This is the Year:
20 to Watch in 2017
(Part 1)
(Part 1)
 |
| Well yeah, obviously these guys |
Rider's to watch lists, they're all over the place this time of year and if you're like me you just can't get enough Often times these list are qualified: best classics riders, neo pros to watch, who's going to have a break out season and the such. I thought I would put my own little spin on things by focusing on what this season could mean for a rider's career. Could this be a make or break year? Will you confirm your status as the new star of cycling? Will all of your work finally pay off big time? Or could your opportunity for greatness slip away? I've chosen to group my riders by experience (mostly age) and used that to take a look at some interesting story lines for 2017.
Jasper Stuyven: An impressive escape in the last few K and the power to hold of the field netted Jasper a huge win last year at Kuurne. At just 24 and with an impressive under 23 palmares Stuyven looks to be progressing well. However, with the retirement of Cancellera all of a sudden there is a lot of pressure. Should we expect a Ronde/Roubaix double from this guy, probably not, but a win in another classic and some good finishes in the monuments and he will be confirmed as the heir apparent. No wins and just placings and we will look to the many other "next best things" Belgium churns out.
Pierre-Roget Latour: Two years ago we noticed this guy going blow for blow with Contador and Nairo at the Route de Sud. Last year we saw him best Darwin Atapuma in the steep mountains of the Vuelta. 23 years old and climbing with best? This kid could be the next big thing and some results this season would earn him the right to have some support. If you want to race GC you need teams built around you. But, if the legs fail or the TT is awful Latour may be doomed to live in the long skinny french shadow of Bardet. However, with a last name like "La Tour" and a first name that is a type of champagne this dude seems destined for greatness.
Caleb Ewan: The pocket rocket is only 22 but has gained a lot of attention by winning stages at the Tour Down Under. A breakout win at the Vuelta in 2015 saw him best the likes of Sagan. However, so far Caleb has had a hard time in true field sprints against bigger meaner leadout trains. In the past Orica has been a real wild card of a team, no big GC guys. This was ideal for a young sprinter looking to get a team formed around himself. This has changed. With Chaves and the Yates brothers Orica has some of the best young GC talent. Add to that a proven veteran in Kreuziger and you start to wonder what direction this team is going. There's still time to make this your team Ewan, but you'll need some results now.
Fernando Gaviria: You thought Kristoff had a long sprint, this guy starts his sprint at 1K to go. A track star makes the move to the road, a familiar story. Gaviria has some unique skills and he'll have to use them to find his niche in a team known for classics specialists that also has a top level sprinter in Skittles. Will Gaviria find this niche (Milan-SanRemo) or will he destined to live out his Ettix contract contesting second tier races.
Miguel Angel Lopez: Another young climber, but this one looks to already have some all around prowess. Winning the Tour de Suisse should be enough to solidify this riders young career but moves by his team have made this an important year career wise. A Nibblesless Astana looks set to send Lopez to the Tour and send Aru elsewhere. If Lopez can manage a good showing or even be amongst the big boys on a key stage his career will skyrocket.
Michael Mathews: Despite the semi douchey nickname, Bling Mathews has grown on me. When he's on, his finish is as exciting as anyone. We need only to look at stage 10 of last year's Tour to see Mathew's class. Sagan, BoHaug and GVA; these are the type of riders Mathew's needs to beat. Here's the rub, stages are good and any win helps, but if Mathew's is to make that next big step he will need to beat the likes of Sagan and GVA in the classics. A new team may make the difference, win at San Remo or even Amstel and Mathews is now a Sagan beater. Lose and we will start looking to others to do the job.
Rafal Majka: There is no doubt the Majik Man has world class talent and with two polka dot jersey's we know he can climb. After playing GC second fiddle at Tinkoff for several years Majka has moved to the freshly minted world tour team Bora. Top ten grand tour finishes including a podium at the Vuelta, now leadership at the Tour, everything is coming up Majka, right? Well, not so fast. You may have heard another Tinkoff teammate has moved to Bora as well, will Sagan be the only protected leader at the Tour? Can Bora strike the balance to support Majka or will he be forever doomed to stage hunt at the Tour and settle for Vuelta GC placings?
Leopold Konig: Bora's counterpart to Majka, King Leopold was my GC rider to watch way back when he caught my attention in Utah. Dude can climb, dude can TT, dude should have never went to Sky (the place that kills careers, I should write another article just about that). Konig has transferred back to a German team and is slotted in to ride the Giro. Jam packed lineup this year, but perhaps Konig can stand out. Or with that TT, perhaps he becomes more of a one week racer. Either way now is the time for the King.
Sonny Colbrelli: I'm not going to lie and act like I have been following Colbrelli's career for years (I mean I don't even have a nickname for him yet). But, it appears this guy has put in the work, I would just have had to live in Italy to notice. Another rider who's team transfer has created opportunity and with that pressure. Bahrain-Murder is made up of old guys and young guys with only a few hitting that sweet spot in the middle where you're already good but you might be great. How many one day races with bunch sprints can this guy find? Does he become Bahrain's Ardennes guy or does he just end up leading out Bonifazio for the next 5 years.
