U23 races and talents

[Samu Cuenca]

Well, Vegni Jr. is now the race director, making the name Baby Giro even more appropriate.

Today's stage looked more like the work of a Zomegnan Jr., so maybe he has some father issues that will help turn it into an epic race?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Of Baby Giro or RCS in general?

The Baby Giro.

 

[Red Rick]

The Baby Giro.

Considering the collapses the average speed of the stage is really good. Did they do the first climbs really fast?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Considering the collapses the average speed of the stage is really good. Did they do the first climbs really fast?

Apparently things were all over the place with that descent near the start and the breakaway only formed on the Tonale, but got brought back before the Guspesa.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

A

But he didn't destroy them on the main climb. He basically outlasted them.

if you ”outlast” guys by five minutes, that is destroying them. It’s a big psychological blow to shrivel up and die on a stage like that and physiologically those guys will have gone very, very, very deep.

Maybe if there were five unipuerto mountain stages coming back to back, where some of the midgets could do their best W/Kg without worrying about blowing up and getting killed again, they could catch him. Maybe. But unless I’m missing something in the parcours, there’s just Fauniera to go? He doesn’t even have to race them if that’s the case, just TT up it at a measured pace, with his teammates pacing the lower parts.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

A


if you ”outlast” guys by five minutes, that is destroying them. It’s a big psychological blow to shrivel up and die on a stage like that and physiologically those guys will have gone very, very, very deep.

Maybe if there were five unipuerto mountain stages coming back to back, where some of the midgets could do their best W/Kg without worrying about blowing up and getting killed again, they could catch him. Maybe. But unless I’m missing something in the parcours, there’s just Fauniera to go? He doesn’t even have to race them if that’s the case, just TT up it at a measured pace, with his teammates pacing the lower parts.

Yes, just the Fauniera to go and the final stage with the small uphill finish in Pinerolo. But it is the baby giro and I think in the past riders have blown up big time.

Also, why is it only 7 stages this year? There were more stages in 2020 when many things were shortened or curtailed due to calendar restraints from the lockdowns.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Looking forward to Ethan riding as a domestique for Leo in the future.

Ethan as a domestique, it's hard to see him do anything usefull other than going back to the car to get water bottles, because he is usually dangling at the back anyway.

 

[SafeBet]

Stage 5 will be interesting. Given Groupama strength I wouldn't rule out a team attack on Santuario di Valmala... and if Hayter gets dropped it's game on.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Yes, just the Fauniera to go and the final stage with the small uphill finish in Pinerolo. But it is the baby giro and I think in the past riders have blown up big time.

Also, why is it only 7 stages this year? There were more stages in 2020 when many things were shortened or curtailed due to calendar restraints from the lockdowns.

Apparently there were supposed to be more stages in Central Italy, but they decided to spend their money on the Adriatica-Ionica race instead.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Stage 5 will be interesting. Given Groupama strength I wouldn't rule out a team attack on Santuario di Valmala... and if Hayter gets dropped it's game on.

That climb would also be really good to use before a brute like the Agnello.

 

[BR2]

Only now really looked at the profile. What kind of stage was that for a baby race?!

 

[ppanther92]

Wow, most impressive U23 result I can remember. Especially since Gregoire was winning left and right so far this season and Martinez even already doing very well on pro level.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Only now really looked at the profile. What kind of stage was that for a baby race?!

one where they wanted to separate the men… er, man… from the boys.

it‘s particularly funny for what is already a two speed race, with most of the best espoirs in the world alongside every random Italian male under the age for 23 who can ride a bike without stabilisers. Whoever designed the parcours really had it in for the hundredth best espoir in Italy.

 

[Mayomaniac]

one where they wanted to separate the men… er, man… from the boys.

it‘s particularly funny for what is already a two speed race, with most of the best espoirs in the world alongside every random Italian male under the age for 23 who can ride a bike without stabilisers. Whoever designed the parcours really had it in for the hundredth best espoir in Italy.

On the other hand it's better if they take a beating now instead of winning lots of small races only to get a harsh reality check after they turn pro.
I don't mind hard route, the Baby Giro usually also has an ITT, but this stage was maybe a bit too much for the u23 field. The usual Mortirolo stages that they do in this race (see 2019 and 2020) are fine.
Even the short double Mortirolo stage that they did in 2019 wasn't really over the top because of the short stage distance and the lack of other climbs. Having at least a few u23 races that feature some big climbs is a good thing, otherwise not explosive mountain goats might never show their potential in the u23 ranks and would miss out on a pro contract.

