U23 races and talents

[Squire]

Piccolo and Tiberi are by far the best Italian juniors stepping up to U23. They will both have a development year at Colpack before joining Astana and Trek, respectively. They should already be the best stage racing prospects of that team, maybe together with Vacek if he finds his mojo back after struggling as a first year U23 at Axeon.

Aleotti, 2nd overall at l'Avenir 2019, is doing another year at U23 before joining CCC. He's more of a hilly classics guy though, who got a bit lucky in l'Avenir, but being a third year U23 he could probably repeat a result like that.

Moniquet is another strong final year U23 who climbs well.

Jesus David Peña won the Vuelta a Colombia U23 as a first year U23 ahead of Ardila last year (got hammered in the MTT though), and also did well in the U23 Giro. He could be the main guy for the Colombians this year.

20 year old Maxime Chevalier did really well in some proper pro races last year in addition to coming 4th in the Valle d'Aosta, and doesn't seem to have been picked up by a pro team for 2020.

The sprinter Niklas Märkl has shown some occasional flashes of the great quality he displayed as a junior, and could potentially step up this season.

Some of the best Dutch and German juniors are stepping up to the Jumbo-Visma and Sunweb academies, but they're unlikely to make big waves in their first year, methinks.

Leknessund will probably tear up a lot of the U23 stage races, but he technically already has a pro contract.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Piccolo and Tiberi are by far the best Italian juniors stepping up to U23. They will both have a development year at Colpack before joining Astana and Trek, respectively. They should already be the best stage racing prospects of that team, maybe together with Vacek if he finds his mojo back after struggling as a first year U23 at Axeon.

Aleotti, 2nd overall at l'Avenir 2019, is doing another year at U23 before joining CCC. He's more of a hilly classics guy though, who got a bit lucky in l'Avenir, but being a third year U23 he could probably repeat a result like that.

Moniquet is another strong final year U23 who climbs well.

Jesus David Peña won the Vuelta a Colombia U23 as a first year U23 ahead of Ardila last year (got hammered in the MTT though), and also did well in the U23 Giro. He could be the main guy for the Colombians this year.

20 year old Maxime Chevalier did really well in some proper pro races last year in addition to coming 4th in the Valle d'Aosta, and doesn't seem to have been picked up by a pro team for 2020.

The sprinter Niklas Märkl has shown some occasional flashes of the great quality he displayed as a junior, and could potentially step up this season.

Some of the best Dutch and German juniors are stepping up to the Jumbo-Visma and Sunweb academies, but they're unlikely to make big waves in their first year, methinks.

Leknessund will probably tear up a lot of the U23 stage races, but he technically already has a pro contract.

There was neat little climber, but i forgot his name, will need to look it up. ... Hailemichael!

Moniquet is a nice rider, but it's not a rider i'd put in a "one to watch" list, seems like a second coming of Maxime Monfort imho.

If Leknessund stays dabbling in the U23's, especially with a lot of the stronger U23's of last year moving up, he's sure to dominate basically every race that suits him. I hope to see him in a few pro races, tbh.

PS: Squire, in case you're interested, i've made a topic to talk about riders who don't have a dedicated topic, ideal to discuss neo-pro's etc.

 

[Squire]

PS: Squire, in case you're interested, i've made a topic to talk about riders who don't have a dedicated topic, ideal to discuss neo-pro's etc.

While this one is ideal to discuss those who will do the U23 races.

Hailemichael (or Mulu Kinfe, which seems to be the name he's using) has turned pro, but I guess he could show up for l'Avenir anway. He's very interesting indeed. He destroyed some handy names up Monte Grappa in July. There are actually quite a lot of African riders born in 1999/2000 who have strong results. Let's see if one of them can finally find success among the pros.

Surely Moniquet is one to watch when talking about the U23 races, with the exodus of strong riders from that category during the off-season. But yeah, for the future he looks more like a Monfort than a Van Impe.

l'Avenir is going to be the most prestigious race Leknessund gets access to this year, so I'm pretty sure he wants to bag that one.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

While this one is ideal to discuss those who will do the U23 races.

Obviously.

Didn't know Mulu turned pro as well. The U23 category has indeed experienced an exodus.

 

[greenedge]

Can anyone fill me in on what type of riders (or just any info) on Ben Healy and Sean Quinn? They're two riders who I think will go well this year in one day/ stage races respectively. I was considering them for CQ but decided not to as last year i got burned by Donovan, Arensman and Scott all not making impacts.

 

[RedheadDane]

The U23 category has indeed experienced an exodus.

Does the amount of riders stepping up from U23 - or skipping the rank entirely - completely outweigh the amount of riders step up to U23 (from Juniors)?

 

[Walter1234]

Just too difficult I think to know...
There are not many first year U23 who actually ride results. Looking at the Belgian riders, only Van Wilder did really well. Others bests is more like a top 20 here or there.
So you better check 2th/3th years who have made progress. Or maybe
just check the U23 ranking ;-).

 

[RedheadDane]

I wasn't thinking so much in terms of results, simply in terms of the overall number of riders. Even though a bunch of guys are - obviously - leaving U23 each year, a bunch of new guys are always entering.

 

[DNP-Old]

Neither Healy or Quinn is a first year. Quinn is a very decent climber, for games he is a very valuable piece because he’s always around the top 10. However, he lacks in some places to get wins. Healy otoh has been very up and down. It’s hard to really make a prediction for someone who gets hot and cold in a heart beat.

While I’m at it, I feel a Vacek break out is coming now that he’s back in his beloved Italy.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I wasn't thinking so much in terms of results, simply in terms of the overall number of riders. Even though a bunch of guys are - obviously - leaving U23 each year, a bunch of new guys are always entering.

