U23 races and talents

[yaco]

QS can produce a decent GC support team if LeFevre wants to go down that route - In the 2014 Giro with Uran as leader, he had Brambilla, Poels, De Gendt, Pauwels and Serry for company - They had had Petacchi riding t the front of the peleton.

 

[Naico]

So how about Almeida? Pretty good ride today in Algarve. Setting such a high pace that he even managed to drop riders like Kwiatkowski, Thomas or GVA. I said it in another thread, but Quickstep have managed to land some talented climbers this offseason with him and Bagioli. Add Knox who extended his contract and Vansevenant will join them in July. All of them can grow with Evenepoel and become a strong team for years to come (if they can keep them all together that is). Obviously not a squad rivaling the likes of Movistar or Ineos just yet, but give these guys 2 more years and we could be talking about a dangerous team going uphill. At the very least an interesting project that Lefevere started. After 20 years of classics riders he now tries to actually build a team of talented climbers. Just a shame they lost Enric Mas.

It’s all about being able to keep those riders together. You need a budget for that. If Almeida and Bagioli keep evolving like this, they’ll be hard to keep in 2 years.
People keep saying that DQS is not the right environment for climbing talent but that’s BS. The classics have always been more of a focus and other teams with more (or equal) money often pry them away. Look at Kwiatkowski, Narvaez, De La Cruz, Poels (all to Ineos), Mas, Schachmann,..
If i‘m Specialized i’d invest a little more in the team to surround a talent like Evenepoel. Only benefits (talent and star qualities).

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Just a shame they lost Enric Mas.

I think De Plus might prove to be a bigger loss.

 

[Walter1234]

Shouldn't we discuss Evenepoel in this thread? He still has about 3 saisons of U23 to go...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Shouldn't we discuss Evenepoel in this thread? He still has about 3 saisons of U23 to go...

Since he's a pro for a WT team, he can only participate in a few U23 races, like the WCC and Tour de l'Avenir. He's already said not to be interested in riding those U23 races, so i don't know why you'd discuss him in a topic for a category he doesn't race in.

 

[Joelsim]

Savva Novikov joins CCC Development Team for two years. Won the Tour of Azarbaijan last year, and also 2nd in Romania. Looks a climbing talent, the next Zakarin perhaps.

Savva Novikov w CCC Development Team

Savva Novikov to ostatni zawodnik, który zasili szeregi CCC Development Team w sezonie 2020. Pochodzący z Rosji kolarz podpisał kontrakt na dwa lata.

naszosie.pl

 

[RedheadDane]

Since he's a pro for a WT team, he can only participate in a few U23 races, like the WCC and Tour de l'Avenir. He's already said not to be interested in riding those U23 races, so i don't know why you'd discuss him in a topic for a category he doesn't race in.

Not to mention that I think - and lots of people agree - earned his right to have his own thread.
Which, of course, is what all riders strive for.

 

[Joelsim]

Not to mention that I think - and lots of people agree - earned his right to have his own thread.
Which, of course, is what all riders strive for.

And clearly, it’d be nice to have one thread without him in it.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

And clearly, it’d be nice to have one thread without him in it.

That's ok. Next week we'll all new talking about Pogacar again and next month about Mathieu.

 

[cxrider]

Pretty impressive ride in Antalya yesterday by Mattias Skjelmose Jensen. He rode the final climb 24 seconds faster than the leaders after two crashes before the start of the climb.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

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Google translate:

Will the Tour de l'Avenir take place in 2020? And if so, in what format? Many questions are currently being asked about the 57th edition of one of the most prestigious events on the Espoirs calendar. Planned from August 7 to 16, and like what could happen for the Critérium du Dauphiné among adults, the race could be shortened as indicated by information published in L'Ardennais and relayed by DirectVelo. This is how the prologue and the first four stages could simply be canceled, the Grand Départ then taking place from Besançon instead of Charlevilles-Mézières.

