{"id":328465,"date":"2025-12-06T04:45:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T04:45:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/328465\/"},"modified":"2025-12-06T04:45:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T04:45:10","slug":"is-the-push-to-find-the-next-pogacar-harming-cycling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/328465\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the Push to Find the Next Pogacar Harming Cycling?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated December 5, 2025 09:54AM<\/p>\n

There was a time when a pro cycling career wouldn\u2019t even begin until your early 20s. But nowadays if you are not clocking up big success by then, teams are already moving on.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a recent phenomenon, but one that has thoroughly transformed the rider development pipeline in less than a decade.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all down to the likes of Remco Evenepoel<\/a>. He became cycling\u2019s world junior champion in 2018 in both time trial and road race and was snapped up by the Deceuninck Quick-Step team at just 18 years of age.<\/p>\n

Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/a> then compounded things, putting the spotlight on young talent when he finished third overall in the Vuelta at 20 and won his first Tour at 21.<\/p>\n

Since then, Paul Seixas joined the WorldTour at 18 and has excelled. So too Matthew Brennan, who also made his paid debut at that age. Ditto for US champion Quinn Simmons, Juan Ayuso and Cian Uijtdebroeks.<\/p>\n

Riders such as these have sparked off a near-frenzy amongst pro teams, heightening a push to find the next huge star, and encouraging squads to chase riders who are still in the junior ranks.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s understandable: pro teams too can have FOMO.<\/p>\n

And yet while signing young has led to some successes, it has also resulted in collateral damage. That\u2019s why, according to three influential people within the sport, something needs to change.<\/p>\n

Adam Hansen<\/a> is the president of the Professional Riders\u2019 Association CPA<\/a>. He has long felt there is a danger that young riders could be damaged and face career burnout. The drive to identify the next Poga\u010dar or Evenepoel is all well and good if the talents identified can swim, not sink.<\/p>\n

But for every cycling star, there are others who struggle with the workload, flounder with the pressure, and who never quite reach their potential.<\/p>\n

A WorldTour tactic where teams sign many in the hope that one or two will make it is dangerous.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do believe there should be something put in place to protect riders,\u201d Hansen told Velo recently. \u201cBecause a lot of the WorldTour teams are getting guys that are too young and they\u2019re burning out too fast. That\u2019s because there\u2019s too much pressure put on them.\u201d<\/p>\n

When big talents don\u2019t deliver on full potential<\/p>\n

\"Norway'sNorway\u2019s Oscar Svendsen was the 2012 men\u2019s world junior time trial champion. (Photo: Graham Watson | www.grahamwatson.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Examples of riders not progressing despite huge early promise is not new to the sport. Several decades ago, Jean Fran\u00e7ois Bernard was hyped as the new Bernard Hinault, and as a future winner of the Tour. Winning three stages, and briefly leading the 1987 race was as close as he would get.<\/p>\n

Roy Knickman faced similar pressure as the so-called next Greg LeMond. The New Yorker briefly raced as a pro with the La Vie Claire team, winning stages in the 1987 Crit\u00e9rium du Dauphin\u00e9 and Tour de Suisse, but his European career then fizzled out.<\/p>\n

A little more recently the Norwegian Oskar Svendsen made headlines with the supposed best VO2 Max ever recorded, a staggering 97.5ml\/kg\/min. He won the 2012 junior worlds time trial, yet walked away from the sport at 20.<\/p>\n

The Australian Campbell Flakemore became world under 23 champion in 2014 yet quit the sport one year later.<\/p>\n

The problem is not a new one, but the push to find \u2018em young, sign \u2018em young by WorldTour teams is ratcheting up the pressure.<\/p>\n

Some riders can manage and fully deliver on their potential. Many others will not.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see riders who are retiring very prematurely,\u201d said Jens Raes<\/a>, an agent with the big Wasserman company.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of them that suddenly disappear. There are riders that I was following in the past but in the end I didn\u2019t start working with. And then one or two years later, you suddenly see a news article about someone who was a big talent, one of the next prodigies, and they are announcing their retirement at the age of 21. It\u2019s a shame.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is something that we should avoid. It is the consequence of the war for talent, that you see a lot of riders who can\u2019t cope with the stress, who have too big expectations being put on them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Are the under 23 ranks becoming devalued?
\n\"USQuinn Simmons is one of those who went straight to WorldTour from the junior ranks. (Photo: Chris Auld)<\/p>\n

Both he and Hansen say that the issue has become more serious in recent years.<\/p>\n

Raes notes that riders turning pro soon after leaving the junior ranks was previously very rare. Ten or 15 years ago, he says, the custom was for them to do two or three years at under 23 level.<\/p>\n

However even for those who still opt to take this route, he thinks the recognition of results achieved in such races has taken a knock.<\/p>\n

\u201cI spoke with team managers or DSs from WorldTour teams, who said, \u2018yeah, but let\u2019s be honest. A big race at under 23 level \u2013 the result doesn\u2019t give a good impression of the riders, because most of their peers are already professional.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a shame that teams don\u2019t consider a third or fourth year under 23 rider as much as they used to. They say, \u2018ah, but all your peers are already professional, and the competition is weaker than before.\u2019 That\u2019s a shame, especially for those riders.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hansen cites another reason why the situation as more pressing than it used to be. \u2018If there had been limitations years ago, it would not have affected the structure of cycling,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s because there were very few riders at the age of, say, 23 doing the Tour de France. Whereas today it\u2019s really more common.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there should have been something done many years ago to avoid what\u2019s happening today. But I understand it was really unforeseen.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I\u2019m not blaming the past, but it\u2019s something that definitely needs to be implemented.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ones who did succeed
\n\"AlexAlex Carera is agent to many pro riders, including Tadej Poga\u010dar and Isaac Del Toro (Photo: Shane Stokes\/Velo)<\/p>\n

