Martijn Keizer

Netherlands

25.03.1988

 

Type of Rider: Allrounder

Biggest Success: Winner Tour du Haut Anjou (2.2)

Team/Club 2010: Rabobank CT

Stagiaire: -

Team 2011: Vacansoleil

Best Mock List Ranking: new

Web: www.martijnkeizer.nl

 

As a very young rider Keizer first tried himself in cyclocross, but wasn´t successful enough to start a cross career. In road races he was first noted in the Junior category in the Münsterland Giro 2005. There he finished second in the time trial behind a certain Patrick Gretsch. After the Dutch Time Trail Championships he had a win in the GP Ruebiland (2.HC). In 2006 he could again win the time-trial title. Else it was quite quiet.

 

From 2007 on he raced for the Mini-Rabos. And his first Under 23 year would prove to be his best. In spring he finished 5th at the 3 Jours de Vaucluse (2.2). His first pro win also came in France, at the 2.2 stage race Tour du Haut Anjou. There he won the time trial and didn´t give up his overall lead until the end. His 11th place overall in the Tour of Britain (2.1) may even be ranked higher from a sporting perspective.

 

But in the following years he couldn´t confirm these good results. 2008 he had only some quite good time-trial results: second in the Tour du Haut Anjou (2.2) and 6th overall, 6th at the Thüringen-Rundfahrt (2.2U), 16th European Championships time-trial, 37th World Championships time-trial. Also the 2009 season wasn´t that good. Besides his quite good, but not improved time-trialing-ability only a 9th place overall at the Presidential Tour of Turkey (2.1) is worth mentioning. In the present year there were some time-trial results again, even wins: Tour de Bretagne – Trophée des Granitiers (2.2) and the prologue of the Circuito Montanes (2.2). For 2011 he has a contract with Vacansoleil. It remains to be seen what role he can play there.

 

nominated by wagenge, written by wagenge, translated by bugno

Niki Østergaard

Denmark

21.01.1988

 

Type of Rider: difficult One-Day-Races

Biggest Achievement: 2nd Liege-Bastogne-Liege Espoirs

Team: Glud & Marstrand

Stagiaire: -

Team 2011: not known yet

Best Mock List ranking: new

 

Niki Østergaard belongs to the renowned Denish generation of Juniors. Fuglsang, M. Mørkøv and Guldhammer have already landed contracts with the Pros. For Østergaard, it seems to take a little bit longer.

2006 the Dane belonged to the absolute top riders in the Juniors category. At the Junior World Championships in Spa-Francorchamps he placed second behind Diego Ulissi.

 

2007 he rode in the Elite category and could show strong results: 10th at the Circuit des Ardennes (2.2), 4th at Liege-Bastogne-Liege Espoirs, 8th at the Giro delle Regioni (2.NC) with 2 days in the leader’s jersey. 2008 was blank because of injuries.

 

2009 he could nearly reach his former level with a 2nd place stage finish at the Tour de l’Avenir (2.NC). In August he won three races within 4 days in Denmark.

 

That upswing continued in 2010. At the Porec Trophy (1.2) he placed 6th. At the first Nation Cup Race, the GP Portugal, he placed 7th and 8th in stages and 8th overall. At the Circuit des Ardennes (2.2) he placed 3rd in a stage. Four days later at the La Cote Picarde (1.NC) he reached 6th place. He was more successful at the Espoirs-edition of the classic Liege-Bastogne-Liege (1.2U), where he place second behind Narvadauskas.

 

Østergaard likes difficult one-day-races. This season was his last in the Under 23 category for the rider from Horsens. He wasn’t nominated for the Tour de l’Avenir, so also a participation in the World Championship is in doubt.

 

nominated by Offi, written by Offi, translated by bugno

Luke Rowe

Great Britain

10.03.1990

 

Type of Rider: Northern Classic, sprints

Biggest success: 1. ZLM Tour

Team/Club 2010: GB Cycling Team

Stagiaire: -

Team 2011: not yet announced

Best Mock List Ranking: new

Web: -

 

Winnig a well staffed Nations Cup race as a U23 newcomer is a nice stunt. In that Luke Rowe succeeded both pancake flat and windy ZLM – Tour (1.NC) in April 2009 when he prevailed against his escape mate Hacecky. He didn’t become a serial winner after this thunderbolt, but he will defenitely be a man to watch on the World’s course in Melbourne.

