Young riders to watch in 2011

[Christian]

I haven't ever seen much of the guy but all I have heard is raving reviews of his talent and future. Is he a good tt rider? His brother, Simon, is riding for Astana next year. Strong workhorse. Remember his excellent job at the worlds in Mendrisio.

If he's really so strong it's kind of weird AG2R didn't offer him a contract. At first I thought Team Lux just had the better offer, but in an interview with Velonation he said they didn't even make him an offer

 

[auscyclefan94]

If he's really so strong it's kind of weird AG2R didn't offer him a contract. At first I thought Team Lux just had the better offer, but in an interview with Velonation he said they didn't even make him an offer

He didn't speak any french at all and found it hard to fit in. I'd imagine that they would be speaking a fair bit of english at Team Lux.

 

[El Pistolero]

Probably a lot more German than English. Cancellara, Schlecks, Voigt, etc.

But most of these guys speak OK English.

 

[needasmoke]

Adam Blythe - finished 2010 strong ..

 

[PCutter]

I haven't ever seen much of the guy but all I have heard is raving reviews of his talent and future. Is he a good tt rider? His brother, Simon, is riding for Astana next year. Strong workhorse. Remember his excellent job at the worlds in Mendrisio.

I don't believe Simon Clarke and Wil Clarke are related. But I will be happy to be corrected.

Most of the potential/talk/hype on Wil comes from some testing (VO2 etc) he did in Europe which showed a big engine (and like Richie Porte, the fact that he really doesn't have many years on the bike, coming from athletics). Apparently Porte showed his coach, Brad McGee, Wil's results and they got a few peoples attention, hence the Stagiare role, and the Lux contract - as Wil, Richie and Stu O'Grady all live and ride together in Monoco (Wil on Richie's floor). As for AG2R passing on him for a contract....well, AG2R haven't exactly been known as a production line of champions, so maybe they miss what others see in riders.

I think this year Wil will be learning his trade, so maybe won't see too many results. Probably used to ride for the classics guys and burn himself out at the 100-150k mark, similar to Baden Cooke's role at Saxo this year.

My 'to watch' rider is Aussie Mitchell Docker - sprinter at Skil Shimano. No, he won't win more than Goss or Howard, but those guys aren't really discoveries...everyone knows they're going to win their share of races now Griepel's gone. Mitch rode around Farrah to win the 1st stage at the Tour of Zeatland for his breakthrough win this year, so he's got some pace and with a years Euro racing in his legs should be looking for bigger and better things this year.

 

[Christian]

Probably a lot more German than English. Cancellara, Schlecks, Voigt, etc.

Well those and ... you know, the Germans

 

[Sasquatch]

I haven't ever seen much of the guy but all I have heard is raving reviews of his talent and future. Is he a good tt rider? His brother, Simon, is riding for Astana next year. Strong workhorse. Remember his excellent job at the worlds in Mendrisio.

His time trialing is great.

Simon aint his brother.

 

[Sasquatch]

GUILLAUME BOIVIN Best young sprinter IMHO!

Yep.

Surprised no one has picked him up yet. HTC will be crazy if they don't look at him.

 

[auscyclefan94]

His time trialing is great.

Simon aint his brother.

My bad, well he seems to be a F Cancellara type of rider. No pressure. Even though I've been told by a few people he is quite good there hasn't been overly much hype about him like you have for Phinney, matthews or degenkolb.

 

[Sasquatch]

My bad, well he seems to be a F Cancellara type of rider. No pressure. Even though I've been told by a few people he is quite good there hasn't been overly much hype about him like you have for Phinney, matthews or degenkolb.

That's good. It means when he wins the big monuments I will look like a genius.

 

[El Pistolero]

Well those and ... you know, the Germans

Yes, but they're the only cyclists I know that are going to Lux. Haven't been following their transfers lol.

 

[Christian]

Yes, but they're the only cyclists I know that are going to Lux. Haven't been following their transfers lol.

Was that irony or did you seriously manage to avoid all the announcements? lol

I think Germany actually has the largest contingent: Voigt, Klemme, Gerdemann, Wegman, Robert Wagner; then you have Denifl, Zaugg, Cancellara and the Schlecks whose first language is either German or at least pretty close, and Torsten Schmidt the DS.

You also have a lot of Italians though: Bennati, Vigano, Nizzolo and the DS's Guercilena and Baffi.

Also quite a few Danes: Fuglsang, Lund, Mortensen, Pedersen and of course Brian Nygaard and Kim Andersen.

2 Australians (O'Grady and Clarke), 2 Dutchmen (Stamsnijder and Posthuma), 2 Belgians (Monfort/Wallonie and Weylandt/Flandres), 1 French (Feillu) and 1 Portuguese (Bruno Pires)

I think the main language will be English, or at least should be; so that no cliques form inside the team. I know that Andersen and Nygaard also speak German, but the Australians, Italians and French surely don't. Plus, O'Grady will be the road captain and he probably doesn't speak German (just an assumption).

 

[El Pistolero]

Was that irony or did you seriously manage to avoid all the announcements? lol

I think Germany actually has the largest contingent: Voigt, Klemme, Gerdemann, Wegman, Robert Wagner; then you have Denifl, Zaugg, Cancellara and the Schlecks whose first language is either German or at least pretty close, and Torsten Schmidt the DS.

