Junior racing - The stars of the future

[SafeBet]

Brenner and Simmons are flying once more these days, that ITT duel, along with Finn Fisher-Black, in Yorkshire will be neat. Both winning solo today, both winning multiple stages in Lunigiana and Rüebliland.

What happened to Brenner yesterday? He lost a ton of time.

 

[DNP-Old]

What happened to Brenner yesterday? He lost a ton of time.

Alessio Martinelli said that they raced aggressively and managed to isolate Brenner early on in the race. I think Brenner just got cooked having to chase by himself. Piccolo profited and at some point joined a leading group of 13 way before the final climb and that was the end of that.

 

[Walter1234]

And the German team in no way protected his leadership. On the contrary; his German team members who were very active in the breakaway.
He had some revenge today. But not enough to win the tour.

 

[DNP-Old]

Simmons and Sheffield in the midst of destroying everyone in Belgium. https://www.keizerderjuniores.be/en/livestream/

 

[WKA311]

Sheffield is ready to take over from Simmons next year. And I guess Simmons won't have any problems with transition to U23 level next year, he is just so immensely strong. Red hot favourite for Yorkshire.

In transfer news: Colpack have signed up another Italian top Junior in Alessio Martinelli. Tirol got German classics guy Leslie Lührs and some rumours suggest that Georg Steinhauser might join him. Two very solid signings. Sunweb devo got their hands on another two great prospects in Leo Hayter and Vegard Stokke.

 

[DNP-Old]

In not so surprising news: Simmons won the time trial. In the afternoon there'll be another stage that includes some climbing over the Hoge Blekker. Bufoni is also today with a good startlist, and it's a great indicator of what's to come in Yorkshire.

 

[RedheadDane]

Danish (men's) team for Yorkshire:

TT
William Blume Levy
Joshua Gudnitz

RR
Frederik Wandahl
William Blume Levy
Joshua Gudnitz
Emil Schandorff Iwersen
Robin Juel Skivild

 

[DNP-Old]

Sheffield was flying in the Valley of the Sun. Lamperti and Richitello very good as well. Looking good for the upcoming season. That Alex Gustin kid was 25th in the pro race at the age of 15, damn.

 

[DNP-Old]

Ayuso has been flying in the Spanish circuit. 3/3 so far. It was already a two horse race, but with the disappearance of Rodriguez that gap has only widened. Le Huitouze, after his training camp with FDJ, has been doing the same in France. KBK juniors also this afternoon. Not exactly fully international yet, but a few interesting names at the start. Ponomar's there, of course a big representation of Belgians, Dutchies and the Brits are making an entrance with the likes of Joe Pidcock (Tom's little brother), Ockar Nilsson-Julien, Jack Rootkin-Gray and Max Poole.

 

[postmanhat]

Fun Fact. The South East team for the 2016 KBK included Ethan Hayter, Fred Wright and Charlie Quartermain, who all joined the WT this year.

 

[DNP-Old]

Speciality not really a thing with juniors, but Cian Uijtdebroeks already winning here a 1st year, future GC-rider. He means business.

 

[WKA311]

Really really strong. Definitely looking forward to see him in the stage races with this power he has.

There was some chatter about Ayuso riding a UAE Colnago bike, Matxin is really doing his job with the talent development.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Speciality not really a thing with juniors, but Cian Uijtdebroeks already winning here a 1st year, future GC-rider. He means business.

Sounds familiar.

I have no idea about talents pre-junior. I've heard his name but that's about it. Is he a guy that might put some pressure on the 2nd juniors already, or is the gap with Vacek, Brenner, Ponomar... too big?

 

[DNP-Old]

Sounds familiar.

I have no idea about talents pre-junior. I've heard his name but that's about it. Is he a guy that might put some pressure on the 2nd juniors already, or is the gap with Vacek, Brenner, Ponomar... too big?

I would put Ayuso up there, instead of M. Vacek and Ponomar. That said, it's hard to determine. Applying simple logic, I'd say no one dare touch those two on Altenberg later on in the season, but the same thing was thought of Evenepoel and K. Vacek, who were challenged by a first year Tiberi. Talent always prevails in the end, and it's clear Uijtdebroeks has it in spades.

