Future prospects

[Bala Verde]

Anyone from Belgium who knows something about Jan Ghyselinck and a potetnial contract with QST? Heard he is promising...

 

[jaylew]

What about French riders? Any on the radar? At some point it would be nice to see someone other than Chavanel in the mix.

 

[Kazistuta]

What about French riders? Any on the radar? At some point it would be nice to see someone other than Chavanel in the mix.

The French riders seem to have a hard time converting great domestic results to results in the other regions of Europe. I think there's a lot of promising names with great potential, but only time will show if this bunch of frog legs will be in the "big mix":

Brice Feillu
Arnold Jeanneson
Blel Kadri
Romain Sicard (as I mentioned earlier)
Julien El Fares
Jerome Coppel
Tony Gallopin
Anthony Roux
Cyril Gautier
Maxime Bouet

 

[craig1985]

What about French riders? Any on the radar? At some point it would be nice to see someone other than Chavanel in the mix.

Fabien Taillefer of Roubaix Lille Metropole is one that comes to mind. He is a team that has Cyril Guimard in the ranks. He's in the right team for mine.

 

[Jasper]

Anyone from Belgium who knows something about Jan Ghyselinck and a potetnial contract with QST? Heard he is promising...

Let's not forget Romain Zingle either. Was 2nd in both this and last years LBL for éspoirs, and he's already shown real good things on the hilly, accidental terrain.

 

[TRDean]

From the Livestrong team I really like the possibilities that Ben King has. He is a very good time trialist and can climb well also. I think he is just 19 now so maybe we will see him moving up the ranks.

I also seem to like the style of Peter Stetina. I don't know tons about him, but what I have seen seems to indicate he may have a decent career.

 

[davidg]

MERCKX, Axel–Team Director

not manager even, director. He's still not dead.

Phew, thanks for clearing that up, I have been stressed all day

 

[Bala Verde]

Let's not forget Romain Zingle either. Was 2nd in both this and last years LBL for éspoirs, and he's already shown real good things on the hilly, accidental terrain.

Quite right! The list below shows that he is certainly not a 'koekenbakker'/'pancake maker'

2007: 3º in Stage 5 Bizkaiko Bira (ESP)
2007: 3º in Stage 3 Tour de Namur, Gesves (BEL)
2007: 1º in General Classification Tour de Namur, Namur (BEL)

2008: 2º in Provincial Championship Henegouwen, Road, ITT, Elite, Belgium, Sirault (BEL)
2008: 2º in Liège - Bastogne - Liège, U23 (BEL)
2008: 3º in Provincial Championship Henegouwen, Road, Elite, Belgium, Quaregnon (BEL)
2008: 2º in Circuit du Hainaut (BEL)
2008: 5º in Silly (BEL)
2008: 5º in GP Joseph Bruyère, Hotton (BEL)
2008: 2º in Paris - Tours, U23, Tours (FRA)

2009: 2º in Stage 2 Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux - Frasnes, U23, Flobecq (BEL)
2009: 2º in General Classification Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux - Frasnes, U23 (BEL)
2009: 2º in Stage 4 Circuit des Ardennes, Charleville (FRA)
2009: 2º in General Classification Circuit des Ardennes (FRA)
2009: 2º in Liège - Bastogne - Liège, U23 (BEL)
2009: 5º in Paris - Mantes-en-Yvelines, U23 (FRA)
2009: 1º in Circuit du Hainaut (BEL)

 

[Jasper]

And I've said it before: I think Michael Van Staeyen could be the next big Belgian sprinter in a few years. He's already popping up in sprints with the pros, and he's obviously in one of the best young riders squads, Rabo continental, where he has great competition with Boy Van Poppel and Coen Vermeltfoort. And he's from my hometown, so I'm always keeping an eye on him

 

[Bala Verde]

And I've said it before: I think Michael Van Staeyen could be the next big Belgian sprinter in a few years. He's already popping up in sprints with the pros, and he's obviously in one of the best young riders squads, Rabo continental, where he has great competition with Boy Van Poppel and Coen Vermeltfoort. And he's from my hometown, so I'm always keeping an eye on him

Don't forget Bos... He could learn a bit from him too

 

[BroDeal]

What about French riders? Any on the radar? At some point it would be nice to see someone other than Chavanel in the mix.

How old is Chavanel these days? Wasn't he the French Tommy D.?

 

[Zoncolan]

How old is Chavanel these days? Wasn't he the French Tommy D.?

Chavanel has transformed himself into a very good one-day racer. He did achieve something, whereas Tommy D...

 

[BigBoat]

Chavanel has transformed himself into a very good one-day racer. He did achieve something, whereas Tommy D...

TD needs to go back with Astana. Yeah, Ben King is a good rider.TTs are a good indicator on that.

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

Quite right! The list below shows that he is certainly not a 'koekenbakker'/'pancake maker'

2007: 3º in Stage 5 Bizkaiko Bira (ESP)
2007: 3º in Stage 3 Tour de Namur, Gesves (BEL)
2007: 1º in General Classification Tour de Namur, Namur (BEL)

2008: 2º in Provincial Championship Henegouwen, Road, ITT, Elite, Belgium, Sirault (BEL)
2008: 2º in Liège - Bastogne - Liège, U23 (BEL)
2008: 3º in Provincial Championship Henegouwen, Road, Elite, Belgium, Quaregnon (BEL)
2008: 2º in Circuit du Hainaut (BEL)
2008: 5º in Silly (BEL)
2008: 5º in GP Joseph Bruyère, Hotton (BEL)
2008: 2º in Paris - Tours, U23, Tours (FRA)

2009: 2º in Stage 2 Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux - Frasnes, U23, Flobecq (BEL)
2009: 2º in General Classification Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux - Frasnes, U23 (BEL)
2009: 2º in Stage 4 Circuit des Ardennes, Charleville (FRA)
2009: 2º in General Classification Circuit des Ardennes (FRA)
2009: 2º in Liège - Bastogne - Liège, U23 (BEL)
2009: 5º in Paris - Mantes-en-Yvelines, U23 (FRA)
2009: 1º in Circuit du Hainaut (BEL)

To me that shows a severe lack of killer instinct to win. If he ended up on my team I would have him as a top domestique.

