in "Division 2".

 

[greenedge]

He still came second behind Kittel in Poland, second to Kristoff in Norway and second to Cav in Turkey, beating riders such as Bonifazio, EBH and Modolo. Yes he may not be able to finish every WT race, but he is still very young and this year he finished 1 out of 3. There was no way he was going to complete the Vuelta, and Catalunya is a very hard race.
Also beating the winners of MSR/PR and the soon to be World Champion and winner of the 4th GT in a stage is very impressive.