Jarno Widar - The Next Big Thing?

DeadCalm
DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
edited July 24 in Pro race

The young Belgian certainly talks a good game. And to be fair, his palmares as an 18 year old in the U23s is very impressive.

It's in French but google translate is our friend.

https://www.directvelo.com/actualite/114498/jarno-widar-l-objectif-ultime-est-de-battre-tadej-pogacar


Comments

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,553

    He’s down to ride the Tour de l’Avenir starting on Sunday. It’ll be interesting to see how he does against u23 riders who are already riding at WT level.

  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21091248#Comment_21091248

    Yep. He is the youngest rider in the race and would be the first in forever (possibly only second ever?) to do the Baby Giro / L'Avenir double were he to win. But, as you say, he has some proper competition from riders with experience at WT level including Joseph Blackmore and UAE's António Morgado. There's also a trio of supposed Ineos "wonderkids", AJ August, Artem Shmidt and ("the new Jonas Vingegaard"), Peter Øxenberg.

    Coverage via Discovery+ apparently so should be available one way or another here in Thailand. I'm really looking forward to it.

  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253

    If he was any good he'd have a six year contract at UAE

    Twitter: @RichN95
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249

    Widar is apparently unhappy with Lotto Dstny and despite an exceedingly disappointing l'Avenir, a number of teams including Red Bull, Lidl-Trek, UAE Team Emirates and Alpecin-Deceuninck are said to be interested in signing him up.

  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,601

    No, it doesn't look like he is.

    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253

    If he's as good as some say, UAE will pay way over the odds for him to lead at Cav Small Races to neutralise the opposition.

    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21099739#Comment_21099739

    And if he's not as good as they say Ineos will sign him as their latest 'one for the future'.

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,553

    I think writing him off now is extremely premature. He's a first year u23 and has had a very solid year with some significant wins. You can't expect Pogacar levels of consistency at age 19, but he's shown enough to suggest that he can have a long and storied pro career if that's what he wants.

  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655

    Not sure why Widar's being written off for only coming 7th in the Worlds and having a rubbish l'Avenir. Is this because Bruyneel said he was stupid?

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,553
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21099812#Comment_21099812

    Does anyone seriously give two f**ks what Bruyneel thinks these days?

  • wakemalcolm
    wakemalcolm Posts: 911
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21099834#Comment_21099834

    Now that I know it's pronounced 'Brown Ale' I'm in.

    ================================
    Cake is just weakness entering the body

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