Tour de l'Avenir 2016, August 20-27

[May0maniac]

Good showing by Ravasi, but he's also 2-3 years older than the other guys who finished high on the gc, he's the same age as Ciccone, Superman Lopez and Hugh Carthy, who are already going toe to toe with the big names (and someone like Oomen is even one year younger), so you probably shouldn't overhype him.
I did not expect Cristian Rodríguez to finish in the top 10, that was a pleasant surprise.

 

[yaco]

The domestique Lucas Hamilton managed to drop Storer and Hindley when he accelerated on the final climb - He spent the last 5km looking back for his team-mates - Was the strongest rider and should have won the stage - Rate Lucas higher than his brother Chris who will join Trek Segafreddo - Gaudu looks a tantalising prospect - Though I wish young French climbers would join non-French teams.

 

[Samamba]

Re:

The domestique Lucas Hamilton managed to drop Storer and Hindley when he accelerated on the final climb - He spent the last 5km looking back for his team-mates - Was the strongest rider and should have won the stage - Rate Lucas higher than his brother Chris who will join Trek Segafreddo - Gaudu looks a tantalising prospect - Though I wish young French climbers would join non-French teams.

Chris is joining Giant, not Trek?

 

[Ruudz0r]

Re:

The domestique Lucas Hamilton managed to drop Storer and Hindley when he accelerated on the final climb - He spent the last 5km looking back for his team-mates - Was the strongest rider and should have won the stage - Rate Lucas higher than his brother Chris who will join Trek Segafreddo - Gaudu looks a tantalising prospect - Though I wish young French climbers would join non-French teams.

Are you sure Lucas and Chris are brothers? I believe they are not from the same area (i am not 100% sure) + they are less then 9 months apart in age (just barely so it would be possible but not likely).

 

[Thepirateisgood]

I think too some of the domestiques in this race can raise to higher levels than the obvious talents.

yet a new exciting few prospects for the french, hope some of them will stick it now.

Good race, cyclists should just retire after becoming 24

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

The domestique Lucas Hamilton managed to drop Storer and Hindley when he accelerated on the final climb - He spent the last 5km looking back for his team-mates - Was the strongest rider and should have won the stage - Rate Lucas higher than his brother Chris who will join Trek Segafreddo - Gaudu looks a tantalising prospect - Though I wish young French climbers would join non-French teams.

Are you sure Lucas and Chris are brothers? I believe they are not from the same area (i am not 100% sure) + they are less then 9 months apart in age (just barely so it would be possible but not likely).

Let me check on their status - Not the first time I've been wrong.

 

[DNP-Old]

I disagree with those who say Bernal disappointed. Sure, based on his results he was supposed to be the ,or at least one of, main favorites. However, we're all expecting so much from him, that we are all forgetting this is only his first season in road cycling ever. I hope he returns to l'Avenir next year, not just with more experience, but with better qualities and confidence.

 

[Samamba]

Re:

I disagree with those who say Bernal disappointed. Sure, based on his results he was supposed to be the ,or at least one of, main favorites. However, we're all expecting so much from him, that we are all forgetting this is only his first season in road cycling ever. I hope he returns to l'Avenir next year, not just with more experience, but with better qualities and confidence.

With disappointing I mean "based on the hype here". Some people were saying (before Costa's performance in Utah) he was gonna win this easily. Well, he's definitely not there yet.

 

[DNP-Old]

Re: Re:

I disagree with those who say Bernal disappointed. Sure, based on his results he was supposed to be the ,or at least one of, main favorites. However, we're all expecting so much from him, that we are all forgetting this is only his first season in road cycling ever. I hope he returns to l'Avenir next year, not just with more experience, but with better qualities and confidence.

With disappointing I mean "based on the hype here". Some people were saying (before Costa's performance in Utah) he was gonna win this easily. Well, he's not definitely not there yet.

With that I agree. He was never going to come here just to win, let alone easily. He still has a lot to learn, but that is also what makes him really great. His potential is through the roof, obviously.

 

[Thepirateisgood]

If anyone was disappointing it was the british team/Tao.

But this is what is so lovely about u23, it's less controlled than pro.

Anyhow, Costa is prbly the most complete rider we have seen for some time - but in five years he might be a domestique in Sky, or Movistar for that matter.

Cycling is not that a linear a sport, it's not tennis. Huge amount of variables to take into account.

Also, from what I understand there was a lot of illness in the peloton in this race - some of the guys might have been affected and we would be no more the wiser

 

[burgyv]

I was especially supprized by the broad climbing strength by the Australians. Of course they were known as talented, but it strikes that they all delivered, at least in one stage. Schultz, Hindley, Storer, Hamilton, who is the most talented?

 

[cineteq]

Great job Neilson!

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

The domestique Lucas Hamilton managed to drop Storer and Hindley when he accelerated on the final climb - He spent the last 5km looking back for his team-mates - Was the strongest rider and should have won the stage - Rate Lucas higher than his brother Chris who will join Trek Segafreddo - Gaudu looks a tantalising prospect - Though I wish young French climbers would join non-French teams.

Are you sure Lucas and Chris are brothers? I believe they are not from the same area (i am not 100% sure) + they are less then 9 months apart in age (just barely so it would be possible but not likely).

Let me check on their status - Not the first time I've been wrong.

