Sign here if you think Henao is a future star on the european scene.

[Matthijs]

uran has his last great chance with sky: when he was young he was very often beaten by henao uphill. rigoberto is stronger in tt ( he was decent also on track) and he is more complete then sergio henao.
i hope he will be let free to make his road this year. if he fails , he has a future as super domestique,.
i hope that sky will not use him this year in this role , sacrifying him to some white pale wannabee...

why his last change? he's still young and if this year is not the great break trough, one good result in 2012 will get him contracts at at least 5 topteams for the 2013...
Especially his decent climbing in Tour 2009 and the 5th place at Lombardia 08(?) are very good. I hope he can play a role at the Ardennes, but usually there the competition is harder then Lombardia so to make the final cut is not that obvious. But he has at least 3 years where he will grow, maybe even more so don't doubt the guy too soon

 

[bikenrunnwt]

Young Venezuelans to watch!

In addition to the hotshot colombians, like Henao, there are a couple of young venezuelans who could make a good go of it in Europe. Jose Alarcon finished second to a strong Rujano in the Vuelta Tachira this year and second at the Vuelta a Cuba. Jonathan Monsalve is another interesting rider who can sprint and climb and has done well in south America on gc and has put up some good results in the U23 in Italy.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

In addition to the hotshot colombians, like Henao, there are a couple of young venezuelans who could make a good go of it in Europe. Jose Alarcon finished second to a strong Rujano in the Vuelta Tachira this year and second at the Vuelta a Cuba. Jonathan Monsalve is another interesting rider who can sprint and climb and has done well in south America on gc and has put up some good results in the U23 in Italy.

Well Monsalve has signed with Androni so he will be given opportunities to show his worth next season.

 

[The Hitch]

uran has his last great chance with sky: when he was young he was very often beaten by henao uphill. rigoberto is stronger in tt ( he was decent also on track) and he is more complete then sergio henao.
i hope he will be let free to make his road this year. if he fails , he has a future as super domestique,.
i hope that sky will not use him this year in this role , sacrifying him to some white pale wannabee...

Uran lost 9 minutes in Holland stage 2 and then just worked for Arroyo in the Giro.

Next year he is Skys only card to play if they get in. I think he can get a good result there.

And if Uran can get a good result, that might motivate his friend to come to europe too.

 

[profff]

why his last change? he's still young and if this year is not the great break trough, one good result in 2012 will get him contracts at at least 5 topteams for the 2013...
Especially his decent climbing in Tour 2009 and the 5th place at Lombardia 08(?) are very good. I hope he can play a role at the Ardennes, but usually there the competition is harder then Lombardia so to make the final cut is not that obvious. But he has at least 3 years where he will grow, maybe even more so don't doubt the guy too soon

it is true , he is still young.
but when he arrived in europe , he showed that the big expectations were well placed.
very well in suisse, in lombardy, great TT, strong in the climbs.
but then he had bad luck, horrible crashes , ilnesses, and he lost the way.
decent performances, but not at the height of what he showed in colombia and when he first arrived.
as i told you before, if colombians loose enthusiasm and dreams they loose a lot.
and teams usually do not wait for colombians.
imho he has the number to be an outstanding rider, but i fear that if he does not prove something this year, he will finish as a good helper when the road is going uphill.

 

[profff]

jonathan monsalve had a great season in the U23 in italy. in particular he was very strong in the giro della valle d' aosta, the hardest stage race of the season.
he is very strong.
alarcon is supposed to go with movistar continental . maybe unzue plans to bring him to europe if he perfotms well in the south american season.

 

[simo1733]

wtf

What an extremely stupid comment.

I suggested a cyclist will shine is all. As have many others.

Your comment deserves a place in the moron of the year thread on its own.

Thats good news.Just checking.

 

[The Hitch]

Sergio Luis Henao.

Save_us_222

Coming to a Grand Tour Near You.

2012.

