Because the countdown to the 2024 season gathers tempo, Cyclingnews appears at a number of the key storylines that may outline the approaching yr in biking.
In 2023, Sepp Kuss gave the US their first Grand Tour victory in a decade and solely the second since Greg LeMond gained the Tour de France, and in doing so, impressed followers across the globe. However GC Kuss did not rise out of whole obscurity. There are an growing variety of prime abilities from the USA within the WorldTour, and two of them are prepared for a giant breakthrough: Neilson Powless (EF Training-EasyPost) and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike).
Jorgenson traded Movistar for the ‘killer bees’ after an excellent season in 2023 that included a stage win, the general, youth and factors classification wins on the Tour of Oman, a prime 10 total in Paris-Good, two prime finishes within the cobbled Classics, and second total on the Tour de Romandie earlier than he swapped roles to working domestique duties for Enric Mas on the Tour de France.
After funding his personal altitude coaching camps, nutritionist and time trial setup, Jorgenson will get extra assist within the Dutch group and is anticipating to achieve his “highest bodily stage” and is satisfied he nonetheless has loads of room to develop.
He raced by way of the Tour of Guangxi in October to organize for 2024 after taking a pressured break when he tore a muscle in a crash on the Tour de France.
Visma utilise Jorgenson’s within the Classics as an necessary foil for Wout van Aert after a formidable ninth within the Tour of Flanders after being within the breakaway for the ultimate 100km.
He may even compete in Paris-Good for the general classification after ending eighth there in 2023 and 2022. After coming third and fourth in phases from breakaways on the Tour de France this yr and fourth twice and fifth as soon as final yr, he’ll step into Van Aert’s sneakers because the Belgian will skip the Tour to organize for the Olympics.
That offers Jorgenson an opportunity to doubtlessly be on a Tour-winning group and extra alternatives to battle for his first stage win, which might elevate his stakes significantly.
Additionally knocking on the greatness door is Powless, who opened 2023 with a win on the GP La Marseillaise and the general at Etoile de Bessèges, third at Tour des Alpes, sixth in Paris-Good and prime 10s in Milan-San Remo, and Tour of Flanders and third at Dwars door Vlaanderen.
Since his victory within the San Sebastian Basic in 2021, Powless has been on an upward trajectory, almost taking the maillot jaune on the Tour in 2022 and ending twelfth total, and being agonisingly shut to creating the profitable transfer at Worlds in Glasgow.
Powless will probably be the principle looking forward to the USA on the Olympic Video games in Paris, however earlier than then, he intends to go for a win within the Classics and hopes to win a Monument.
It should not come as a lot of a shock if Powless have been to win Milan-San Remo within the fashion of Jasper Stuyven or land on the rostrum at Tour of Flanders.
Equally, Jorgenson has been going into breakaway after breakaway over the previous few years, and it is solely a matter of time till his efforts hit pay filth.
Each riders are on the good nexus of reaching a peak of bodily improvement gaining self-confidence and expertise. They’re able to hit the large time, it is only a query of when.