"We are trying to find a solution where everyone can find their account", explains Alain Barthélémy, the sports assistant for the city of Charleville-Mézières. "From our side, we wonder if it would not be better to bring the event next year, rather than hosting it at least this year, behind closed doors and in drastic conditions. Which could also arrange the organizer, who is trying to shorten the race. " Won in 2019 by Tobias Foss, the Tour de l'Avenir, even if greatly shortened, would nevertheless retain all its prestige since the major mountain stages planned in the program - notably with the Madeleine, Iseran and the rise of Les Arcs on the menu - should indeed take place.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Tour de l'Avenir has released its new schedule:

• 14-19 of August
• No TTT
• 17km climbing ITT
• Only one "flat" stage

Could this attract some of the Colombian riders?

 

[Walter1234]

My first reaction was; only 6 stages. That is good for first year u23 riders. But now that I checked the stages, 5 of the 6 stage contain really a lot of climbing. It is really a very tough race. As for the belgians; I wonder who can survive such a race.... (the better climbers of last year all became pro ).

La Course - Tour de l'Avenir 2023

tourdelavenir.com

 

[RedheadDane]

Could this attract some of the Colombian riders?

If they're allowed to leave the country...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

My first reaction was; only 6 stages. That is good for first year u23 riders. But now that I checked the stages, 5 of the 6 stage contain really a lot of climbing. It is really a very tough race. As for the belgians; I wonder who can survive such a race.... (the better climbers of last year all became pro ).

La Course - Tour de l'Avenir 2023

tourdelavenir.com

Van Wilder made this his main goal. If Evenepoel wanted he could ride as well, just like Vansevenant. So far i only know of Van Wilder who's riding. I expect him to be one of the main contenders.

 

[DNP-Old]

Van Wilder made this his main goal. If Evenepoel wanted he could ride as well, just like Vansevenant. So far i only know of Van Wilder who's riding. I expect him to be one of the main contenders.

Van Wilder riding here in 2020? Why?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Van Wilder riding here in 2020? Why?

How do you mean? Foss was 23 22 last year, Van Wilder just turned 20 last month. With corona messing up a lot of his original schedule it doesn't seem that strange, imho. As a junior, he always had to fight for 2nd, and last year he was a first year espoirs and he also was a bit too young to go for big wins. I imagine he'd be ambitious here. I asked his mom only a week or two ago and she said his current schedule, as far as she was aware, was still to ride LBL-l'Avenir-WCC U23. Personally, i would also like to see him ride some pro 1 week stage races, anything with a bit of climbing and TT'ing. But so far it looks like he's doing Avenir.

 

[Walter1234]

It would surprise me; there is no real history of pro cyclists - world tour level -participating in the tour de l'avenir. Also teams are not really happy of letting their riders compete in national colors -if there are alternatives. Did sunweb decide Ilan Van Wilder would be of no use in other races? For me that would give actually a negative perception in that respect. In the sense that Sunweb has no trust in Ilan in other races.
In the tour de l'avenir he will just be one of the Belgians. Not a Sunweb rider. Even U23 teams are not always happy if their riders are selected by the national team. I don't see why a pro team would enjoy having their rider in a youngster race while paying him.

Walter

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It would surprise me; there is no real history of pro cyclists - world tour level -participating in the tour de l'avenir. Also teams are not really happy of letting their riders compete in national colors -if there are alternatives. Did sunweb decide Ilan Van Wilder would be of no use in other races? For me that would give actually a negative perception in that respect. In the sense that Sunweb has no trust in Ilan in other races.
In the tour de l'avenir he will just be one of the Belgians. Not a Sunweb rider. Even U23 teams are not always happy if their riders are selected by the national team. I don't see why a pro team would enjoy having their rider in a youngster race while paying him.

Walter

If the rider mentions he wil sign for the team, if he can ride a certain race, then the team has to decide whether they want him or not. WT teams were lined up to sign Van Wilder. He's one of the biggest talents his age. If they didn't want him under those conditions, he could easily have found another team.