 

[Jamsque]

I think you mean Stewart Lewis Hodges.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I think Henao not going too win a GT he is overestimate. It exist alot of better colombian riders. Winning volta colombia isn't a really big thing. Yes it has alot of mountain stages. But the opponents in that race is not that hard. Henao has just turn 23 and by then you must have shown more talant too win a GT.

Sarmiento, Quintana, Beltran, Betancour, Duarte, Uran Uran and Rubiano have all alot bigger chance too be new colombian star rider.

HAHAHAHAHA, this must be the funniest post I've read in a long while

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Personally I would have liked to see him riding already next year in some Continental team or anyway a minor racing schedule.

he already did with cep and won almost any race he entered such as gp portugal and cinturon mallorca at age 20

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

henao has great talent
he has every thing to succeed in europe.

i think the transition in europe is diffuicult for colombians as they are left alone by the teams.
duarte was signed by androni, and then left alone in a hotel near the small town of biella, northern italy , for a couple of month.
he was not able to stand that and he simply come back to colombia.
he is a very complete rider and , in the right environment , he can blow up the scene in europe.
i hope he will find the right mood in geox: he has the numbers and the right age to explode....

south american have particular attitudes: they need to have dreams , to feel supported and have "gana":if they have all this they are very strong.

staying another year with orgullo, henao is probably loosing an year.

i expect great thing from betancurt, with acqua e sapone. he is great rider, you'll see.

uran has his last great chance with sky: when he was young he was very often beaten by henao uphill. rigoberto is stronger in tt ( he was decent also on track) and he is more complete then sergio henao.
i hope he will be let free to make his road this year. if he fails , he has a future as super domestique,.
i hope that sky will not use him this year in this role , sacrifying him to some white pale wannabee...

pantano, quintano and atapuma are very young.
especially for the last two it will be great to make some experience with cafe de colombia in small races in europe: let them grow, and you will see...

you nailed it right on the spot with everything you said.

 

[Mambo95]

I think you mean Stewart Lewis Hodges.

Given the (perhaps) unrealistic expectations for him by some on here, I would suggest Henman might be a better surname.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Henao, Betancourt

Ana Sofia and Carolina?

Yeah they should be future stars of the European scene!

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Henao says: One giro win in 2012 pls.

he looks a bit like arjen robben in this photo don't you think? Fortunately not as sustainable to injurys.


or this one: vuelta porvenir (junior vuelta ofcolombia) 2004 final gc:

General Final:
1. Rigoberto Urán Urán, Aguardiente Antioqueño-Lotería de Medellín, 12.36.59 (12.36.54)
2. Fabio Andrés Duarte, Alcaldía de Funza-Cundinamarca Unida, 12.37.20 +21
3. Sergio Luis Henao, Aguardiente Antioqueño-Lotería de Medellín, 12.38.29 +1.30

note that henao was leading this race before final timetrial that duarte won, otherwise he'd have won, also note that both uran and henao were first year juniors herefrom 1987 and duarte from 1986. the 3 wonderboys from colombia, back then in colombia they knew it.

 

[Jamsque]

Given the (perhaps) unrealistic expectations for him by some on here, I would suggest Henman might be a better surname.

DAMN that's cold. I like it. Stewart Lewis Henman it is. I look forward to seeing him and Duran Duran falling off their bikes all across Europe next year.

 

[Ryaguas]

HAHAHAHAHA, this must be the funniest post I've read in a long while

Hahahaha... I was expecting your answer to be a bit more harsh but is ok haha

Ana Sofia and Carolina?

Yeah they should be future stars of the European scene!

Henao says: One giro win in 2012 pls.

he looks a bit like arjen robben in this photo don't you think?

Actually... yes! He looks like Robben!
I really like that maillot... simple and cool...!

 

[indurain666]

transition into europe is a difficult one.
Yes the races in s/america are probably more entertaining, but that is because quality in Europe make the races less unpredictable.
for example man utd and liverpool can play a terribly boring 0-0 draw, whereas my little cousin can play a 7-6 game in a junior league here. Comparing riders results in s/america is difficult to summarizing instant sucess in europe.

Colombia appear to have much talent, but I suspect many will not succeed in europe.