 

[DNP-Old]

Spain usually don't start in CDLP now that I think of it. Oh well, the point remains.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Lotto Soudal U23 has signed 3 new talents for 2021. Arnaud De Lie, Lars Van Ryckeghem & Ramses Debruyne.

Personally (as you can see in last years messages) i think especially Debruyne can become a very strong rider. He has the profile to be a GC guy, climbs well, good ITT. But he's also a "strongman". Finished in the top 20 as a first year junior at the WCC in Yorkshire, and crossed the line solo, was 5th in Flanders and 9nth in Course de la Paix. He also transitioned to cycling late, and comes from inline skating iirc.

Too bad none of the 2nd year juniors could show themselves in 2020.

 

[DNP-Old]

Just picked up that Jefferson Ruiz will join ASD, a junior team in Italy. He is the reigning champion of Porvenir, which he won as a first year junior. This probably means he'll be starting in Lunigiana and the Worlds. Some more competition for Brenner? Perhaps. We might have to look beyond Ayuso or Uijtdebroeks. Seems like a good dark horse to do something in Martigny.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Just picked up that Jefferson Ruiz will join ASD, a junior team in Italy. He is the reigning champion of Porvenir, which he won as a first year junior. This probably means he'll be starting in Lunigiana and the Worlds. Some more competition for Brenner? Perhaps. We might have to look beyond Ayuso or Uijtdebroeks. Seems like a good dark horse to do something in Martigny.

Just came across this article about Uijtdebroeks. I first heard about him when you mentioned him a while ago. I don't even know where to look for U17 news, lol.

Cian Uijtdebroeks demonstrates with a 50 K solo in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne U19

On the 1st of March, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, the first of the junior cobbled classics season was ridden on the Flemish roads.The lockdown for the coronacrisis saw all the following races deleted from the junior race calendar, and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne would remain the only spring classic that was...

www.theyoungpeloton.com

Considering he won after a 50k solo in KBK, i asssume he's also a climber that can time trial? (Well, he also won Chrono des Nations) He's exactly 6 months younger than Brenner (plus a day) but has only ridden one junior race (due to corona) since coming from the U17. Assuming Brenner is indeed in a league of his own, is it fair to expect a guy like Uijtdebroek to compete?

 

[DNP-Old]

Just came across this article about Uijtdebroeks. I first heard about him when you mentioned him a while ago. I don't even know where to look for U17 news, lol.

Cian Uijtdebroeks demonstrates with a 50 K solo in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne U19

On the 1st of March, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, the first of the junior cobbled classics season was ridden on the Flemish roads.The lockdown for the coronacrisis saw all the following races deleted from the junior race calendar, and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne would remain the only spring classic that was...

www.theyoungpeloton.com

Considering he won after a 50k solo in KBK, i asssume he's also a climber that can time trial? (Well, he also won Chrono des Nations) He's exactly 6 months younger than Brenner (plus a day) but has only ridden one junior race (due to corona) since coming from the U17. Assuming Brenner is indeed in a league of his own, is it fair to expect a guy like Uijtdebroek to compete?

In all honesty, as of right now I think it's mightily unfair and unjustified to put anyone in the same class as Brenner. As far as just pure talent for being made for a bike goes, he might be the best since Sagan, Kwiatkowski or Mathieu. The situation we're living in right now obviously makes it even harder with no reference or evidence in months. But hey, Uijtdebroeks is no doubt very talented, I think he'll become a very good pro and at this stage, talent alone could do the trick. The same applies to Ayuso, albeit he is more proven, who was flying like no other before the break, but is yet to show it in an international peloton. I mean, his former rival Carlos Rodriguez dominated the Spanish scene the last two years but honestly was just crap most of the time he had to cross the border.