That said, i'm only relaying the info i got from someone close to him.

 

[janraaskalt]

If the rider mentions he wil sign for the team, if he can ride a certain race, then the team has to decide whether they want him or not. WT teams were lined up to sign Van Wilder. He's one of the biggest talents his age. If they didn't want him under those conditions, he could easily have found another team.

That said, i'm only relaying the info i got from someone close to him.

For such a young rider the first year should be all about development. If Tour de l'Avenir is good for that, which I cannot know, the rider should participate. Competing for a win can be good for a young rider, who otherwise could loose his instinct for winning.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

For such a young rider the first year should be all about development. If Tour de l'Avenir is good for that, which I cannot know, the rider should participate. Competing for a win can be good for a young rider, who otherwise could loose his instinct for winning.

I agree. That's exactly what i said in my first reply about the matter. As a first year U23, he was only strong enough once (queens stage Peace Race). In the Juniors he had to deal with Evenepoel. I think his age and the fact that he only raced one race with the pros so far, warrants this decision.

////////////////////

Some interesting tweets

WT teams with the most U23 signings in recent years:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1270647325862645760

View: https://twitter.com/v1dnez/status/1270647325862645760


Development squads with the most riders progressing to WT.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1270704674988003329

View: https://twitter.com/v1dnez/status/1270704674988003329

 

[Mayomaniac]

I agree. That's exactly what i said in my first reply about the matter. As a first year U23, he was only strong enough once (queens stage Peace Race). In the Juniors he had to deal with Evenepoel. I think his age and the fact that he only raced one race with the pros so far, warrants this decision.

////////////////////

Some interesting tweets

WT teams with the most U23 signings in recent years:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1270647325862645760

View: https://twitter.com/v1dnez/status/1270647325862645760


Development squads with the most riders progressing to WT.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1270704674988003329

View: https://twitter.com/v1dnez/status/1270704674988003329

Interesting, but overall SEG seem to be better at producing riders who are still improving in the pro ranks and have a great career there, unlike Axel and Colpack, who often just try to get as many wins/great results out of them as possible durning their time in the u23 ranks and don't seem to care that much about developing riders who'll be sucessful pros.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So... i just went through the "junior" topic, and for some reason nobody seems to have talked about Olav Kooij. He's listed a few times in results, but not much more than that. It's not the type of rider i'm typically interested in, but he seems to be pretty decent, to put it mildly. He's U23 now (still needs to turn 19 this year) for TJV development squad, but the last 2 years he's racked up a nice set of wins. He's a sprinter, but i don't know much more either. Anybody here have any more info?

 

[lemon cheese cake]

So... i just went through the "junior" topic, and for some reason nobody seems to have talked about Olav Kooij. He's listed a few times in results, but not much more than that. It's not the type of rider i'm typically interested in, but he seems to be pretty decent, to put it mildly. He's U23 now (still needs to turn 19 this year) for TJV development squad, but the last 2 years he's racked up a nice set of wins. He's a sprinter, but i don't know much more either. Anybody here have any more info?

He's had a successful start with wins two if the races in Croatia and a second in the Ster Van Zwolle this year. He rode for the Willebrord wil Vooruit junior team which has had the likes of Dylan Groenewegen and a few other decent riders head through its doors. He's been joined at the Jumbo Visma academy by Finn fisher black and they've sent Vegard Stokke to Sunweb U23. So he's come from a strong and we'll organised junior setup. Looking at his Instagram he also comes from a Speed Skating background as well.

 

[DNP-Old]

The race (being l'Avenir) might be over already:
Andrés Camilo Ardila (UAE)
Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain)
Daniel Arroyave (UAE Colombia)
Rafael Pineda (UAE Colombia)
Jhojan García (Caja Rural)
Juan Fernando Calle (Caja Rural)
Jesús David Peña (Colombia Tierra de Atletas)
Diego Camargo (Colombia Tierra de Atletas)