yes indeed, Teenager
DQS just keeps em coming

my (legit) feed stopped working at the 1.5 km to go mark, and it appears that Hirschi (who won U23 RR Championship) placed a very respectable third.

impressive performance by both of them

DQ is so impressive. I'd hate to be on another team, except for Ineos in a stage race.

Greg Van Avermaet and CCC are so close this year at times. Would like to see him win more as he's battling on. A teenager beating GVA :(

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Indoor Triathlete - I thought I was right, until I realized I was wrong.

Well, he just came from the Prom and then two weeks on Zwift Snap Chatting each ride vs. 3480 km and 12,000 + m of altitude.

Kids these days. The new crop of young talent could be one of the best generations ever.

Do you think we are starting to see the impact of advanced training technologies on a cohort of athletes? This is the first group that has had really robust tech assisting with their training from the early ages and it seems the levels they are reaching earlier is quite astounding (this QS guy at 19 and Bernal at 22 for example). Has the paradigm shifted to where a cyclist can hit prime levels by the time they are 20 rather than 25-27? If so, can we expect longer careers at the top or just shift in the pattern?

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"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Elliot | Cycle2Tri.com
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I was wondering/think about this also--has the idea that a grand tour rider needs years and years of 'base' miles in their legs been surpassed by tech and 'new' knowledge?

Who says this? Several of the biggest grand tour riders in history have often contended or even won in around their third year as pros.

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http://www.jt10000.com/

I can't pinpoint a single source but just the general thought (same as with ironman) that endurance athletes 'improve' with age because of the 'base' they've accumulated over the years. Obviously there are always 'exceptions to the rule' though! I think LA and George on their podcast even talked about grand tour riders usually being older and/or more experienced than Bernal.

At one point close to the end, he got dropped, went to get bottles from the car, delivered them and then said screw it I’ll attack. Holy crap, who does that and at 19 years old.

He’s had a really good/great season, the future is looking really exciting.

Also I loved when he attacked and Skujins and him hooked up, he wasn’t looking for help. He wasn’t flicking his elbow, he ATTACKED and he finished it off.

Then maybe that's a new idea, not an old one. Here are some examples from the past:

Fignon - top 10 in Tour of Italy riding for another rider in his second year as a pro. Wins Tour of France in third year as pro.I think that was the first time he rode it.

Hinault - wins Tour of France in his third year as a pro. I think that's the first time he rode it.

Merckx - wins Tour of Italy in his third year as a pro.

Anquetil won first Tour of France he rode.

Coppi - won Tour of Italy at age of 20.

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http://www.jt10000.com/

Possibly
But just as likely its proof of the long understand concept of creme rising to the top
Bernal is simple a once in a generation GT talent; you have his Vo2 and be born at altitude....
MVDP is possible similar
This chap; lets see - its equally likely that he wins a semi classic against tired riders
If he is doing same in Autumn or at the world’s then I think more can be drawn...

I don't disagree but those all were once in a generation riders. Just now we have Bernal, Carapaz, Van Eart, this kid, and others all winning GTs and other classics at very young ages. That is what has caused my wondering.

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"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Elliot | Cycle2Tri.com
Sponsors: SciCon | | Every Man Jack

I could look like an ass in 5 years (highly likely) but I think the two generational talents are Bernal and MVDP
The others are merely very very good

Carapaz is 26, Van Aert 24 and MvDP are 24. I wouldn't call those "very" young age. Just young. Carapaz has finished 4 grand tours and the two CX kids have years at the highest level of CX.

Bernal at 22 - yes that's very young for a Grand Tour winner.

But part of it is there seems to be a bit of a valley of mediocrity in guys ~25-32. Guys sort of plateauing/cratering, or just not quite reaching the top level. Quintana, Van Garderen, Bardet, Pinot, GvA struggling. Same with the classics. Only Alaphillipe seems to be doing really well among the "mid career" aged guys. Otherwise it's the old stand-bys (Gilbert, Fuglsang, Stybar, Kristoff) or the young kids.

Donastia is not a semi classic

Not a monument, sure, but certainly not a semi classic


that was the part i couldn't understand. getting dropped, and then having enough to attack. The gap on the climb never did come down by that much (which was impressive). wonder how he managed to find second wind

I believe it has much more to do with a young rider experiencing, dealing with, then establishing himself in the world tour peloton. It’s less about physiology or athleticism (they’re all freaks) and more about getting guttered, shouldered, mentally messed with, dropped, crushed, punked by seasoned, savvy, and nasty mfers, getting ones ass handed to them a few times and then developing into a mentally and physically tougher rider.

US development squads are nice but nothing prepares a rider for the euro racing experience other than to go race it and get bashed around some. It ain’t TdCali.

Bernal is a smart, tough, composed young man on top of being a super freak. The whole package. He also is surrounded by an extraordinary support system for GTs.

It’s a good question. I sort of think Bernal is one of those generational talents like Sagan, with a freakish aerobic capacity. However, looking at the collective young talent it does seem like they’re further ahead. Evenepoel has been a known talent but he’s found success faster than anyone guessed. And the guy who looks like he could someday challenge Bernal is Pogacar, who I think is only 20.

Doing crap around house today, had Ride London on (good on Viviani). Then decided to toss on a stage in background. Rewatched 17...Kasper Asgreen also a breakout talent that I have loved watching this season.

What is it that allows DQS to mine for these guys, more so than other teams? Is is purely scouting/management?

 What does everybody think of Brandon McNulty signing with UAE? Hope it works for him. But I have wonder if thats the right team.

Don't forget another great cycling talent, Tom Pidcock, winning Tour of Alsace (UCI 2.2), I think he's 20 yrs old.

Louis :-)

MVDP also won another world cup, clear favorite for worlds?

Interesting. Promising young Americans have a history of breaking down making the big jump, and not only are there no other Americans (yet) on that team, there may end up being be no native English speakers at all with Dan Martin rumored to be leaving and Rory Sutherland retiring. It'll be tough, but hopefully they'll handle McNulty intelligently.

He had WT offers before signing with Rally but choose to take a conservative development path. But agree, it seems like an add choice.