Best u23 riders in 2013

[maltiv]

He's riding at a WT team, not in the U23 scene, hence he can't showcase anything there.

If you're still stuck in the U23 scene at age 22/23 you can't be all that talented even if you dominate the ranks.

Well, that depends on how long you've been cycling. Some 23 year old's aren't even close to the limit of their potential since they started late, while others are peaked already.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Hopefully Andrea Zordan can have a good year, he was top at the juniors but had some troubles with the transition. Last year was already much better then the first year at U23, and hopefully he can really step it up this year.

Zordan started his season well , has been in the mix everywhere and got his first win of the season today, maybe he can compete with Villella this year in Italy (depends a little on the terrain ofcourse).

Zurlo also got his first win today, in his 4th U23 race (+ he had bad luck in 2 of those 4 races with a flat tire in the final adn a crash just in front of him in the final).

 

[Ruudz0r]

To get this thread going a little again.

Caleb Ewan won GP Palio del Recioto (1.2U) today.

1. Caleb Ewan
2. Silvio Herklotz
3. Luka Pibernik
4. Davide Villella

A lot of the first years U23 are starting strong. Now Ewan with this win, Herklotz is starting strong (again a 2nd after yesterdays 2nd in Giro del Belvedere di Villa di Cordignano (1.2U). And he also had some nice results in Istarsko proljece - Istrian Spring Trophy.

+ Zurlo started great in Italy he did very good in all races he rode, won 1, gave 1 to his teammate, and got 2nd in 2 other races + he had some bad luck in races where he would have had a shot for the win.

 

[Lupetto]

 

[the asian]

Pocket Rocket Caleb Ewan

 

[Hugo Koblet]

He looks like Robbie McEwen in that picture.

 

[Lupetto]

Yeah...but the race is a bit too hard for a McEwen type of rider.

According to his team, Herklotz crashed at the 2k mark.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Here is a video of yesterdays Giro del Belvedere di Villa di Cordignano

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-5Y5TBw3eY

1. Stefano Kung BMC
2. Silvio Herklotz Team Stolting
3. Mitchell Mulhern Australia :02
4. Andrea Zordan Zalf Euromobil Desirèe Fior :32
5. Damien Howson Australia
6. Davide Villella Colpack
7. Stanislau Bazkhou Podenzano
8. Mikhail Akimov Russia
9. Simone Petilli Delio Gallina
10. Alessio Mischianti Futura Team

 

[Phil13]

If you look closely you can see that herklotz crashed and he still got second.
I think he is the most promising rider in Germany. He is much stronger than last year, where he was one of the best Juniors.
This year he seems to take it for the first time really serious.
Petty sure we gonna see some strong results in stage races from him this year.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

I'm thinking 1994 is a very talented year; you've got Caleb Ewan, Silvio Herklotz, Fredrik Ludvigsson, Oskar Svendsen, Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedhin.... any more?

 

[Phil13]

Matej Mohoric, Piotr Havik

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Matej Mohoric, Piotr Havik

Ah right, Mohoric was pretty obvious, should've gotten that one.

Didn't know about Piotr Havik. Is he a big talent?

 

[Ruudz0r]

Mads Wurtz Schmidt, Federico Zurlo, Miguel Angel Lopez (but he only rides in South America this year I think).

 

[Phil13]

Ah right, Mohoric was pretty obvious, should've gotten that one.

Didn't know about Piotr Havik. Is he a big talent?

Havik is a great talent for the Classics. He won the Regio Tour, which is one of the most important junior stage races and the Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde, which is maybe the hardest classic for juniors (with Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont).

 

[Bushman]

I've heard a bit about Herklotz so far, but maybe someone who know him better could enlighten me a bit. Which type of rider is he? He seems to be climbing well and he is also pretty fast?

I know it's too early to classify the riders at that age, but he must have some strengths as well as weaknesses

 

[WKA311]

I've heard a bit about Herklotz so far, but maybe someone who know him better could enlighten me a bit. Which type of rider is he? He seems to be climbing well and he is also pretty fast?

I know it's too early to classify the riders at that age, but he must have some strengths as well as weaknesses

He is a good climber and time trialist, stage race material. But he also seems to have a decent sprint out of little groups and can go downhill, as he did in his last two races i think. Although he crashed yesterday and lost his race because of that.

 

[Phil13]

He is a great climber with a lot of punch. He is or was a great cyclocrosser which leads to his incredible bike handling skills.
In time trials he was very strong in his first junior year but had a really bad second year. I think wont be a very good time trialist in the u23 but in hilly time trials or prologs he will be one of the best.

 

[PCutter]

Video of Ewan's win at the bottom of this page. Did it pretty comfortably in the end and given the stage profile he can do more than just sprint.

http://www.bicibg.it/01news/dettaglio.asp?id1=7&idN=11234

 

[swuzzlebubble]

I'm thinking 1994 is a very talented year; you've got Caleb Ewan, Silvio Herklotz, Fredrik Ludvigsson, Oskar Svendsen, Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedhin.... any more?

Alex Morgan

 

[Gloin22]

If he continues like I think he will, Zurlo will be god in few years. Sagan of his generation I'd say.

 

[theyoungest]

He is a great climber with a lot of punch. He is or was a great cyclocrosser which leads to his incredible bike handling skills.
In time trials he was very strong in his first junior year but had a really bad second year. I think wont be a very good time trialist in the u23 but in hilly time trials or prologs he will be one of the best.

He's a good cyclocrosser, but he always got his a.ss kicked comfortably by Mathieu van der Poel, which makes me wonder what Mathieu could do in U23.

 

[Ruudz0r]

He's a good cyclocrosser, but he always got his a.ss kicked comfortably by Mathieu van der Poel, which makes me wonder what Mathieu could do in U23.

Mathieu will first do 1 year of domination on the road with the juniors. No doubt he will be 1 of the favourites in all cyclo races at U23 right from the start. Then after the cyclo cross season it will indeed be interesting how he will do on the road at U23.

But I think Herklotz in comparison to Van der Poel was a bit less focussed on cyclo cross. And I think he is the bigger talent on the road but they can both become monsters.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Thanks for this thread. Some interesting riders to keep an eye on.

I know a few UK based U23's who are highly thought of.

Simon Yates (20 yrs old): Part of GB Academy system he won gold in the points race at the 2013 Track World Champs. He also won a stage of the 2011Tour L'Avenir
Sam Harrison (20 yrs old): Also part of the GB academy system he won the 2011 omnium at the Beijing World cup, was in the silver medal winning team persuit squad at the 2013 World Track Champs and is the current U23 GB time trial champion.
Dan McLay (21 yrs old):Riding for Lotto Belisol feeder team. He came 2nd in the 2010 junior paris roubaix and has picked up some decent results in the last few years

Others to look out for include Richard Handley (Rapha Condor JLT), Mark Christian (Team Raleigh), Adam Yates (Brother of Simon - riders for CC Etupes) and James McLaughlin (Sojasun Espoirs).

Both riders are on the GB academy but Sam was promoted to the elite

 

[barn yard]

Video of Ewan's win at the bottom of this page. Did it pretty comfortably in the end and given the stage profile he can do more than just sprint.

http://www.bicibg.it/01news/dettaglio.asp?id1=7&idN=11234

pretty good rage quit from the guy in about 8th place who throws a bottle, slams his bars then does a series of angry bunnyhops!

 

[Ruudz0r]

pretty good rage quit from the guy in about 8th place who throws a bottle, slams his bars then does a series of angry bunnyhops!

Thats Formolo he broke his chain or something like that in the sprint.