Future stars

[Vino attacks everyone]

Ok. If we can have Horner, who is as old as dirt, and Tommy D, who's as old as trees, then we can add Laurens ten Dam, who's been out and now back for another go.

dont forget Levi and Vino, think they both got a couple of gt podiums (Levi) and monuments (vino) left in them

 

[El Pistolero]

yes indeed. he seems mentally a bit unsatble but amazing engine and raw talent

He seems like a Gilbert type of rider to me and will follow a similar development I think. Though not necessarily as good.

Might be strange to say but as of now I rate guys like Offredo and Sep Vanmarcke way higher than Peter Sagan in the classics. I also expect something from Matteo Trentin.

 

[Damiano]

I 2nd Felline, does anyone know wether or not he has a team for next year?

Last I've read, he was close to Farnese Vini.

 

[Ferminal]

Ponzi had a breakout year too. Looks like he could start winning some bigger hilly classics.

 

[crapna]

TGBM, or is he present star?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

He seems like a Gilbert type of rider to me and will follow a similar development I think. Though not necessarily as good.

Might be strange to say but as of now I rate guys like Offredo and Sep Vanmarcke way higher than Peter Sagan in the classics. I also expect something from Matteo Trentin.

I was very impressed with him the 2nd half of the season tbh, very active during the end of the races he was taking part in

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

He seems like a Gilbert type of rider to me and will follow a similar development I think. Though not necessarily as good.

Might be strange to say but as of now I rate guys like Offredo and Sep Vanmarcke way higher than Peter Sagan in the classics. I also expect something from Matteo Trentin.

gilbert didn't have that big of an engine at such young age. but was mentally better I think

 

[El Pistolero]

gilbert didn't have that big of an engine at such young age. but was mentally better I think

He already came 6th or something at Milan-San Remo in 2005 with 5 victories. He was only 22 back then.

 

[Echoes]

Jasper Stuyven, Sean De Bie, Tim De Clerck ... not mentioned yet?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Also Van der Poel for the CX

and Meeusen, Adams maybe

 

[skidmark]

I've been meaning to ask for those more connected to the development of young riders - what the hell is up with Coen Vermeltfoort? That guy, a few years ago, was tagged as a mega-talent, then from what I remember had a whole year wasted (by injury or illness, can't recall), but still was expected to be a huge engine. Then this year with Rabo, nothing. Is he just adjusting to the pace of the pros, or what?

 

[CasperVg]

How about Jan Ghyselinck as a talent too, for the cobbles that is? Finished first in RVV Espoirs 2009 (ahead of Guldhammer, Degenkolb, Furda & Vanmarcke). Also finished 1st in an espoirs ITT (ahead of Phinney, Degenkolb, Kittel) in 2009. He domestiqued quite decently this (and past) season for HTC, and now heading to Cofidis. No love for him?

he's distant family though, so I might be a bit prejudiced

 

[sublimit]

Offredo is very impressive, I'm not sure about comparing him with Gilbert,, Kind of more like Museeuw or Ducloss- Lassale ?

He looks made for Paris - Roubaix in anycase.

 

[ingsve]

Might as well predict Zabel as a future Milan - San Remo winner.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

How about Jan Ghyselinck as a talent too, for the cobbles that is? Finished first in RVV Espoirs 2009 (ahead of Guldhammer, Degenkolb, Furda & Vanmarcke). Also finished 1st in an espoirs ITT (ahead of Phinney, Degenkolb, Kittel) in 2009. He domestiqued quite decently this (and past) season for HTC, and now heading to Cofidis. No love for him?

he's distant family though, so I might be a bit prejudiced

gesink was 4th in tour of flanders u23 ghyselinks was a huge talent hut has not progressed ANYTHING since turning pro. I expect him to soon retire within a few years

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

He already came 6th or something at Milan-San Remo in 2005 with 5 victories. He was only 22 back then.

msr 2006 and oiverall msr wasn't a hard race. that doesnt'say much

 

[CasperVg]

gesink was 4th in tour of flanders u23 ghyselinks was a huge talent hut has not progressed ANYTHING since turning pro. I expect him to soon retire within a few years

Hmm perhaps. He hasn't had much chances to prove himself so far though afaik, perhaps he'll be able to show his skills more often at Cofidis.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

gesink was 4th in tour of flanders u23 ghyselinks was a huge talent hut has not progressed ANYTHING since turning pro. I expect him to soon retire within a few years

lol awesome post

 

[El Pistolero]

msr 2006 and oiverall msr wasn't a hard race. that doesnt'say much

It's a 300km race(2005 by the way, not 2006). Not even Peter Sagan has the engine for it at his age. In fact, Gilbert did better and the peloton didn't get decimated by some crashes when he did it.

