Well, our jobs are keeping us busy these days. Very busy.
Time flies and as sure as I'm speaking we're already going into the off-season. Last you heard from me, we were competing in the Tour de France. Frankly, my first time in the Tour was a bit of a disappointment.
We lost Bardet early in the race and never quite got over that. No stage win, no real impression on the race. Our first rider was Sicard in 21st. After an amazing start of the year, Team Europcar simmered down a bit in the summer months.
NAME: Arthur Dierickx NATIONALITY: Belgian DATE OF BIRTH: 27/02/1995
SEASON OVERVIEW: After an impressive cobbled season, Arthur didn't pop out any more big results. Instead he focused a lot on training and fulfilling his share of the team work in races like Eneco Tour, but also numerous French races, where he played a vital role in controlling the breakaway for sprinter Coquard.
SEASON OBJECTIVES:
Domestique Belgian opening weekend, Ride DvV - E3 - GW - RvV - PR in succession, Stage top 10 Eneco Tour.
These were Arthur's objectives for this season. They were all met, besides the last one (he did finish 14th overall in the Eneco Tour, not a bad result on itself).
Most of all, he is still developing and taking big steps towards a great future. Our work is not done, not even slightly. We're going into the off-season with our minds on the next cobbled campaign.
EVALUATION: I ask riders to fill out a small self-evaluation every 4 months. Arthur's last one had an interesting remark. His obvious love for the cobbles leads him to the cobbled classics, but he has problems finding his way in other races for the rest of the season.
It's a legitimate doubt. Eneco Tour will always be interesting for him, but there aren't many races for guys like Arthur besides the cobbled campaign. He lacks sprint speed, can't ride against time that well, doesn't have the punch to get over the hills with better riders...
It's something I'll be thinking on. After all, he is only 21. Who knows what his limits and possibilities are?
NAME: Lucas Dujardin NATIONALITY: French DATE OF BIRTH: 12/08/1993
SEASON OVERVIEW: Lucas got in the picture after his formidable Giro. He is considered one of the top talents of his generation and is widely expected to contend for a Grand Tour within 2 years. It's an immense pressure and I've been working to tone down the ambitions a bit, keep it realistic. But Lucas is all too eager to believe the press and has gotten the idea in his head to ride the Tour next year, with the ambition to ride top 5.
That said, he put in a great performance in the USA Pro Challenge, where he finished 3rd overall and won the Young Rider Jersey.
He did finish his first Grand Tour 5th and only turned 23 in August. So who am I to tell him what he can and cannot do?
EVALUATION: It's obvious we have a big talent on our hands. His unexpected Giro debut is making our job a lot harder, though. He wants to push his limits constantly and make progression too fast, training too hard. His confidence is overwhelming, but it shouldn't turn to overconfidence.
Evaluating his season, he said he was happy with it, but wants to do even better next year. The Tour will be an objective. I agree that it might be time for his first Tour de France, he's definitely ready for it, but I want to keep him from running into a wall. The Tour is something else, just ask Bardet. He can't expect to immediately star in the circus called the Tour de France from his first participation.
Going into 2017
It'll be an interesting 2017. Lucas is a developing world talent with a nose for going at the right time. It got him a 5th spot in the Giro. His time trial abilities are still increasing, too. His Tour debut seems in the making. Let's hope for a dream debut, because if not, I think Lucas' confidence will be hurt pretty badly.
Arthur is still exactly like when I first met him. Despite some very hopeful achievements, 7th in the Ronde(!), he still sees things from day to day. He wants to work hard and see where he'll end up. But our big objective next for season should be to find him something to do between Roubaix and Eneco Tour. A rider with his abilities should find something worthwhile to do instead of just playing team mate for months.