You also have a lot of Italians though: Bennati, Vigano, Nizzolo and the DS's Guercilena and Baffi.

Also quite a few Danes: Fuglsang, Lund, Mortensen, Pedersen and of course Brian Nygaard and Kim Andersen.

2 Australians (O'Grady and Clarke), 2 Dutchmen (Stamsnijder and Posthuma), 2 Belgians (Monfort/Wallonie and Weylandt/Flandres), 1 French (Feillu) and 1 Portuguese (Bruno Pires)

I think the main language will be English, or at least should be; so that no cliques form inside the team. I know that Andersen and Nygaard also speak German, but the Australians, Italians and French surely don't. Plus, O'Grady will be the road captain and he probably doesn't speak German (just an assumption).

No, I just don't care about the team

I did know about O'grady, Benatti and Monfort though xD

 

[Dallas_]

I haven't ever seen much of the guy but all I have heard is raving reviews of his talent and future. Is he a good tt rider? His brother, Simon, is riding for Astana next year. Strong workhorse. Remember his excellent job at the worlds in Mendrisio.

a time trial result of Will Clarke
http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/news/4291/Clarke wins Tour of Geelong time trial

more info as of Jan 2010
http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=16277

interview dec 18 2010
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/6...-with-the-Luxembourg-Pro-Cycling-Project.aspx

and not related to Simon Clarke

cheers

 

[Notso Swift]

Since he is from Tassie, what about Danny Clarke?
(they would be some good family gene's to latch on to!)

 

[Dallas_]

Since he is from Tassie, what about Danny Clarke?
(they would be some good family gene's to latch on to!)

related - dont know

Danny Clarke - now there is a class act.
they would be some good family gene's to latch on to - got that right

cheers

 

[simo1733]

related - dont know

Danny Clarke - now there is a class act.
they would be some good family gene's to latch on to - got that right

cheers

I think he may have been the fastest cyclist ever with a moustache

 

[Tuarts]

Hilton Clarke (UHC)
Jonathon Clarke (UHC)
Simon Clarke (AST)
Will Clarke (LUX)

There's bound to be some connection between at least two of them other than being namesakes

 

[Jono L.]

Hilton Clarke (UHC)
Jonathon Clarke (UHC)
Simon Clarke (AST)
Will Clarke (LUX)

There's bound to be some connection between at least two of them other than being namesakes

Hilton and johnny are brothers. rest unrelated.

 

[Jono L.]

That's good. It means when he wins the big monuments I will look like a genius.

What do you mean when?? Already won the Goulburn to Sydney

 

[Florian]

Peter SAGAN (20) and Tejay VAN GARDEREN (22) are my favorites youngsters for the season to come.
Sagan will be to follow as soon as the new season starts and he could behave well at some short early races that suits him like Paris-Nice. Why not for a place on the podium?
The american rider provided some high values during the last season, winning some stages at Dauphine and Vuelta. I wouldn't be surprised if he grabs a Top 10 in the Giro or Vuelta.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Sagan will need to improve his climbing for a place on the podium; he's proven excellent in the intermediate stages thus far, but on the real climbing he's lost time. He is young and getting stronger, however, so this is possible.

van Garderen had a brilliant neo-pro year, but I do need to correct you on a couple of things - the only win he had in 2010 was the TTT in the Vuelta, which isn't really an individual triumph. His successes in the Dauphiné were in the GC, where he was 3rd overall, and he stayed high in the GC in the Vuelta until the end of the second week, where he let go because he'd reached his limit of recovery so the team had him come in with the autobus and take the pressure off him. His Dauphiné GC performance was mostly on his TT performance opposed to his climbing (though he was impressive uphill, he was 11th and 15th in the two major mountain stages as opposed to 2nd and 4th in the two TTs), and as a result, looking at the Giro's route, I WOULD be shocked if he grabbed a top 10; if a guy his age is getting in the top 10 in the 2011 Giro it's more likely to be somebody who climbs like José Rujano. The Vuelta, however, could be on. I certainly wouldn't be putting too much pressure on him if I'm HTC, especially now Peter Velits has emerged as a GC-capable rider.

Oh yea, and HTC will require him to sacrifice himself and get in the wind for Cav, even if he's wearing the yellow jersey and the next stage is a major MTF.

 

[Boeing]

I like Ben King (us) however it will be interesting to see what his approach will be this season. Clearly he won't be able to ride off the front as he is accustomed to in the u23 ranks.

Does anyone have a thought as to how RS will develop him? GT's Classics?

 

[Florian]

I do need to correct you on a couple of things - the only win he had in 2010 was the TTT in the Vuelta, which isn't really an individual triumph. His successes in the Dauphiné were in the GC, where he was 3rd overall

Indeed, and I thank you for your correction! I thought he won the Dauphine's Prologue but finished second in it behind Contador.

By the way, I have forgotten two interesting cyclists from whom I'm going to expect a lot at a high level. Dani MARTIN and Taylor PHINNEY who ran some excellent races last year among the U23.

 

[Bike Boy]

Rafael Reis.

I'm not so sure about him.

Youtube: Rafael Reis the hair dresser

I think he needs to spent more time on the bike and less time make up hair...
having said that It's not hard to comprehend the "beauty" of his work