U23 races and talents

[SafeBet]

I'm telling you the level is very high. Check the average speed even when they're riding on the flat as @Mayomaniac said.
Riders from the smaller teams can't even get into the breaks because of the speed.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

A break of 8 guys i believe has 5 minutes with 13k to go. None in the break appear to be close in GC.
Tudor now starts riding in the peloton.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Bisiaux, Van Bekkum and Rondel attacked and have a gap. UAE leading the chase. Dangerous move for Lotto to let go.
EDIT: they are now caught again.

 

[Samamba]

Next win for a Belgian team incoming. They are winning everything here.

 

[Samamba]

Bisiaux, Van Bekkum and Rondel attacked and have a gap. UAE leading the chase. Dangerous move for Lotto to let go.

Not Rondel so no problem for Lotto

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

All GC riders finish together i think.

 

[Samamba]

Dangerous break with Biseaux in it (also 3 guys from Visma). 1'40 ahead of peloton. Widar not a lot of teammates left.

EDIT: Widar himself is riding in the peloton, on his own behind a 13 man break. If he doesn't get help from UAE or Tudor to protect their podium Biseaux might take it all.

 

[SafeBet]

Monster 250 mt sprint by Brennan.

 

[Leadbelly]

Aosta Stage 1

Stream starting soon.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTKsEeNzQbQ

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Aosta Stage 1

Stage winners:

Stage 1	DOSTIYEV Ilkhan
Stage 2	BIAGINI Federico
Stage 3	GOLLIKER Joshua
Stage 4	WIDAR Jarno
Stage 5	TORRES Pablo

Final GC:

Rnk	Rider	Age	Team	UCI	Pnt		Time
1	WIDAR Jarno	18	Lotto Dstny Development Team	30	25		15:24:14
2	DOSTIYEV Ilkhan	22	Astana Qazaqstan Development Team	25	18		4:30
3	CRESCIOLI Ludovico	20	Team Technipes #inEmiliaRomagna	20	14		4:49
4	ROJAS Vicente	22	VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè	15	11		7:18
5	TORRES Pablo	18	UAE Team Emirates Gen Z	10	8		9:24
6	MARTINEZ Guillermo Juan	19	Q36.5 Continental Team	5	6		11:13
7	ROULAND Louis	21	Arkéa - B&B Hôtels Continentale	3	4		12:29
8	VERSTRYNGE Emiel	22	Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team	1	3		13:32
9	GUALDI Simone	19	Wanty - ReUz - Technord	1	2		14:10
10	ROGANTI Simone	20	Italy	1	1		14:45

 

[Rob5091]

Is it too early to start the bandwagon for Jarno Widar?
Lotto have him under contract to 2027, but I'm guessing some agents with cheque books open, are rushing to his door.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Is it too early to start the bandwagon for Jarno Widar?

I'd say you're nearly 2 years late.

 

[Rob5091]

I'd say you're nearly 2 years late.

Jeezus! When do these bandwagons start? When kids are still in kindergarten?

 

[RedheadDane]

Jeezus! When do these bandwagons start? When kids are still in kindergarten?

Yeah, someone better make that Casper Cavendish thread ASAP!

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Joking aside, we knew Widar was a good climber, but he did surprise me with his the improvements he made this year. He went from a subtop climber in the Juniors, and more of a big engine puncheur/soloist who could climb really well, to an elite U23 climber in just one year.

Jeezus! When do these bandwagons start? When kids are still in kindergarten?

As a GC rider, he didn't stand out in the juniors. But he is very small and light, yet has a huge engine. He did extremely well in 1 day classics on all terrain, cobbles, climbs, even flat. Very offensive as well.

 

[Rob5091]

Yeah, someone better make that Casper Cavendish thread ASAP!

If Urška gets pregnant, I'm doing the first foetal bandwagon!

 

[Rob5091]

As a GC rider, he didn't stand out in the juniors. But he is very small and light, yet has a huge engine. He did extremely well in 1 day classics on all terrain, cobbles, climbs, even flat. Very offensive as well.

1.66 m tall and 52 kg - that's "light"!

 

[Samamba]

He went from a subtop climber in the Juniors

He definitely made some steps, also surprises me a bit (let's see what he can do in Avenir against the real top), but it's hard to judge him climbing wise at junior level imo. I mean he did win Classique des Alpes and in Lunigiana he actually followed Nordhagen who was bridging to the front group in one of the stages but then got dropped in the descent and his GC was over.