 

Like most of the British young talents the Cardiff born Welshman experiences a two-pronged training on both track and road. And he is equally succesful in both disciplines. Being a junior he scored the title in the Madison and Team Pursuit at the European Championships, on the road he became vice european champion (behind LeBon), second in the Tour du Pays Vaud en third in the Niedersachsen – Rundfahrt.

 

Since entering the U23 he races for the Italian based national junior team and was immediately he was able to run in a variety of good results. This year the fifth place in the Ronde van Vlaanderen (1.NC) and the fourth place in the very hard GP Palio del Recioto (1.2U) belong to his best results, that as well emphasize his versatility: fast, tight on the hills and cobbles proved.

 

Nominated by chreezer, written by chreezer, translated by ogkempf

Juan Jose Lobato del Valle

Spain

29.12.1988

 

Type of Rider: Sprinter

Biggest Achievement: Spanish Junior Champion 2006

Team/Club 2010: Andalucia-Cajasur (Farmteam)

Stagiaire: Andalucia-Cajasur

Team 2011: not known yet

Best Mock List Ranking: new

Web: -

 

There have never been a lot of Spanish top-sprinters. Off course Oscar Freire is to mention, plus Koldo Fernandez, Ventoso, Rojas, Pacheco or recently Mata. But behind those riders you really have to look for other Spaniards that have good finishing speed. There are more climbers south of the Pyrenees.

 

Maybe 21-year-old Juan José Lobato del Valle, born on December 29th of 1988 in Trebujena/Cadiz, can correct this imbalance. At age 17 he became Spanish Junior Road Champion. More wins came 2008 with the Clásica Ciudad Torrdonjimeno and a stage of the Vuelta Madrid in the Under 23 category. Lobato added stage wins in the Vuelta a Cantabria in 2009and in the Vuelta a Valladolid in 2010.

 

Against international competition the Circuito Montanes seems to be his preferred proving ground with 6 top ten places, where he could win 3 field sprints, but never finished higher than 4th behind successful breakaways. Amongst his opponents were the Dutchman Van Poppel and the former Benfica-sprinter Benitez. His 6th place at the Under 23 European Championships, where he beat amongst others new Geox recruit Kump, was a strong performance, too.

 

His biggest achievements he could reach in the Andalucia-Cajasur jersey, where he races as a stagiaire until the end of the season. On the first stage of the Tour of Portugal (2.1) he placed 7th in the midst of all the contenders for overall victory in a tough finish, followed by two podium places in sprint stages behind Casper and Barbosa or Ribeiro and van Poppel. Looking at the abundance of blank and mousy riders at Team Andalucia, it would be a shame if this hopeful talent wasn’t offered a pro contract for next season.

 

nominated by virtualprofit, written by virtualprofit, translated by bugno

Arnaud Démare

France

26.08.1991

 

Type of Rider: Sprinter

Biggest Success: 2nd World Championships Road 2009 (Juniors)

Team/Club 2010: CC Nogent sur Oise

Stagiaire: -

Team 2011: not known yet

Web: www.facebook.com/profile.php&

 

If there was a voting for the best Under 23 sprinter of 2010, Arnaud Démare even in his first season in this class would be a strong candidate. Like other great Espoirs that France produced this year the young Picardian carries high hopes and could be at only 19 years of age an option for France´s Under 23 team in the case of a mass sprint in Melbourne. Démare, who at the age of five started with club-cycling, had his breakthrough last year. Second at the Junior edition of Paris-Roubaix, 3rd at the European championships and second at the World championships – just a few meters behind Jasper Stuyven who went clear in the finish – are the best results of a season with 25 podiums and 12 wins.

 

The jump to the higher Under 23 class didn´t seem difficult at all for Démare. In spring he won the field sprints at the Cote Picarde (1.NC, for 8th) and at the ZLM Tour (1.NC, for 10th). In Canadian Nation Cup Race at Saguenay (2.NC) he logically took his first win the first stage in a sprint. The top of his season was in July, when at the European championships in Ankara won the field sprint for 3rd ahead of Nizzolo and Kump and secured, like at the Junior´s, a bronze medal. Only a week later he profited from his good form and took his first Pro win at the GP de Pérenchies (1.2), in a sprint off course.