 

[Orodreth]

I think Uijtdebroeks is a talent than can be compared to Brenner in the way he wins the races. I mean, last year, Uijtdebroeks destroyed everyone on many races. 10' advantage over the 2nd, solo breakways over 60kms, outshined the whole peloton on the Grand Colombier (Tour de l'Ain cadets) etc.. After his 2nd place on 2018, last year he won the Young European Criterium. 4' advantage over the 2nd on the stage two. During their years in cadet category, Uijtdebroeks is the sole rider can be rivalise with the German rider. Uijtdebroeks finished 2nd on the Young European Criterium '18 just behind Brenner like I said just few previous lines.

I see you are talking about Carlos Rodríguez. I always had the impression that it was "sold" a little too much. First, he was at Kometa (Fundación Contador) in 2018 & 2019 with cyclists like Álex Martín (2000), Raúl García, Javier Serrano and Fernando Tercero, all three 2001. Obviously, Rodríguez is one of the best juniors that Spain has known for a decade probably (for me, the last is Jésus Herrada). But he benefited from the total domination of Kometa in 2018 and 2019 with his teammates :

• Álex Martín won the Vuelta a Besaya '18. A very strong climber. Future stage racer for Spain.
• Raúl García is like a little Valverde. A very versatile rider. Great climber, great time trialist, great sprinter. He win la Copa de España '19.
• Javier Serrano is the Gonzalo Serrano's brother. Very great puncher. He already had the level of the Sub23 last year.
• Fernando Tercero, one of the 2/3 greatest Spanish pure climbers born in 2001.

The only thing I can really confirm is his total superiority (flat or cronoescalada) on the various time trials in Spain. He largely dominated Ayuso, Arieta, García in 2019 and Ivan Cobo in 2018.

Juan Ayuso is with Bathco, a small team from Cantabria. He doesn't have many greats teammates to help him. Only a few Colombians. Bathco has always recruited a few Colombians to ran 2/3 months during the year. Well, he manages all the time alone. With the Spanish selection, I even found him superior to Rodríguez in 2019. I find it difficult to estimate his true level because the U23 & U19 Spain's level has always been relatively low. I don't know if his level can be similar to Brenner.

Keep an eye on the Navarrese / Basque Igor Arrieta (2002), son of José Luis Arrieta. He is like the Juan Ayuso from the Basque Country. Great talent for Spain. Twice 2nd at the Spanish championships last year. Many victories in Euskadi like the Gipuzkoa Itzulia 2019.


Jefferson Ruiz (2002) is from Boyaca. He comes out of nowhere by winning the Vuelta del Porvenir. Almost no results before his victory on the queen stage. On the queen stage of the Clasica de Soacha, a great race for the juniors, he finished at 7 'from the Ecuadorian Bryan Obando and Germán Gómez. He won a little race before the Vuelta del Porvenir but the level was rather low.
Well, we will be able to see what he can do in Europe if he comes to Italy.

Aside from German Gomez, the real "big thing" in South America is the young Ecuadorian climber Bryan Obando (2001). He is the winner of la Vuelta al Ecuador U19 in 2018 and 2019 (with 10 'lead over the 2nd). He ran a few times in Colombia and beat the best Colombians on the mountain stages (winning the jerseys of the best climber each time), especially on La Clasica de Soacha. Today, he is the only Ecuadorian, with Richard Huera, to be on a Colombian team. Onion Team for Obando. Avinal for Huera.

 

[WKA311]

Uijtdebroeks is currently invited to stay in Val di Fassa with the Deceuninck teamcamp. So they already got taps on him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

You snooze, you lose.

 

[WKA311]

Anyone interested in seeing Brenner destroy the german Junior ITT nationals tomorrow here you go.

Both men and women junior TTs will be streamed. Might be geoblocked and not sure how the quality will be.

 

[WKA311]

Anyone interested in seeing Brenner destroy the german Junior ITT nationals tomorrow here you go.

Both men and women junior TTs will be streamed. Might be geoblocked and not sure how the quality will be.

Closer than expected but he defends his title by 13s. The younger Lührs brother with a really strong effort in second and also a surprise in 3rd with Czasa.

Fabio Christen comfortably repeats in Switzerland.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

13 seconds? I think Remco needs to have a word with young Marco.