In 2007 again(when he was 24, same age of Offredo) he could have won Milan-San Remo had Ricco co-operated better. What's the race Offredo first showed him self to the big world? Milan-San Remo. Phil also won het Volk at the age of 23.

Like I said, very similar type of riders and it wouldn't surprise me if he became a great classics star in the future. I expect him to have a later peak, at around the age of 26-28. While Peter Sagan IMO is the new Eric Vanderaerden.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

sagan is totally different rider from vanderaerden but I guess you just want to compare any huge talent to a belgian rider

sagan so far hasn't proven to be very strong in long races over 250 k. same with gilbert until few years ago when he learned it imo. some extreme talents like uran, offredo, betancourt, freire already show it at very young age almost when turning pro basically

 

[El Pistolero]

sagan is totally different rider from vanderaerden but I guess you just want to compare any huge talent to a belgian rider

sagan so far hasn't proven to be very strong in long races over 250 k. same with gilbert until few years ago when he learned it imo. some extreme talents like uran, offredo, betancourt, freire already show it at very young age almost when turning pro basically

What has Offredo proven more at the same age then Gilbert in the long races? Freire is the only one from your list who showed extreme talent from very young age. Perhaps Uran as well, but he hasn't improved since his podium spot at Lombardia. Definitely not Betancourt.

And Vanderaerden was good at anything except climbing: prologue specialist, cobbled specialist and pretty fast. He won a total of 138 races including Ronde van Vlaanderen, green jersey at the Tour and Paris-Roubaix. In his debut year he won a stage in the Tour de France and 2 in the Vuelta. Along with 2 stages at Paris-Nice. Huge talent and broke through at a very young age and fiddled away before his thirties. I predict a similar career for Sagan.

 

[MADRAZO]

Stefano Locatelli, better climbing data than Contador and Pantani.
Turning pro next year for Colnago

A couple of years ago Stefano Locatelli surely looked like the next italian superclimber but I think he has been a huge dissapointment the last couple of years, crushed by the columbians in the baby giro last season and this season (where he should already have gone to the proranks imo) even dominated through the season by Fabio Aru who must have overtaken the position as the next italian superclimber from him. Still though Locatelli should be quite interesting to follow next season. But Im getting quite sceptical if he can live up to his data.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

betancourt in lombardy final showed more than gilbert in any classics final in his first years imo. offredo has shown so much class in msr this year which was really hard unlike other msr's but also in finals of past years and also in p-r? I can't remember exatcly where. I think anyone with eyes can see the class he has. gilbert doesn't have that natural class. but is totally amazing rider. better than any of the ones I named and will probably ever be. which is a prove talent isn't everything

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

A couple of years ago Stefano Locatelli surely looked like the next italian superclimber but I think he has been a huge dissapointment the last couple of years, crushed by the columbians in the baby giro last season and this season (where he should already have gone to the proranks imo) even dominated through the season by Fabio Aru who must have overtaken the position as the next italian superclimber from him. Still though Locatelli should be quite interesting to follow next season.

italian u23 riders are hard to judge because a lot of them are doped, especially in bigger teams like zalf, trevigiani and de nardi. when turning pro it remains to be seen how much they can grow as a clean rider of maybe they never doped at all. also a mental thing to be doped and then have to ride clean again.

 

[El Pistolero]

betancourt in lombardy final showed more than gilbert in any classics final in his first years imo. offredo has shown so much class in msr this year which was really hard unlike other msr's but also in finals of past years and also in p-r? I can't remember exatcly where. I think anyone with eyes can see the class he has. gilbert doesn't have that natural class. but is totally amazing rider. better than any of the ones I named and will probably ever be. which is a prove talent isn't everything

Since when does comparing a cyclist with Gilbert mean he has no class? In my book, it means the opposite. I just don't think Offredo will be someone who really hits his peaks at a young age like Sagan and Boonen, but peak later. And as was with Gilbert when he was young, he's a very aggressive type of cyclist who attacks a lot and that doesn't necessarily translate into high placings in the classics, but it does help you develop a big engine later on.

Betancourt had a great first year with a victory in Giro dell' Emilia. Even if it was from a breakaway, he wasn't that much slower on the final climb than the Mollema group. But this year's Lombardia had such a weak competition field and the big stars who where there were obviously very tired. I mean, Oliver freaking Zaugg won. Next year's race will be better because it takes place only a week after the World Championships. Everybody will be in shape next year for Lombardia: the Schlecks, Gilbert, Valverde perhaps, Cadel Evans, Davide Rebellin(I hope he'll be there), etc

Anyway, I expect more from guys like Yoan Offredo in the classics than someone like Sagan, but that's just my opinion and I could easily be wrong.