THE YOUNG TEARAWAYS
For an idea of who might be the breakout stars of the spring, we can look at the young talents who dominated the cyclo-cross season this winter. Twenty-one-year-old Dutchwomen Fem van Empel (Vismalease a Bike) and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-deceuninck) did battle during the campaign, with the former ultimately coming out on top by taking gold at the World Championships to the latter’s bronze. Van Empel has more experience on the road, having competed in several events last year (including the Giro Donne, where she finished 11th overall), but Pieterse did cause a stir at her Strade Bianche debut last year by finishing fifth.
As for riders already more accustomed to the road, many of the peloton’s brightest young talents can be found at Dsm-firmenich Postnl. Britain’s Pfeiffer Georgi was their star last spring, when she made the top 10 in many of the top Classics, and won Brugge-de Panne. She formed a great partnership that day with Megan Jastrab, who also finished second at Ghent-wevelgem, and along with the still-improving sprinter Charlotte Kool, gives the team multiple options this Classics campaign.
Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ-SUEZ) impressed last spring with top-five finishes in multiple semi-classics, and is already off to a winning start at Le Samyn. A rejuvenated Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-soudal) put years of injury problems behind her to win the Tour Down Under in January, and could be a threat in the hilly Classics, as could Évita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) and Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyonsram), while sprinting all-rounder Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) wants to have a crack at the cobbled Classics after missing most of last spring through injury.