Men's U23 races and talents

[Tim Cahill]

Decomble I thought was just like a hilly guy who could climb reasonably well for Seixas when needed, a bit like Blackmore last year. Giving him that time seems foolish in hindsight but he's punching above his weight, wouldn't expect him still to be here.

 

[Peyroteo94]

There is no world class rider in this race. I was praying to see a future legendary climber but they seem very equal to me.

 

[Samamba]

Widar already goes before the last km.

 

[Berniece]

There is no world class rider in this race. I was praying to see a future legendary climber but they seem very equal to me.

Yesterday they rode faster than Pogacar in 2021...

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Yesterday they rode faster than Pogacar in 2021...

You also need to do that if you want to become star nowadays. Still, the fact they have been fairly equal don't rule out that one of them will become much better than the rest over time.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Widar won.

 

[Brullnux]

There is no world class rider in this race. I was praying to see a future legendary climber but they seem very equal to me.

It's a bizarre mindset to see six young cyclists riding at a superb, equal level and producing exciting racing, only to complain that there isn't one guy who is dominating the rest. Really odd.

 

[YavorD]

There is no world class rider in this race. I was praying to see a future legendary climber but they seem very equal to me.

Last year we saw Torres and he doesn't seem too legendary now.
Also, I think we see the rebirth of Purito.

 

[Samamba]

You can't beat Widar if you go with him into the last km. Like 80% of his wins are like this.

The French still in position to win this. Even if Decomble cracks in the MTT, Seixas really should win that TT.

EDIT: Decomble lost 27seconds, I don't think he holds on his advantage in the TT.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Big gaps opened up in the final km by Widar.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Widar has a Vuelta with 5 stage wins and a traumatic GC loss on a flat tt in his future

 

[Peyroteo94]

It's a bizarre mindset to see six young cyclists riding at a superb, equal level and producing exciting racing, only to complain that there isn't one guy who is dominating the rest. Really odd.

I'm not complaining. I just think there is no rider here who will come close to Vingegaard/Pogacar level. Just a feeling, I can be wrong.
But I think it would be good for cycling to see young riders giving a headache to these 2. Otherwise, Pogacar and Vingegaard will collect GTs after their 30s.

 

[SafeBet]

Decomble lost 27" to Widar in the end.
Seixas, Finn, Widar and even Nordhagen have a chance to overtake him in the TT.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Last year we saw Torres and he doesn't seem too legendary now.
Also, I think we see the rebirth of Purito.

And he still lost the race.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Widar is giving me Purito Giro 2012 vibes. Pretty conservative rides. I think he has the legs to attack from far out (more than 5 km) but he is waiting for his "safe and reliable" final punch to win.

 

[Samamba]

Widar is giving me Purito Giro 2012 vibes. Pretty conservative rides. I think he has the legs to attack from far out (more than 5 km) but he is waiting for his "safe and reliable" final punch to win.

He attacked like 6 times...

Don't ge me wrong, yes Purito is exactly the kind of rider I would compare him too, but it's not like he doesn't want to drop the others earlier. He has the accelaration but he can't keep it up afterwards. It isn't new. Also why I think (obv an opinion, it's too early to tell) he will never really be the top GC rider, but he will win a lot thanks to his punch in the last km.

 

[Onizuka999]

Seixas Finn and Widar enclosed in seven seconds and also Jorgen and Ramirez still close.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He attacked like 6 times...

Don't ge me wrong, yes Purito is exactly the kind of rider I would compare him too, but it's not like he doesn't want to drop the others earlier. He has the accelaration but he can't keep it up afterwards. It isn't new. Also why I think (obv an opinion, it's too early to tell) he will never really be the top GC rider, but he will win a lot thanks to his punch in the last km.

Not gonna argue with you. For me,he is looking like vintage Purito. In this way, he can win a lot of stages but not GCs.

 

[Brullnux]

I'm not complaining. I just think there is no rider here who will come close to Vingegaard/Pogacar level. Just a feeling, I can be wrong.
But I think it would be good for cycling to see young riders giving a headache to these 2. Otherwise, Pogacar and Vingegaard will collect GTs after their 30s.

These guys are eight years younger than Pogacar and other than Seixas, nobody is a WT rider. They've had the benefit of professional set-ups from a younger age, but they're also performing at a much higher level than basically any u23 riders before. I honestly don't think Pogacar and Vingegaard will be factors by the time this lot reach their mid 20s, and it's unreasonable to expect 21yos to be at the level that Pogacar has been since 2024.

 

[Samamba]

The only time someone will get close to Pogacar in the near future is when Pogacar stops caring and simply doesn't perform as well anymore. He is a multigenerational talent, there won't be a new Pogacar soon.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

the MTT this afternoon:

1	1	-	Decomble Maxime	France	2		18:26:16
2	2	-	Seixas Paul	France			0:29
3	3	-	Finn Lorenzo	Italy			0:35
4	5	▲1	Widar Jarno	Belgium			0:36
5	4	▼1	Nordhagen Jørgen	Norway			0:45
6	6	-	Ramírez Mateo	Ecuador			0:52
7	14	▲7	Torres Pablo	Spain			1:49
8	13	▲5	Bock Max	Germany			2:03
9	15	▲6	Thornley Callum	Great Britain			3:09
10	8	▼2	Øxenberg Peter	Denmark			3:35

We will see the strongest climber emerging with the GC still in play.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Jan Huber 20 year old guy who isn't on a team coming 12th

 

[Netserk]

This must be one of the most bizarre racing days of a race I've ever seen. A 41 km mountain stage preceded by a 35 km neutral start in the morning and then an MTT in the afternoon.

Brilliant decision to not broadcast the first of the stages, very well thought through.

To be fair, this was originally meant to be the last stage and 120+ km long.

I assume it was changed because of issues with the roads needed in Italy? But even then, it'd have been better with the neutral start down to Montvalezan and then the MTT route up to the fictive start today.

But that could probably not be done because of the women's race ...

 

[Brullnux]

The only time someone will get close to Pogacar in the near future is when Pogacar stops caring and simply doesn't perform as well anymore. He is a multigenerational talent, there won't be a new Pogacar soon.

That's what I am assuming when I said they won't be factors in seven-eight years.

 

[AlfaLum]

There is no world class rider in this race. I was praying to see a future legendary climber but they seem very equal to me.

No we just have a bunch of teenagers in this race that are already breaking climbing records and getting results on a Pro level.

So we can be sure that none of them will develop into a world class rider…