U23 races and talents

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Giovanni Carboni seems to be an interesting prospect, 20 years old (born in 1995) and riding for Unieuro Wilier.
This year he finished 7th in the Course de la Paix U23, 6th in Ronde de l'Isard, 6th in the Tour d'Azerbaïdjan ahead of well seasoned pros like Bruno Pires and Jan Barta and 13th in the Tour of Turkey.
He also seems be decent in hilly TTs, last year he finished 2nd in the U23 NC 7 seconds behind Martinelli and 10th in the Road European Championships U23 - ITT (he was only the 3rd best Italian rider, the even younger Edoardo Affini, born in 1996, finished 5th, 19 seconds behind the winner Steven Lammertink and only 1 second behind a world class prospect like Ryan Mullen).

Carboni seems like a decent climber who can perform well in a TT. In the Peace Race & in the Ronde de l'Isard he got beaten by some younger guys though (Gaudu & Lambrecht). Let's see what he can do in the Giro Valle d'Aosta.

From what I've heard he's a strong allrounder who's good on all kinds of different terrains.

 

[BalearicBeats]

So when will Adrien Costa turn pro? He must have some WT team drooling over him already!

 

[LaFlorecita]

I also wonder if a pro team will pick up Enric Mas for next season, as was posted above he's leading the Tour de Savoie after today's ITT and he seems to be on the same level as for example Adrien Costa and Tao Geoghegan Hart.
I've followed his progression for a few years now so I'm really happy to see him do so well

 

[janraaskalt2]

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So when will Adrien Costa turn pro? He must have some WT team drooling over him already!

He supposedly signed a 2-year deal (see article header,) but that doesn't mean anything if he wants to join a WT team. Most likely he'll join a WT team second half of next year.

 

[janraaskalt2]

Re:

I also wonder if a pro team will pick up Enric Mas for next season, as was posted above he's leading the Tour de Savoie after today's ITT and he seems to be on the same level as for example Adrien Costa and Tao Geoghegan Hart.
I've followed his progression for a few years now so I'm really happy to see him do so well

Mas rides for Etixx' feeder team, so it's likely he'll end up there. Maybe stagiaire rider this season?

 

[LaFlorecita]

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Mas rides for Etixx' feeder team, so it's likely he'll end up there. Maybe stagiaire rider this season?

Yeah, it would be a good fit with Verona and De la Cruz

 

[Bushman]

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I also wonder if a pro team will pick up Enric Mas for next season, as was posted above he's leading the Tour de Savoie after today's ITT and he seems to be on the same level as for example Adrien Costa and Tao Geoghegan Hart.
I've followed his progression for a few years now so I'm really happy to see him do so well

Costa is two years younger though.

A bit surprised by Mas, didnt know he could climb this well.

 

[LaFlorecita]

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Costa is two years younger though.

A bit surprised by Mas, didnt know he could climb this well.

True, he is "already" 21 (same as Geoghegan Hart) but that is just more reason for a pro team to sign him. Costa might be a bit too young still. It's a risk to sign such a young rider, it can go right (Sagan) or wrong (Mohoric).

 

[dbreality]

I like this topic and just like you @Samamba I think it could be interesting to keep a close eye at the young prospects' progression. I have a few names that made a great first half of the 2016 season.

One of them is Mads Würtz Schmitz (1994) of Tre-For, who we all know I think. He chose to continue riding at Continental level and stay in Denmark despite lots of contacts with pro structures. I believe when Patrick Lefevere set the 'summer talent camps' with U23 riders a few years ago, he was among the invited guys. He won the Denmark Rundt TT stage ahead of the best scandinavian rouleurs, and of course the U23 Worlds TT last year. And he seemded to have developed some great abilities outside TTing, as he also dominated the sprint at the Triptyque des Monts-et-Châteaux in April. He was the best among those short climbs and punchy parcours, managed to outspeed twice very accomplished U23 sprinters on stage 2 and 4. On stage 2, I know the climb well (Kluisberg), you have to have explosivity and great power because the road gets steep for a little (up to 17%), and Würtz kept shut Garcia Cortina, the British of Wiggins and the locals of Verandas Willems De Troyer & Dhaene. He has become a solid, more allrounder type of firepower and looks ready to make the big jump.

The other is Daniel Whitehouse (1995). Someone mentioned him before, and rightly so. He made 4th atop Mount Fuji during the Tour of Japan, spending most of the 11k-climb with Poorseyedi (Tabriz Shahrdari), one of the best climbing motors Asia has ever produced. I found curious that he switched his licence from New Zealand to Britain, and made a bold move from JLT (Great Britain) to UKYO (Japan). He actually was trained by former aussie pro Ben Day (ex-UHC), and utterly demolished his opponents at the Tour de Flores (2.2). He showed ease in the climbs and I would love to see him confront with the Colombians at the Tour de l'Avenir this year, Egan Bernal (Androni, 1997) or Bjorg Lambrechts (Lotto U23). That will be something.