 

Although Démare is said to be in contact with French Pro teams already, he likely will continue – because of his young age and on the recommendation of his coach – as an Amateur for one more year.

 

nominated by chreezer, written by chreezer, translated by bugno

John Darwin Atapuma Hurtada

Colombia

15.01.1988

 

Specialty: climber, stage racer

Major success: Colombian Champion 2008, winner Vuelta a Colombia U23

& Clásico RCN U23

Team/Club 2010: Café de Colombia - Colombia es Pasión (Kolumbien)

Stagiaire: -

Team 2011: Café de Colombia - Colombia es Pasión

Best Mock List rank: new

Web: -

 

Colombia es Pasion started its most important race of the year in August with great expectations. At the Vuelta a Colombia (2.2), captain Duarte should bring in the desired overall title. But it soon was evident that his European campaign had taken so much out of him that he was unable to ride for the win against such rivals as Sevilla, Rujano and the eventual winner Henao. That opened things up for Darwin Atapuma, who lay in an outstanding fifth place after the difficult mountain stages. Unfortunately he lost this ranking in the closing timetrial, and his weakest disciplince cost him one place. But the sixth place in this hard race is still an outstanding performance for a 22-year-old and a testamant to his impressive physical condition.

 

Atapuma has shown by more than a strong first Vuelta a Colombia with the pros that he is a strong rider. In 2008 he won the U23 edition of the race and the Clasico RCN. More surprising and more impressive is his victoryin the national championships, where he beat all the Columbian elite. That caused Colombia es Pasion to sign him for 2009. With that team, „the Puma“ continued to recommend himself by earning the leader's jersey for one day at the Clasico RCN. The hobby carpenter made a strong impression in Canada, where after an escape with Henao he won a mountaintop finish at the Tour de Beauce (2.2).

 

The transfer of Fabio Duarte to Geox in the coming year may open things up for Atapuma. It would be a big position to fill, but he ought to be capable of it. Possibly we may see him in Europe, since CEP wants to move up to become a Professional team.

 

nominated by ocana, written by ocana, translated by tick

Daniel Schorn

Austria

21.10.1988

 

Type of rider: Sprinter

Biggest succes: Stage win at the Tour de Normandy 2010

Team/Club 2010: NetAPP

Stagiaire: -

Team 2011: NetAPP

Best Mock List Ranking: new

Web: www.facebook.com/profile.php

 

The Austrian Daniel Schorn made it, via a loophole, into the Mock List. 2008 he rode as a Neo-prof for the Professional Team ELK Haus. At the start of this season he moved to the German NetAPP-Team and therefore lost his prof-status again.

 

Schorn was born 21.10.1988 at Zell am See. In his debut season for ELK he reached fifth place at the U23 European Championship in Italy, behind Voss, Kritskiy und Swift. At the GP Tell (2.2U) he missed at stage win close against Vermeltfoort. 2009 he only gained a few top results, he became 14th in the U23 Championship and at the U23-Henninger-Tover-Race (1.2U) he came in second behind Bobridge. At the Tour of Turkey (2.1), at the seventh stage, Schorn took second place behind Förster.

 

The NetAPP-Team refers to him as a promising sprinter who is able to perform well on demanding courses also. His placements 2010 proves that. At the start of the season in Murcia (2.1) he took third place behind Bos and Brown (added fifth and ninth). In the Tour of Normandy (2.2) he celebrated his first victory against Casper, Martias and Bacquet. In the Neuseen Classics (1.1), against admitted heavy competition, he took sixth place among others like Schulze, Kluge and Radochla. The same Schulze (as well as the Polack Jezowski) he had to give in at a stage of the Course de Solidarnosc (2.1) but took the third place leaving Radochla and Flahaut behind.

 

Schorn will start next year as well for the Heppner team. Perhaps already in 2012 he may have the chance to compete with Cavendish and Farrar on the Champs Elysees.