As for Henao, he certainly has the potential, but only time will tell. Once again, the transition into europe will not be easy. Different racing.

Personally I would like to see some come here and succeed, but at the same time I can't claim i'm 'crazy' about them, as I haven't personally seen enough of these guys (suspect this is the case with the majority of the posters here, despite the constant hype ) to really judge if I like the individual rider or not.

Typical anglo-saxon supremacy ignorant trash talk. Go get any first division south american football team against any middle of the pack european first division and see how it goes. Top teams such as Man U, Barcelona, are a different story as they hire guys from all over the world. Even then, sometimes a guy like Internacional wins against champions league winner in Fifa Club World Cup.

Same goes for cycling, a guy like Milton Wynants made his whole pro career in south american pro circuit and goes to win olympic medal without ever racing in europe.

Vuelta a colombia is just as hard as many european stage races. A guy like Contador could go down there and easily win it but not a guy like Phinney for instance.

South American's often struggle in Europe as they have a hard time adapting to traveling, language, weather, being away from home, etc.

 

[El Pistolero]

Typical anglo-saxon supremacy ignorant trash talk. Go get any first division south american football team against any middle of the pack european first division and see how it goes. Top teams such as Man U, Barcelona, are a different story as they hire guys from all over the world. Even then, sometimes a guy like Internacional wins against champions league winner in Fifa Club World Cup.

Same goes for cycling, a guy like Milton Wynants made his whole pro career in south american pro circuit and goes to win olympic medal without ever racing in europe.

Vuelta a colombia is just as hard as many european stage races. A guy like Contador could go down there and easily win it but not a guy like Phinney for instance.

South American's often struggle in Europe as they have a hard time adapting to traveling, language, weather, being away from home, etc.

2006: Italy(other finalist: France)
2010: Spain(other finalist: Holland)

Yeah, Europeans suck at football

Since when do South Americans need to adept to the language? Most of them speak Castilian. You know, as do most other Spanish cyclists...

 

[Parrulo]

2006: Italy(other finalist: France)
2010: Spain(other finalist: Holland)

Yeah, Europeans suck at football

Since when do South Americans need to adept to the language? Most of them speak Castilian. You know, as do most other Spanish cyclists...

2002:brazil (other finalist: Germany)
1998: france (other finalist: Brazil)

man south america completely dominates the world of football . . .

oh btw

2006 semi finals: portugal vs france
germany vs italy

2010: spain - germany
netherlands - uruguay

complete domination just sayin

 

[TRDean]

Typical anglo-saxon supremacy ignorant trash talk. Go get any first division south american football team against any middle of the pack european first division and see how it goes. Top teams such as Man U, Barcelona, are a different story as they hire guys from all over the world. Even then, sometimes a guy like Internacional wins against champions league winner in Fifa Club World Cup.

Same goes for cycling, a guy like Milton Wynants made his whole pro career in south american pro circuit and goes to win olympic medal without ever racing in europe.

Vuelta a colombia is just as hard as many european stage races. A guy like Contador could go down there and easily win it but not a guy like Phinney for instance.

South American's often struggle in Europe as they have a hard time adapting to traveling, language, weather, being away from home, etc.

Who the heck ever said Phinney would win Vuelta a Colombia? Come on man...apples to oranges in rider style. I do agree though, I think most of their problems have to do with being away from home...friends and family...and their comfort zone.

 

[Ryaguas]

Who the heck ever said Phinney would win Vuelta a Colombia? Come on man...apples to oranges in rider style. I do agree though, I think most of their problems have to do with being away from home...friends and family...and their comfort zone.

He refers about the hype put in Whinney... you have been here and you know about the hype...

 

[hrotha]

He refers about the hype put in Whinney... you have been here and you know about the hype...

Whinney? The hell?

 

[Ryaguas]

Whinney? The hell?

I was going to put whining Phinney but I mixed it

 

[nobilis]

Henao wins Tour of Utah Prologue

I know it might be only a 2-km uphill prologue but it is a good occasion to refresh this thread.