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U23 races and talents

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So Pidcock dominates the MTF as well and he's now firmly in the lead with one stage to go.
Disappointing performances by Sean Quinn and Jesus Pena.
Vandenabeele has a shot at the podium but Aleotti is probably a better stage racer than advertised and his Avenir podium last year doesn't look like a total fluke at this point.
 
So Pidcock dominates the MTF as well and he's now firmly in the lead with one stage to go.
Disappointing performances by Sean Quinn and Jesus Pena.
Vandenabeele has a shot at the podium but Aleotti is probably a better stage racer than advertised and his Avenir podium last year doesn't look like a total fluke at this point.
Vandenabeele keeping Belgium's honors high after the others crashing out of contention. Haven't really followed him closely lately, but he seems to have come some ways. In 2018 he was 4th domestique for Evenepoel at the WCC.
 
I want to give a shoutout to Asbjørn Hellemose. Apparantly he crashed in training and had a minor fracture in his shoulder 8 days before the race began but decided to take part anyway. Then he crashed on the second stage as well and hurt his knee but he is hanging in there, and even advanced to 9th overall with his 11th place on today’s stage.
I hadnt ever hurt of him until a few months ago when he beat Pellaud and Thalmann in the Open Swiss Championships. He looks like a talented climber and I always find it interesting with these riders who choose to go their own way (he moved to Italy and signed for a small continental team this year as the terrain in Denmark doesnt suit him very well).
 
I want to give a shoutout to Asbjørn Hellemose. Apparantly he crashed in training and had a minor fracture in his shoulder 8 days before the race began but decided to take part anyway. Then he crashed on the second stage as well and hurt his knee but he is hanging in there, and even advanced to 9th overall with his 11th place on today’s stage.
I hadnt ever hurt of him until a few months ago when he beat Pellaud and Thalmann in the Open Swiss Championships. He looks like a talented climber and I always find it interesting with these riders who choose to go their own way (he moved to Italy and signed for a small continental team this year as the terrain in Denmark doesnt suit him very well).
Lovely typo considering the context :)
 
It's a shame this race seems to have been more affected than most by lockdown lag, with so few opportunities for U-23 racing till now. The Colombians haven't really shown up at all, and a couple of the Belgian hopes unfortunately crashed. Still really impressed by Pidcock today. The Mortirolo tomorrow is a very different challenge though
 
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Is Colleoni another Acquadro rider? Could be the usual Androni to Skineos transfer for the 2022 season.
Isn't Aquadro mainly working with young non-italian riders who ride for Italian teams (in the u23 ranks or at pct level).
Colleoni stepped up this year, last year he was 3rd on the Mortirolo stage and 5th on the Fedaia stage, so probably the best non-Colombian climber, but he wasn't super consistent and had bad days. This year he's a lot more consistent. His teammate Conca is not so good as a climber, but really consistent and he has great recovery, a really good stage racer despite being rather tall (190cm). Pidcock is clearly the best climber atm, but the Colombian's didn't race after the lockdown until they started here, so it's hard to say how they'd have done otherwise.
 
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That would be a surprise if he chose a team based mainly on the bike, but I suppose he can take his pick. Ineos will break the bank to get him and have Froome-size hole in their budget/roster.

I seem to remember there were rumours last year that he'd already signed an agreement, giving them first option when he turns pro?
 
I think going pro next season was definitely on the table, once he'd got The Olympics and another season of cyclocross under his belt. The postponements and disruption this year might have changed that, but Ineos would certainly offer him an Olympic-friendly deal like Ethan Hayter
 
loool Vandenabeele climbed together with Pidcock and finished one second down, i guess it was a sprint. Moved to second place in GC. Either the overall level wasn't that high and we shouldn't draw too many conclusions from Pidcock's win, or Vandenabeele has made HUUUUUGE improvements during the Covid-19 break.
 
loool Vandenabeele climbed together with Pidcock and finished one second down, i guess it was a sprint. Moved to second place in GC. Either the overall level wasn't that high and we shouldn't draw too many conclusions from Pidcock's win, or Vandenabeele has made HUUUUUGE improvements during the Covid-19 break.
It's not your average l'Avenir, but this performance is mighty impressive from Vandenabeele. Pidcock was head and shoulders above everyone and is one of the few truly elite (not counting first years), but make no mistake, Aleotti and the mighty Biesse Arvedi duo of Conca and Colleoni are really good, although neither are end all, be all climbers. What's impressive from Vandenabeele is that he had no team whatsoever for almost the entirety of the race, given Verschaeve and Van Gils' early exit. Unless you want to count mediocre Sweeny and sprinter Arne Marit as support, of course. Vandenabeele and Bayer, who unfortunately had to exit as well, put in a shift here, worthy of earning pro contracts.
 
Nice bit of sportsmanship from Vandenabeele



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Zambanini really surprised me on the Italian side, he's just a few months older than Gloag and finished 10th on gc. Zalf are usually known for taking it slow with their first year u23 riders, so I didnt really expect that. He's also a track guy and not a climber, so his performance really surprised me. He also raced for the Mendelspeck team a few years ago (a local team from South Tyrol that has actually produced good riders like Pirrone on the women's side), so I kinda have to support him.;)
 
Ronde de L'Isard startlist. Keen to see how Gloag follos up his performance in the Baby Giro

Eager to see guys like Leemreize, Van Gils... who were unfortunate in previous races.
 
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