Alex Carera<\/a> has been Poga\u010dar\u2019s agent for many years. The Italian struck lucky with the Slovenian, and also with Isaac del Toro, who seems destined for huge success.<\/p>\n

Yet as talented as those rides are, they didn\u2019t debut with UAE Team Emirates until they were 20 years of age. Their success since likely underlines the value of biding their time.<\/p>\n

While Carera can understand the benefits of signing talented riders early, he also recognises the concerns.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith young riders, I agree that after two years in junior category, if you have not taken a really special result, you need to wait one year minimum in a development team before passing directly to a WorldTour team,\u201d he told Velo<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can pass directly to a Pro Continental team, for example. It is not the same system as in the MBA with the draft, but you give the opportunity also for the small teams to take the young talents.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately for some other riders, things worked out fine despite turning pro even younger.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvenepoel is a perfect example,\u201d Hansen said. \u201cHe was super young, but he\u2019s good enough to take the steps he did. He didn\u2019t burn out, and he went through the process to be WorldTour in a very good way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want to stop young riders that are able to do that. But we need something at the younger age to identify that these riders are ready and which riders are not.\u201d<\/p>\n

What happens next?
\n\"HealyMany want to be part of the peloton but there\u2019s a risk in turning pro too soon. (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/p>\n

Having influential agents like Carera and Raes on board with the idea of safeguarding young riders is a boost for the CPA. Hansen suggests other agents also feel the same way. The CPA is now working on a proposal to present to the UCI<\/a>, to the safety group SafeR and the Professional Cycling Council.<\/p>\n

The actual details of what that might look like will take some time to thrash out.<\/p>\n

Hansen believes it will likely take two more sitting of the CPA\u2019s working group to fine-tune their proposal.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not as easy as it seems; both Raes and Hansen accept there are some complications.<\/p>\n

The latter points to the question of where riders might go if they opt to delay their WorldTour debut. He said that a WorldTour team may reach an agreement with someone to spend one or two years with a development team before taking up their contract.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe problem is that at some races such as the Tour of Austria, continental teams compete against World Tour teams,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a bit of a problem, because technically with some of these contract deals, they\u2019ll also be paying the riders during the development.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if they\u2019re paying them and they\u2019re on different teams [in the same race \u2013 ed.], this is against the UCI regulations. So we have to work out the proper way of doing it. And it\u2019s got to be done right. Because, on the other hand, the last thing we don\u2019t want to do is hold riders back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raes identifies a different issue, acknowledging that some countries have national legislation which would take precedence.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as someone can sign a professional contract or a labor contract, you cannot say, \u2018ah, but you\u2019re not allowed to become a professional rider,\u2019 because that\u2019s a question of free movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I think the [national] legal framework complicates things for the UCI to create a general rule on this. That\u2019s a bit of a challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

But what about the UCI itself: could it impose its own limitations, telling riders they can\u2019t do a grand tour until a certain age?<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, when you apply for a license, you agree with the regulations,\u201d Raes said. \u201cSo that\u2019s always possible, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Don\u2019t skip steps in the process\u2019
\n\"RemcoRemco Evenepoel became double world champion at just 18 years of age, leading to an early pro contract. But other riders have found the transition to be difficult (Photo: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Whether or not that would be one workaround remains to be seen. It\u2019s encouraging that this discussion is taking place, because the risk to some young riders is otherwise clear.<\/p>\n

Raes, like Carera, emphasizes the need to have good working relations with his riders, and to really get to know them as people.<\/p>\n

They need understanding, particularly at a young age. And so too careful guidance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to warn and be very cautious with young riders on this topic,\u201d Raes said. \u201cBecause you can push the watts, but that doesn\u2019t mean that you are ready to become a professional.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the big picture has to be kept in mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my opinion, the best years for a rider aren\u2019t the years at 19 or 20. If you want to have a long and lasting career, it\u2019s to your own benefit that you don\u2019t skip steps in the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is what I tell my riders every time \u2013 please don\u2019t skip steps in the process. It\u2019s not next year that it [going WorldTour] needs to happen. It needs to happen when you can compete with the best riders in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Agents stand to make more money when their riders sign big contracts. It\u2019s therefore reassuring to hear an agent advising caution and recommending riders hold back if needed in order to really deliver on their potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe aim,\u201d Raes said, \u201cis that at 24, 25, 26 you can compete with the best riders in on in the world. So let\u2019s make a plan to succeed with that goal.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Updated December 5, 2025 09:54AM There was a time when a pro cycling career wouldn\u2019t even begin until…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":328466,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[445],"tags":[49,48,635,54263,82,108111,73718,108112,144981,70573,54267],"class_list":{"0":"post-328465","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-cycling","11":"tag-parent_category-road","12":"tag-sports","13":"tag-tag-adam-hansen","14":"tag-tag-alex-carera","15":"tag-tag-cpa","16":"tag-tag-jens-raes","17":"tag-tag-remco-evenepoel","18":"tag-type-article"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=328465"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328465\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/328466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=328465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=328465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=328465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}