 

[Anonymous]

I guess you should be confused since that post was not about doping. It was about the lack of doping. I know it can be hard to follow for one who is dim, but it was not all that different from you own post except that it was sarcastic. When Big Boat makes a post that does not include anything about doping it is a momentous occasion, like man landing on the moon, the return of Jeebus, or Michael Bay making a good movie. It needs to be pointed out.

sarcasm.. thats what confused me...

actaully, completely and utterly off topic but a time to explain the dim thing...
mother in her wisdom decided some 40 years ago to give me the intials dim.. i tried keeping it quiet for years, but people always find out and rather than go over the old defence/offence of it, i just use it.. there used to be a sign over my desk "the light at the end of the tunnel is dim".. so there ya go... I am, truly dim.. (hence the lightbulb avatar) and dimspace being my web addy

 

[Anonymous]

The French riders seem to have a hard time converting great domestic results to results in the other regions of Europe.

so are you suggesting that the french are very good at beating each other, but not so good as beating other cyclists..

french cycling is similar to newcastle f.c. everyones 2nd favourite, but at the same time, cause for sympathy and amusement..

 

[Anonymous]

so are you suggesting that the french are very good at beating each other, but not so good as beating other cyclists..

french cycling is similar to newcastle f.c. everyones 2nd favourite, but at the same time, cause for sympathy and amusement..

Or maybe they are just cleaner?

 

[ElChingon]

Or maybe they are just cleaner?

Maybe the French are just having a bad time getting French kids to race bikes? I mean where was the USA or Australia years ago? Pre Lance, Pre 90's for Australia there was nothing to really make note of, was there.

I think they're just in their dry period and will resurface in a few years with some talent, or I'm sure they're hoping for!

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

Maybe the French are just having a bad time getting French kids to race bikes? I mean where was the USA or Australia years ago? Pre Lance, Pre 90's for Australia there was nothing to really make note of, was there.

I think they're just in their dry period and will resurface in a few years with some talent, or I'm sure they're hoping for!

I just don't think the French have that mentality on the Road anymore for winning, and doing what they need to do (in training and cleanly) to get to the pinnacle of the sport. They have so many good riders, and enough teams at the top level that they can earn a good living without having to be pushed into anything more than giving it a good go.

 

[yourwelcome]

Or maybe they are just cleaner?

I've wondered about that too. If in ten years time we find out that's the situation, everybody will fall over themselves to point out how obvious it was at the time.

 

[BigBoat]

Remember how well AG2R rode in the 2006 TDF? They dont struggle the slightest bit in my opinion. They just lack a big G.C. guy like Moreau to come along and work with a top Guru to get real results.

 

[yourwelcome]

But maybe that consistent lack of a GC uber-rider is where the difference is expressed?

Not saying it is, just wondering. I don't follow the French teams enough to know.

 

[jaylew]

Remember how well AG2R rode in the 2006 TDF? They dont struggle the slightest bit in my opinion. They just lack a big G.C. guy like Moreau to come along and work with a top Guru to get real results.

I don't know if I agree with you. They don't really have any real "scoring" riders, if you know what I mean - no GT podium or even top 5 contenders, no top-flight TTers, no top sprinters(maybe Seb Chavanel and Feillu are their best), one top Northern Classics guy in Chavanel, and no top Ardennes-type classics guys.

Maybe it's just a cyclical thing and in 5 years things will have changed. I hope so. It would love to see more French riders in the mix in the big races instead of only seeing them just trying to get in the right early breakaway.

Speaking of the French, Voeckler has grown on me. Granted, much of the time it doesn't work, but I love watching him have a go anytime, anywhere. He's really come into his own the last few years and is fun to watch as you can usually count on him to try something. Kind of reminds me of how Vino used to be.

 

[BroDeal]

Speaking of the French, Voeckler has grown on me. Granted, much of the time it doesn't work, but I love watching him have a go anytime, anywhere. He's really come into his own the last few years and is fun to watch as you can usually count on him to try something. Kind of reminds me of how Vino used to be.

Vino minus a hundred watts. I agree with the love for Voeckler, but I really have to wonder whether he would do better if he were more savvy about what breaks he chooses to be in. He has to burn a lot of energy being in about one break a day during a GT.

 

[Jasper]

A lot of Belgian riders that used to ride for French teams (Gilbert, Monfort, to name 2) often complained about the so called 'French mentality'. And they're Wallons (from the Southern part of Belgium, so French speaking and all that) themselves, mind you. So that says a lot. They're all overly self confident, almost arrogant; it's everyone for himself there, no team spirit whatsoever, only personal glory; no support for foreign riders (they're only there to support the French team captains); a very narrow focus on French races only; and minimal support for riders that have other objectives (say, Nuyens in the cobbled classics).

I don't know how much of these stories should be believed, but it might explain to a certain extent why French teams never really excell or get a rider tot the absolute top.