Then maybe we just have to agree that Junior results are a limited indicator of “natural” talent. Although I disagree that it was a weak year, quite good names in there (Arensmann, Mäder, Gall, Vlasov, Hirschi, …)
Just look at the best riders right now.
Vingegaard - was *** as Junior
Roglic - was a ski jumper as Junior
Remco - we have discussed this, obviously a great Junior
But if you think, Pogacar didn’t stand out at all, I would still be interested who you think did? Remco. Hirschi in the classics. Bernal maybe in the GCs (although success rather inly came at 20).
And also - I think not even for Merckx himself, anyone would have predicted a Merckx-like career in 1964 or 1965