Lucas and Chris Hamilton aren't related

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

I was especially supprized by the broad climbing strength by the Australians. Of course they were known as talented, but it strikes that they all delivered, at least in one stage. Schultz, Hindley, Storer, Hamilton, who is the most talented?

That's a hard one to judge as they are all a bit different to eachother but at this stage I'd rate Hindley ahead of Hamilton, Storer and Schultz. I quite like Schultz as he seems very committed to make it as a pro by not coming through the usual pathways of young Australian riders by moving to France and working hard to progress his career, he doesn't have the natural talent of some but looks to have a good racing brain and happy to work for his teammates.

 

[tristecsinamigos]

Re: Re:

I disagree with those who say Bernal disappointed. Sure, based on his results he was supposed to be the ,or at least one of, main favorites. However, we're all expecting so much from him, that we are all forgetting this is only his first season in road cycling ever. I hope he returns to l'Avenir next year, not just with more experience, but with better qualities and confidence.

With disappointing I mean "based on the hype here". Some people were saying (before Costa's performance in Utah) he was gonna win this easily. Well, he's definitely not there yet.

To be fair Colombia's tactics weren't the best. It wasn't clear who was the leader...

 

[greenedge]

In regards to the above, I'd say Hamilton has the most talent, at least in terms of climbing. His ITT was absolutely shocking though (unless if there were other circumstances). With Tao, I don't get the hype (of him being a GT rider) that much, instead I think he could become a good stage hunter.

 

[yaco]

Re:

I was especially supprized by the broad climbing strength by the Australians. Of course they were known as talented, but it strikes that they all delivered, at least in one stage. Schultz, Hindley, Storer, Hamilton, who is the most talented?

Hindley is seen as the most talented - Probably Storer is the next most talented with Hamilton and Schultz at a similar level - Of course we can never predict how a rider turns out in the future - And it depends how many will win contracts at the WT level - Expect two or three to get WT contracts in 2018 and beyond.

 

[CraZyCaLL]

Re:

In regards to the above, I'd say Hamilton has the most talent, at least in terms of climbing. His ITT was absolutely shocking though (unless if there were other circumstances). With Tao, I don't get the hype (of him being a GT rider) that much, instead I think he could become a good stage hunter.

Hamilton was one of the guys with stomachache, some other riders had the same problems. Thats why he lost a lot of time in stage 3 and ITT.

 

[Ricco']

Re: Re:

I disagree with those who say Bernal disappointed. Sure, based on his results he was supposed to be the ,or at least one of, main favorites. However, we're all expecting so much from him, that we are all forgetting this is only his first season in road cycling ever. I hope he returns to l'Avenir next year, not just with more experience, but with better qualities and confidence.

With disappointing I mean "based on the hype here". Some people were saying (before Costa's performance in Utah) he was gonna win this easily. Well, he's definitely not there yet.

To be fair Colombia's tactics weren't the best. It wasn't clear who was the leader...

Last year, Colombia went for the long range tactic too with Daniel Martinez and Sebastian Henao constantly attacking from far. Didn't work out too.

 

[fatsprintking]

Re: Re:

In regards to the above, I'd say Hamilton has the most talent, at least in terms of climbing. His ITT was absolutely shocking though (unless if there were other circumstances). With Tao, I don't get the hype (of him being a GT rider) that much, instead I think he could become a good stage hunter.

Hamilton was one of the guys with stomachache, some other riders had the same problems. Thats why he lost a lot of time in stage 3 and ITT.

Lucas Hamilton was actually quite unwell at the start of the race and only came good in the last couple of stages. He is the strongest climber when in form for the team and as you saw is one of the strongest climbers for his age in the world. it should be noted that he was also national u19 time trial, Madison and road champion in the same year he won the Oceania road title for u19. The following year he was injured after a knock to his knee but prior to the world championships. He is extremely tough and not afraid to take risks and determined. He is not related to Chris Hamilton but is the brother of Tom Hamilton who also won multiple Australian junior championships and the KOM classification of the Herald Sun Tour in Australia a few years a ago. Comes from a fantastic cycling family in Ararat in country Victoria - he's as hard as a cats head.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

In regards to the above, I'd say Hamilton has the most talent, at least in terms of climbing. His ITT was absolutely shocking though (unless if there were other circumstances). With Tao, I don't get the hype (of him being a GT rider) that much, instead I think he could become a good stage hunter.

Hamilton was one of the guys with stomachache, some other riders had the same problems. Thats why he lost a lot of time in stage 3 and ITT.

Lucas Hamilton was actually quite unwell at the start of the race and only came good in the last couple of stages. He is the strongest climber when in form for the team and as you saw is one of the strongest climbers for his age in the world. it should be noted that he was also national u19 time trial, Madison and road champion in the same year he won the Oceania road title for u19. The following year he was injured after a knock to his knee but prior to the world championships. He is extremely tough and not afraid to take risks and determined. He is not related to Chris Hamilton but is the brother of Tom Hamilton who also won multiple Australian junior championships and the KOM classification of the Herald Sun Tour in Australia a few years a ago. Comes from a fantastic cycling family in Ararat in country Victoria - he's as hard as a cats head.

The question is which one of the Aussies will OBE sign for 2018 ? My info is OBE is super keen on one of the Aussies, though I don't have a name.

And Ararat is fantastic territory for cycling.