 

[Walter1234]

On difficult stages; check the results of the Giro Valle d'Aosta U23. Mostly this is a tour with just mountain stages; often minutes differences between the finishers on the stages But suprisingly often different riders in the first finishers. The GC winner is often the one who looses less, rather then the one winning most.

 

[Mayomaniac]

On difficult stages; check the results of the Giro Valle d'Aosta U23. Mostly this is a tour with just mountain stages; often minutes differences between the finishers on the stages But suprisingly often different riders in the first finishers. The GC winner is often the one who looses less, rather then the one winning most.

I mean,Valle d'Aosta is actually a great test for the recovery of the riders. The field in that race is usually also pretty international and stacked, with only the strongest Italian teams (besides Zalf) riding it.

 

[Samamba]

Riley Pickrell won the bunch sprint. There was a crash at the end and I don't know if it was in the last 3k or not. Hayter, Gregoire (who came 3rd) and Van Eetvelt were in the first part of the bunch tho. Martinez came in a bit later.

 

[CHGJ2000]

But he didn't destroy them on the main climb. He basically outlasted them.

The outlasted comment seems kinda weird way to diminish the ride Leo Hayter did. Martinez crested Guspessa with a 65s gap, then got more time with g2 presumably pissing about on the false flat, but then got completely destroyed on the climb at the end. In that case, it just seems like Martinez completely overestimated his abilities compared to the others, and blew himself up while Hayter actually paced himself correctly on the climb. Doesn't indicate Martinez was the better climber to me.

I don't recall people giving props to Magnus Sheffield at u23 worlds TT last year for getting the fastest time to t1 and then ending up 10th because he overestimated his abilities (and/or had a bad day), or saying that the others just outlasted him (or something like that in pretty much any of case where someone absolutely destroys another in a mountain stage, e.g. Buitrago at the Giro).

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The outlasted comment seems kinda weird way to diminish the ride Leo Hayter did. Martinez crested Guspessa with a 65s gap, then got more time with g2 presumably pissing about on the false flat, but then got completely destroyed on the climb at the end. In that case, it just seems like Martinez completely overestimated his abilities compared to the others, and blew himself up while Hayter actually paced himself correctly on the climb. Doesn't indicate Martinez was the better climber to me.

I don't recall people giving props to Magnus Sheffield at u23 worlds TT last year for getting the fastest time to t1 and then ending up 10th because he overestimated his abilities (and/or had a bad day), or saying that the others just outlasted him (or something like that in pretty much any of case where someone absolutely destroys another in a mountain stage, e.g. Buitrago at the Giro).

Congratulations on completely missing the point.

 

[Samamba]

FDJ just did a 4 man (Martinez, Gregoire, Thompson, Germani) attack on a decent in the beginning of the stage.

Only 3 other guys made it. They have more than 2 minutes already on the reduced bunch where LTS & Axeon are chasing.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Harold Lopez crashed out of the early on the stage.

 

[Samamba]

LTS closed the gap.

 

[Samamba]

Lennert Van Eetvelt is doing an awesome job right now on the Colle Fauniera. He has 1'30 on Martinez and 3 minutes on the other favorites.

 

[Samamba]

What a performance from Lennert Van Eetvelt. Didn't expect him to win a stage finishing on a climb up to 2480m. Lenny Martinez in 2nd. Lecerf (also Belgian and from LTS) 3rd, Hayter 4th almost 3 minutes back. He keeps te jersey "easily" tho.

1. Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Soudal)

2. Lenny Martinez (Groupama FDJ) a 1’12”

3. William Lecerf (Lotto Soudal) a 2’45”

1. Leo Hayter (Hagens Berman Axeons) a 2’51”
2. Fernando Tercero (Eolo Kometa) a 2’52”
3. Magnus Kulste (Uno-X Dare) a 2’57”
4. Danill Pronskyi (Astana) a 3’02”
5. Jelle Declerck (Bingola Pauwels) a 3’12”
6. Riccardo Ciuccarelli (Biesse Carrera) a 3’24”
7. Reuben Thompson (Groupama FDJ) a 3’41”

Looks like Gregoire cracked.

 

[Samamba]

https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=226&y=2022&e=06

Full results are in. Looks like Gregoire cracked completely. Good to see that it's possible for him to have a bad day. Obviously also more an Alpahilippe type of rider than a pure climber. Worst result for Italy since the Baby Giro came back in 2017.