But I agree, I expected him more to be a puncher, super explosive guy first, then climber. It seems to be the other way around right now. He says he trained on it a lot in the winter. It's a bit like Van Eetvelt honestly. He also only started training on longer efforts like 2 years ago and then made that big step.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He definitely made some steps, also surprises me a bit (let's see what he can do in Avenir against the real top), but it's hard to judge him climbing wise at junior level imo. I mean he did win Classique des Alpes and in Lunigiana he actually followed Nordhagen who was bridging to the front group in one of the stages but then got dropped in the descent and his GC was over.

But I agree, I expected him more to be a puncher, super explosive guy first, then climber. It seems to be the other way around right now. He says he trained on it a lot in the winter. It's a bit like Van Eetvelt honestly. He also only started training on longer efforts like 2 years ago and then made that big step.

I know he won Classique des Alpes, but he didn't win it solo (i actually think he came back after the climb). Like i said, he was a very good climber as a junior, but not the absolute top. Now, he won Giro U23 and Aosta, as 18 year old in a higher age category. Even if he doesn't win Avenir, that shouldn't take anything away from these other big wins. I don't think anyone recently won both Giro U23 and Avenir the same year.

 

[Samamba]

I know he won Classique des Alpes, but he didn't win it solo (i actually think he came back after the climb). Like i said, he was a very good climber as a junior, but not the absolute top. Now, he won Giro U23 and Aosta, as 18 year old in a higher age category. Even if he doesn't win Avenir, that shouldn't take anything away from these other big wins. I don't think anyone recently won both Giro U23 and Avenir the same year.

He didn't came back/. He was with Seixas, but I just think Seixas is ridiculous haha. My point is that junior races with a lot of real mountains are rare. So it's alway shard to judge, but I also didn't expect this.

And no it wouldn't take anything away, but given the current situation of the u23 category Avenir is obviously the most important race, cause there are often some young pros and the best u23 riders. 2 months ago I wouldn't have thought he would even have a chance at winning it tho, now it definitely isn't impossible although I think there will be some guys fresher (Nordhagen for example) or maybe some WT teams send a pro (like EF with Rafferty maybe). It's good that it will be with the Belgian team cause with Lotto he basically only has Donie as a climber and he's hit hard by Covid (he still can't train propertly he said).

 

[Rob5091]

Downhill is a problem for Widar ...

https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...l-top-teams-here-i-can-become-a-leader-faster

"Without pretension, physically, I could already be at the top," Widar tells DirectVélo. "At the beginning of the year, I already had the legs to race for the win in the Settimana Coppi e Bartali among the pros. Only problems with positioning prevented me from going all out there. The death of Gino Mäder at the Tour de Suisse had a huge impact on me. And when I fell three times in quick succession among the juniors, people said that I had no technique and could not ride downhill. Today, things are getting better, but if possible, I prefer to stay at the back of the peloton." According to Widar, that fear of falling is one of the factors that play a role in determining his future. "I still have three and a half years of contract. I don't know yet what I'm going to do, but if the Tour de l'Avenir goes well and I feel better in the peloton there, the team will field me in a few more professional races in the fall. If everything goes well, I might go to the ProTeam next year. The team will give me the choice. This year I mainly wanted to win a lot in the U23s."

see also
https://www.directvelo.com/actualite/114440/jarno-widar-je-ne-voulais-pas-le-maillot-jaune

 

[Karl Merckx]

He's 54-55 kg

Jarno Widar : « L’objectif ultime est de battre Tadej Pogacar » - Actualité - DirectVelo

Jarno Widar : « L’objectif ultime est de battre Tadej Pogacar » : Lorsque Jarno Widar s’exprime, il faut toujours bien tendre l’oreille, tant les décibels de sa voix calme et posée sont basses....

www.directvelo.com

 

[Berniece]

If Urška gets pregnant, I'm doing the first foetal bandwagon!

Wait until you see the kid from Merlier. Grandfather on mother's side is Frank Vandenbroucke, and the father Tim Merlier.

That's like having Poulidor as a grandfather and Adrie Vanderpoel as a father.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Wait until you see the kid from Merlier. Grandfather on mother's side is Frank Vandenbroucke, and the father Tim Merlier.

That's like having Poulidor as a grandfather and Adrie Vanderpoel as a father.

Sure, but according to Jonathan Vaughters the good genes will always come from the mother's side of the family, so Tim Merlier and Adrie van der Poel will have/has had no influences on their children's careers.

 

[SafeBet]

Sure, but according to Jonathan Vaughters the good genes will always come from the mother's side of the family, so Tim Merlier and Adrie van der Poel will have/has had no influences on their children's careers.

Santiago Basso is screwed then.