Tour de l'Avenir 2022 (August 18-28)

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The good news for the race is, the two best climbers will have to attack.

The good news for Belgium is, they have two good climbers ahead of their best climber in GC. That means Uijtdebroeks has to team up with or follow Martinez. And while Germany and GB try to close the gap, Van Eetvelt and Lecerf get towed along.

1	2	▲1	HESSMANN Michel	Germany	2		13:04:35
2	1	▼1	GLOAG Thomas	Great Britain			0:25
3	27	▲24	WILKSCH Hannes	Germany			0:33
4	31	▲27	LÜHRS Luis-Joe	Germany			,,
5	32	▲27	STEINHAUSER Georg	Germany			,,
6	19	▲13	VAN EETVELT Lennert	Belgium			0:35
7	36	▲29	LECERF William Junior	Belgium			0:48
8	5	▼3	WÆRENSKJOLD Søren	Norway			0:51
9	20	▲11	STAUNE-MITTET Johannes	Norway			0:56
10	29	▲19	SVESTAD-BÅRDSENG Embret	Norway			,,
11	3	▼8	VAN UDEN Casper	Netherlands			1:00
12	7	▼5	WATSON Samuel	Great Britain			1:01
13	35	▲22	HAYTER Leo	Great Britain			,,
14	10	▼4	PLUIMERS Rick	Netherlands			1:07
15	23	▲8	VAN BELLE Loe	Netherlands			,,
16	54	▲38	UIJTDEBROEKS Cian	Belgium			1:16
17	34	▲17	LEVY William Blume	Denmark			1:22
18	6	▼12	KELEMEN Petr	Czech Republic			1:25
19	30	▲11	VACEK Mathias	Czech Republic			,,
20	16	▼4	PIGANZOLI Davide	Italy			1:29
21	24	▲3	FANCELLU Alessandro	Italy			,,
22	25	▲3	MARTINELLI Alessio	Italy			,,
23	39	▲16	BÉVORT Carl-Frederik	Denmark			1:35
24	37	▲13	VACEK Karel	Czech Republic			1:38
25	14	▼11	PRIES Cedric	Luxembourg			1:41
26	26	-	KLUCKERS Arthur	Luxembourg			,,
27	43	▲16	ŤOUPALÍK Jakub	Czech Republic			1:43
28	40	▲12	MILESI Lorenzo	Italy			1:45
29	45	▲16	ŘEHA Filip	Czech Republic			1:47
30	38	▲8	MARTINEZ Lenny	France			1:50

 

[Samamba]

I really wonder what Uijtdebroecks level is compared to the best u23 climbers, so basically Martinez. Belgium is indeed in a really good position having Van Eetvelt up there and Uijtdebroecks still 34 seconds ahead of Lenny.

I do think 1'50 is doable for Martinez if he doesn't blow himself up like he did in the Giro, but the question is can Uijtdebroecks follow.

 

[WKA311]

The LTS thing is probably the one thing that I get the most, having a few spots for riders from other (smaller u23) teams and not having them take up more than 50% of the team isn't that stupid.
One thing that stands out with Italy is that the 2 biggest names who missed out and don't have any injury/health related problems at the moment, Frigo and Germani, ride for non-Italian u23 teams. If that's actually the reason why they were left out because of internal politics...

Frigo's got a broken wrist.

Agree about the De Pretto/Buratti non-selection though.

 

[yaco]

This is what you get when internal politics get in the way of selecting a team that is actually built to ride for the gc, you have to pick the riders from the right teams to make everyone happy...
Why do you bring 2 sprinters/1 sprinter and a leadout man if they are gonna finish OTL in the TTT anyway?
Some of the best climbers aren't available because of injuries/health problems or team related stuff, but bringing 2 good one day racer with a big engine (guys like Nicolo Buratti or Federico Guzzo) who have good results in Italian one day races with a good international field would be an obvious pick. De Pretto would be another name, but maybe he's not available because he's a trainee at BEX?

The BEX neo pro Jesus De Pena rode for Columbia although he was a DNF again. Also Porter and Quick who join in 2023 are riding L.Avenir. The Bex trainees have not yet raced for BEX.

 

[StryderHells]

The BEX neo pro Jesus De Pena rode for Columbia although he was a DNF again. Also Porter and Quick who join in 2023 are riding L.Avenir. The Bex trainees have not yet raced for BEX.

Do you know what’s been happening with Peña? He’s had very few race days this season and I’m curious if he’s been injured, homesick or something else.

 

[yaco]

Do you know what’s been happening with Peña? He’s had very few race days this season and I’m curious if he’s been injured, homesick or something else.

BEX has had no luck with their 2022 Neo Pro's - Pena was injured earlier in the season and since then has not reached a decent level - Balmer who I rate was out injured until April - His first five race days were Schelderprix, LBL, PR, Amstel Gold and Fleche Wallone - He's been out of action since Slovenia.

 

[Earns1985]

I am curious what Steinhauser can do during the next stages. He is also not a bad climber.

Last year he was second at the last mountain stage.

 

[Samamba]

Romain Gregoire does it in the one stage he should win!
Sprint of a 20man group.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Hessmann looks like Indurain in yellow.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Both Vino twins ahead of Karel Vacek

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1562449437233799170

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/BenjiNaesen/status/1562449437233799170

 

[RedheadDane]

What the...?

 

[Berflamand]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1562449437233799170

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/BenjiNaesen/status/1562449437233799170

I shouldn't laugh because that initial crash looked nasty (and I hope everyone is fine) but I couldn't help myself. The way the two riders on the left (right for them) got pinned down by getting a flying bike to the head looks really funny to me.

 

[Samamba]

The Belgians are in such a good position. A nuclear attack from Martinez is necessary.

 

[AlfaLum]

We will count the GC without the TTT anyway.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

We will count the GC without the TTT anyway.

Feel free to do so, but I think you will find that nobody else will.

 

[Walter1234]

We will count the GC without the TTT anyway.

I guess you are french ;-)

 

[Mayomaniac]

Yesterday the Italians had Fancellu in the breakaway to put some pressure on the favourites, that' why he lost some time in the end after getting caught.
I guess consecutive mountain stages will make a big difference compared to the baby Giro, recovery will be a more important aspect.

 

[Samamba]

Van Eetvelt out due to sickness according to his Insta. Big hit for the Belgians.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Van Eetvelt out due to sickness according to his Insta. Big hit for the Belgians.

Covid or food related? No info?

 

[Samamba]

Covid or food related? No info?

Throat infection. No Covid as he already had it 40 days ago.

Luckily he has nothing to prove anymore in the u23 category but it must suck as it was his main goal of the season (obviously) and he was in a really good position.

 

[Samamba]

Lecerf is already in throuble (also sick?) so Belgium went from 3 option to 1 before the first big mountain started..
Just Uijtdebroecks left.

EDIT: Lecerf crashed earlier apparently.. Martinez too but he seems fine.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Seems like the early hype of Cian was justified. Big attack.

 

[Samamba]

Well looks like that crash actually hurt Martinez. Cian going to destroy everyone.

 

[Samamba]

Not really a surprise if you saw him in Norway and Sibiu Tour ofcourse. But I was looking forward to a duel with Martinez