 

[Samamba]

David Gaudu (1996) and Leo Vincent (1995) will be trainees with FDJ this year. Definitely deserved. Gaudu won the Course de la Paix and Leo Vincent was 3rd in the Ronde de l'Isard & 4th in the Savoie after wearing the leader jersey one day.

 

[jmdirt]

Christopher Blevins (USA) 18 y.o., good at road and dirt, won the Peace Race and World Cup Jr. XC in one trip to Europe.

 

[Samamba]

James Shaw (1996), Kevin Deltombe (1994) & Michael Goolaerts (1994) will be trainees with Lotto Soudal this year. Particularly curious about was Shaw can do.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Re:

James Shaw (1996), Kevin Deltombe (1994) & Michael Goolaerts (1994) will be trainees with Lotto Soudal this year. Particularly curious about was Shaw can do.

Indeed, iirc he finished thenth in the NC road race.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

All three are among the second tier of the Lotto U23 squad - I'm curious why they didn't pick Planckaert, Lambrecht or Wouters.

 

[Samamba]

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All three are among the second tier of the Lotto U23 squad - I'm curious why they didn't pick Planckaert, Lambrecht or Wouters.

Probably because Planckaert already has a contract for 2017 and Lambrecht is a bit too young. Another year as a u23 rider wouldn't hurt.

Wouters is doing great lately so he deserved it yeah. But I'm plaesed to see that Shaw gets his chance. He isn't "second tier" at all.

 

[Samamba]

The Giro Valle d'Aosta is starting tomorrow. I'm hyped cause this years route is brilliant with a TTT and 4 MT finishes. Thursday there is a finish on the climb to Saint Gervais Mont Blanc (8 days before the Tour finishes there), Friday they finish on the incredibly hard Piani di Tavagnasco, a climb similar to the Mortirolo with an average gradient of 11.3% (9km). Fabio Aru was the last winner there. On Saturday they will climb 2 steep climbs (the second is 9km at 9%) before climbing to Clavalité and that climb is just "wow". It's 9.5km at 10%, but if you look at it in detail you see that the climb is pretty irregular. There's steep part of almost 4kms at 11.5% before going downhill for 1.5km, followed by another steep part of 4kms at 13% (the last 1.5km of the climb is at 16.5% with ramps up to +20%). The last stage is short and is similar to the 19th stage of last years Giro where Aru won. They will climb to Breuil Cervinia. Not the hardest climb but the length (18k) and the altitude can play a role.

So if you're interested in seeing possible future GT (stage) winners, you better follow the results of this race. Riders to look out for are Belgians Lambrecht & Vanhoucke, Swiss Kilian Frankiny, the guys from Klein Constantia with Mas & Narvaez, Lampre bound Edward Ravasi, Ukrainian Mark Padun cause he showed some form this weekend, Russian Cherkasov, the Team Wiggins guys (especialy James Knox) and ofcourse Aldemar reyes who is the big favorite after his performances in Colombia & Portugal last week.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This is the greatest U23 race, and I only wish it were televised. I adore the Valle d'Aosta.

 

[DNP-Old]

Narvaez isn't starting here unfortunately. According to the official website at least.

 

[Samamba]

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Narvaez isn't starting here unfortunately. According to the official website at least.

You're right, he isn't. My bad.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

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I'm hyped cause this years route is brilliant with a TTT and 4 MT finishes.

"Brillant" is not the thing that comes to my mind - more like "ridicilous". It's a beautiful race nonetheless, but it lacks diversity.

 

[janraaskalt2]

Re: Re:

I'm hyped cause this years route is brilliant with a TTT and 4 MT finishes.

"Brillant" is not the thing that comes to my mind - more like "ridicilous". It's a beautiful race nonetheless, but it lacks diversity.

A TTT in a U23 race is overrated. It's not about the best riders and favours the big teams too much. I'd much rather see an individual TT.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

TTT is fine for me (they are quite rare in U23 races) and it balances a tiny bit the four MTFs. The differences will be made in the climbs, not the TTT.

 

[Samamba]

Mark Padun wins the first Mountain stage from the breakaway.

Mas first of the peloton, Reyes 2nd, Ravasi 3rd, Lambrecht 4th & Frankiny 5th (based on a photo)

 

[Bushman]

Quite a dangerous rider to have such a big advantage, no? Padun isnt a bad climber at all

 

[Samamba]

Re:

Quite a dangerous rider to have such a big advantage, no? Padun isnt a bad climber at all

Yeah, not the best tactics from BMC, Constantia & Reyes his team but there are still 3 hard days so I don't think Padun can hold on to that first place.

No big differences between the "big guys" btw. Frankiny, Mas, Lambrecht, Ravasi & Reyes were all at the front. Looks like Reyes his team is pretty strong with 3 guys in the top 13, Lotto Soudal too with 4 guys in the top 14.