Ilnur Zakarin: Last season Sugar Man definitely looked like a grand tour contender, but he also looked like he was dead in a ditch. He was neither. Zakarin has climbing and TT ability and he is now the GC leader of Katusha; he's Russia's version of the great white hope. Can Zakarin carry the hopes of a nation and keep Katusha rolling or will he falter and the team starts to devise an exit plan.
Stay tuned for part two!
Stay tuned for part two!
The Future is Now
You've caught our attention, now what are you going to do about it.
Pierre-Roget Latour: Two years ago we noticed this guy going blow for blow with Contador and Nairo at the Route de Sud. Last year we saw him best Darwin Atapuma in the steep mountains of the Vuelta. 23 years old and climbing with best? This kid could be the next big thing and some results this season would earn him the right to have some support. If you want to race GC you need teams built around you. But, if the legs fail or the TT is awful Latour may be doomed to live in the long skinny french shadow of Bardet. However, with a last name like "La Tour" and a first name that is a type of champagne this dude seems destined for greatness.
Caleb Ewan: The pocket rocket is only 22 but has gained a lot of attention by winning stages at the Tour Down Under. A breakout win at the Vuelta in 2015 saw him best the likes of Sagan. However, so far Caleb has had a hard time in true field sprints against bigger meaner leadout trains. In the past Orica has been a real wild card of a team, no big GC guys. This was ideal for a young sprinter looking to get a team formed around himself. This has changed. With Chaves and the Yates brothers Orica has some of the best young GC talent. Add to that a proven veteran in Kreuziger and you start to wonder what direction this team is going. There's still time to make this your team Ewan, but you'll need some results now.
Fernando Gaviria: You thought Kristoff had a long sprint, this guy starts his sprint at 1K to go. A track star makes the move to the road, a familiar story. Gaviria has some unique skills and he'll have to use them to find his niche in a team known for classics specialists that also has a top level sprinter in Skittles. Will Gaviria find this niche (Milan-SanRemo) or will he destined to live out his Ettix contract contesting second tier races.
Miguel Angel Lopez: Another young climber, but this one looks to already have some all around prowess. Winning the Tour de Suisse should be enough to solidify this riders young career but moves by his team have made this an important year career wise. A Nibblesless Astana looks set to send Lopez to the Tour and send Aru elsewhere. If Lopez can manage a good showing or even be amongst the big boys on a key stage his career will skyrocket.
Now is the Time
You've put in the work and moved up the ranks, it's time for the payoff
Michael Mathews: Despite the semi douchey nickname, Bling Mathews has grown on me. When he's on, his finish is as exciting as anyone. We need only to look at stage 10 of last year's Tour to see Mathew's class. Sagan, BoHaug and GVA; these are the type of riders Mathew's needs to beat. Here's the rub, stages are good and any win helps, but if Mathew's is to make that next big step he will need to beat the likes of Sagan and GVA in the classics. A new team may make the difference, win at San Remo or even Amstel and Mathews is now a Sagan beater. Lose and we will start looking to others to do the job.
Rafal Majka: There is no doubt the Majik Man has world class talent and with two polka dot jersey's we know he can climb. After playing GC second fiddle at Tinkoff for several years Majka has moved to the freshly minted world tour team Bora. Top ten grand tour finishes including a podium at the Vuelta, now leadership at the Tour, everything is coming up Majka, right? Well, not so fast. You may have heard another Tinkoff teammate has moved to Bora as well, will Sagan be the only protected leader at the Tour? Can Bora strike the balance to support Majka or will he be forever doomed to stage hunt at the Tour and settle for Vuelta GC placings?
Leopold Konig: Bora's counterpart to Majka, King Leopold was my GC rider to watch way back when he caught my attention in Utah. Dude can climb, dude can TT, dude should have never went to Sky (the place that kills careers, I should write another article just about that). Konig has transferred back to a German team and is slotted in to ride the Giro. Jam packed lineup this year, but perhaps Konig can stand out. Or with that TT, perhaps he becomes more of a one week racer. Either way now is the time for the King.
Sonny Colbrelli: I'm not going to lie and act like I have been following Colbrelli's career for years (I mean I don't even have a nickname for him yet). But, it appears this guy has put in the work, I would just have had to live in Italy to notice. Another rider who's team transfer has created opportunity and with that pressure. Bahrain-Murder is made up of old guys and young guys with only a few hitting that sweet spot in the middle where you're already good but you might be great. How many one day races with bunch sprints can this guy find? Does he become Bahrain's Ardennes guy or does he just end up leading out Bonifazio for the next 5 years.
Ilnur Zakarin: Last season Sugar Man definitely looked like a grand tour contender, but he also looked like he was dead in a ditch. He was neither. Zakarin has climbing and TT ability and he is now the GC leader of Katusha; he's Russia's version of the great white hope. Can Zakarin carry the hopes of a nation and keep Katusha rolling or will he falter and the team starts to devise an exit plan.
Now or Never
You've had a good career, is there still time to make it a great?
Stay tuned for part two!
There is Only Now
One more for the road
Stay tuned for part two!
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