I meant in terms of quality riders. Not in terms of quantity. The best GC riders from the past U23 generation are simultaniously turning pro. Ardila, Alba, Bagioli, Arensman, Van Wilder, Champoussin, Leknessund, Vansevenant, Foss, Rubio... I think out of the top 3 of both baby Giro and l'Avenir, 5 out of 6 riders are going up.

While I’m at it, I feel a Vacek break out is coming now that he’s back in his beloved Italy.

Obviously there is a big chance since all the competition has left

 

[RedheadDane]

I meant in terms of quality riders. Not in terms of quantity. The best GC riders from the past U23 generation are simultaniously turning pro. Ardila, Alba, Bagioli, Arensman, Van Wilder, Champoussin, Leknessund, Vansevenant, Foss, Rubio... I think out of the top 3 of both baby Giro and l'Avenir, 5 out of 6 riders are going up.

Well, the best U23 riders do have a tendency to turn pro... and some of the kids who were waiting in the lines will be the new best U23 riders.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Well, the best U23 riders do have a tendency to turn pro... and some of the kids who were waiting in the lines will be the new best U23 riders.

Obviously. But that was not the point. Even Pogacar rode 2 full U23 years, now even the best 1 year U23's are also leaving, which makes it up for grabs for guys who would otherwise have had to wait a few years for success in this category. Simmons is skipping, Brenner is still a junior, and all the top guys in U23 have left... So we might see some guys who were just below the best juniors, turn into the best U23 overnight.

 

[Squire]

Well, the best U23 riders do have a tendency to turn pro... and some of the kids who were waiting in the lines will be the new best U23 riders.

You would understand what me and Logic meant if you tried.

It's rare that almost all the big players of U23 races turn pro. Usually it's the third-year riders who step up, or the very talented second-years, but this time we've had young guys like Van Wilder, Ghirmay, Vansevenant, Bagioli, Arensman and Leknessund (in some sense) turn pro and others skipping the U23s entirely. Usually you can point to someone and say, now that those other riders are gone, this guy or that guy will dominate the U23s. This year not so much.

 

[RedheadDane]

I wasn't talking in terms of knowing who will dominate. I was talking in terms of there will always be some. And, heck… not knowing who will dominate is just much more exiting in my opinion. No "Oh, it'll be so and so dominating!", but "Guess we'll just have to wait and see…"
Essentially I was commenting on the term "exodus", which kinda made it look like the U23 rank was being drained completely; well… it isn't. And you didn't really answer my question about whether the number of riders stepping up early from U23 - or skipping the rank entirely - completely outweighs the number of riders stepping up to the U23 rank from the juniors.

(BTW, Leknessund is turning pro in exactly the same way as Ghirmay; joining a pro-conti (pro-team or whatever they're called now…) squad. The difference is that he has a WT squad waiting for him.)

 

[Squire]

(BTW, Leknessund is turning pro in exactly the same way as Ghirmay; joining a pro-conti (pro-team or whatever they're called now…) squad. The difference is that he has a WT squad waiting for him.)

If you want to be pedantic, it's not exactly the same. Leknessund stays with his current team, while Ghirmay joins an established pro team.

 

[RedheadDane]

If you want to be pedantic, it's not exactly the same. Leknessund stays with his current team, while Ghirmay joins an established pro team.

They're both going pro-conti/pro-team/whatever. In Leknessund's case, of course, it's the entire team stepping up; bringing him along for the ride, so to speak.

 

[yaco]

Savio will be the biggest loser from this trend of under 23's only doing one year or juniors bypassing the under 23's - Will make it tough for him to find diamonds in the rough.

 

[Anderis]

Does anybody know what Mauri Vansevenant's starting plans for 2020 are?

 

[Joelsim]

Does anybody know what Mauri Vansevenant's starting plans for 2020 are?

Finishing his Uni studies before joining DQS.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Finishing his Uni studies before joining DQS.

I think this is the case for Arensman as well (before joining Sunweb). Champoussin is waiting 'till April. Though i imagine those guys will initially ride a similar schedule to last year?
What are the most "suited" races for young guys in the pro peloton once july is over? Tour of Guangxi? China? Burgos? Canada?
Or is the objective of joining in the summer, primarily to get integrated into the team, adapting to training etc?

 

[WKA311]

I hope that Märkl and Mayrhofer can deliver something this year. They had injury (Mayrhofer) and crash (Märkl) marred seasons last year.
Some others that I think are bound to have an impact are both Vermaerke and Quinn in hilly races and stage races respectively, Jake Stewart in the classics and harder finishes, Verschaeve in hilly races and maybe also stage races, Reynders in the classics, Pidcock obviously when he starts his road season, Theo Nonnez in stage races and hilly classics, Alexandre Balmer now that he focusses on the road, Jaka primozic in classics etc.

Just from the top of my head and without thinking about Italy and Scandinavia.

Other then that it will be interesting which top juniors from last year will hit the ground running. As already mentioned Tiberi and Piccolo are good shouts, as is Enzo Leijnse I think.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Verschaeve

Turned pro for Lotto iirc.

 

[Joelsim]

Turned pro for Lotto iirc.

From 2021.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

From 2021.

Indeed. Seems he already signed the contract, but only for 2021. My mistake.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Obviously.

Didn't know Mulu turned pro as well. The U23 category has indeed experienced an exodus.

Mulu and Biniam Girmay are turning pro with Delko, so they should ride many smaller races and get a chance to gradually adapt to European Cyling. It could be more of a problem for Mulu, he's really light, 50kg or even lighter, a Rujano sized climber.
I always find it interesting how getting a Visa in Italy usually isn't a bigger problem for the African riders on the DD/NTT CT-team.