 

nominated by virtualprofit, written by virtualprofit, translated by emilia

Tom Dumoulin

Netherlands

11.11.1990

 

Type of Rider: Time-Trialist, Stage racer

Biggest Success: Winner of the Torfeu Cidade da Guarda – GP Portugal 2010 (2.Ncup)

Team 2010: Park Hotel Rooding CT (Netherlands)

Stagiaire: -

Team 2011: not known yet

Best Mock List Ranking: new

Web: -

 

Dumoulin? Maybe a younger brother or relative of Cofidis-Pro Samuel Dumoulin? That´s what maybe one or the other thought when looking at the starting list of the GP Portugal in March of this year. But it has to be stated that this Dumoulin is not French, but was born in Maastricht. And it took him only three stages to be noted as a name for himself. Second, ninth and then a stage win in the final time-trial, also winning the overall classification. This was how he beat big favourite and homeboy Nelson Oliveira.

 

Even if Dumoulin himself says he is a climber, most notable are his time-trial skills. Among others a win at the GiroBio (2.2) in a tough course to Urbino, without being able to show something in the general classification.

 

Although Dumoulin hasn´t yet been on the Rabobank talent radar, he has had a good build-up through the Wcl Bergklimmers and PPL-Belisol and was announced as a signing for Cervélo. Because this team folded, Dumoulin is free of contract and surely one or the other team will be happy to sign the young Limburger. Without doubt the young man, who says he wants to improve each year, is very ambitious.

 

Nominated by ocana, written by ocana, translated by bugno

Jens Debusschere

Belgium

28.08.1989

 

Type of Rider: Northern Classic (Cobbled classics), minor stage races

Biggest success: 2. Paris – Roubaix U23

Team/Club 2010: PWS Eijssen Cycling Team

Stagiaire: OmegaPharma

Team 2011: OmegaPharma

Best Mock List Ranking: new

Web: www.maxim-jensdebusschere.tk

 

Jens Debusschere is not necessarily what we in general would call a winning type. The results speak for him yet. Since 2009 he has been racing at the PWS Eijssen Cycling Team, a team that al in al is able to place 3 riders in this year’s Mocklist. In 2009 he made his first appearances in the National team at the Tour of Flandern for the U23 (1. NC) (28. Place) and the ZLM Tour (1. NC) (11. Place). At the 1-Mei prijs in Hoboken (1.2) he won the sprint of the field and finished ninth. He became Stagiaire at Topsport, but did not get any significant results there.

 

2010 began much more successful. When his team mate Clinton Avery won the Vlaamse Pijl (1.2) he came in second. A month later he became sixth in the Triptyque des Monts et Chateaux (2.2), the key was the eighth place in the time trial. At the Ronde de l'Isard (2.2U) he again won a sprint of the chasing group and became fifth. In the Espoirs edition of Paris – Roubaix (1.2U) he lost the sprint against Phinney in a group of three and became second.

 

This year he also manages to grab a place, by Omega Pharma Lotto. In the lead-out for Blythe’s fourth place he became twentieth, and was second best of the team. Because of that, but mainly because of his good performance during the season, he will also next year be at the start for Omega Pharma Lotto.

 

Nominated by Offi, written by Offi, translated by emilia

Arkimedes Arguelyes Rodrigues

Russia

09.07.1988

 

Type of Rider: Allrounder

Biggest Success: Stage win GP Portugal 2010

Team 2010: Itera – Katyusha

Stagiaire: -

Team 2011: not known yet

Best Mock List Ranking: new

Web: -

 

As one can assume from his name (and his looks), Arkimedes Argueyles doesn´t really have Russian roots - his parents are from Cuba. In the past years he was active in Spain with Russian team Lokomotiv (stage and overall win Vuelta a Cantabria, stage win and 2nd overall Vuelta a Tarragona), this year the Russian joined continental team Itera-Katyusha. At the GP Portugal (2.NC) Arguelyes won the first stage and lost the leader´s jersey only on the last stage, a time-trial, finishing 4th in the general classification of the first Nations-Cup race of the year.

 

Also later in the season the Russian was close to winning, as is shown by 2nd stage places at the Tour de Bretagne (2.2) and the Circuito Montanes (2.2). In Brittany Arguelyes also won the mountain jersey, which he took on the first day. Since then not much was heard of the Russian, if he races, he was way back.

 

With a little more tactical finesse – at the Tour de Bretagne he attacked five times only to finish second in the sprint – maybe the young Russian could get wins out of his good races. And if not, he still has one of the most unusual names in the peloton. Heureka!

 

Nominated by gardener, written by gardener, translated by bugno