THEMOVE Podcast: Drafting Pro Cycling's Future Stars — 2026’s Up and Comers

Episode Details

• Podcast: THEMOVE
• Host: Lance Armstrong (Not present; Spencer Martin and Johan Bruyneel hosting)
• Episode Title: Drafting Pro Cycling's Future Stars: 2026 Up and Comers
• Date: February 2, 2026
• Guests: Spencer Martin & Johan Bruyneel

Episode Overview

The 2026 edition of THEMOVE’s annual “up-and-comers” episode delves deep into the next generation of talent poised to transform professional cycling. Hosts Spencer Martin and Johan Bruyneel, drawing on insider knowledge and years of observation, draft their picks for the most promising riders under 20. In this mock “Pro Cycling Draft,” they break down standout performances from last year’s predictions, dissect the debut seasons of cycling’s latest phenoms, and debate the broader implications of cycling’s ever-young talent pipeline—including the risks and rewards of turning pro as a teenager. The conversation ripples outward: Is the era of careful, slow development gone for good? What does it take to be not just another prodigy, but a sustainable great?

Key Topics & Takeaways

1. The Best 18- and 19-Year-Olds Ever?

[00:00–06:38]

• Paul Seychas: Central to the discussion is whether Paul Seychas is the best 18-year-old in pro cycling history.
  • [00:00] “We were debating before the show—Paul Seychas. He’s 19 now. He was 18 last year. Is he the best 18 year old in the history of the sport? I would say probably.” – Spencer
  • [00:11] Johan contextualizes how recent changes (Remco Evenepoel debuting at 18/19) made such achievements possible; Seychas' third at the European Championships (Elite) and his Tour de l’Avenir win at just 19 are highlighted.
  • [05:19] “He’s the real deal...he gave away a stage to a teammate because, ‘I’m still young, I’ll have enough opportunities.’” – Johan
  • [06:25] “You don’t want to be the best 18-year-old ever, you want to keep improving like Pogačar.” – Spencer

2. Review of 2025 Prospects & Their Progress

[02:28–06:38]

• Last Year’s Standouts:
  • Joe Blackmore, Pablo Torres, Tibor Del Grosso, Yarno Wildar, Paul Seychas, Jorgen Nordhagen, Matthew Brennan, Paul Monier, Antonio Morgado, Artem Schmidt, Colby Simmons.
  • Matthew Brennan: Shocked with 12 professional wins.
  • Jorgen Nordhagen: Won the European Championships on a tough course.
  • Tibor Del Grosso: Made leaps on both road and cyclocross (second at Cyclocross Worlds Elite).
  • [04:54] "Matthew Brennan...had the most surprising year to me.” – Spencer

3. 2026 Pro Cycling Draft Picks

[08:14–24:15]

Johan’s Picks:

1. Jakob Omerzel (Slovenia, Bahrain Victorious) [08:14–10:37]
   • 19 years old; 2025 Giro Next Gen winner; Slovenian champion (all categories); 4th in pro Tour of Slovenia.
   • “Huge engine... looks great on the bike, I think huge engine.” – Johan [09:46]
2. Adria Pericas (Spain, UAE Gen Z Team) [14:34]
   • 19-year-old climber; top 10, U23 Worlds; last rider to stay with Remco Evenepoel at Challenge Mallorca.
   • [16:00] “He dares to race, dares to attack. Very strong rider.” – Johan
3. Hector Alvarez (Spain, Lidl-Trek Dev) [19:51]
   • 19 years old; 4th at U23 Worlds; large frame but excels on tough courses; “huge engine.”

Spencer’s Picks:

1. Lorenzo Finn (Italy/British, Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe Rookies) [12:23]
   • 19, U23 World Champion in Rwanda; youngest in the field, consecutive Junior & U23 World Champ.
   • [13:34] “I thought he was just a kid walking around the show... Really hammered home how young these guys are.” – Spencer
2. Jan Huber (20, Switzerland, Tudor Pro Cycling U23) [16:58]
   • 2nd at U23 Worlds behind Finn; strong at Swiss-level pro continental races.
   • [18:13] “If you go through podium finishers at U23s... It’s actually shocking the success rate.” – Spencer
3. Leo Biso/Bissau (France, Decathlon AG2R) [21:47]
   • 20, ridden Vuelta, won Burgos stage against elite competition.
   • [22:23] “Bit of an oddball pick... but stage winner and GC threat at pro level already.” – Spencer

4. Honorable Mentions and Near-Misses

[26:33–35:33]

• Alessio Maganotti (Red Bull/Bora Rookies): Sprinter, 19, 15 wins last season.
• Noah Hobbs (EF Education-EasyPost): All-rounder/sprinter, U23 l’Avenir points winner.
• Diego Pescador (Colombia, Movistar): Pure climber, 21; immediate results at pro level.
• Auburn Sparfell (France, Decathlon): Extremely light, points winner at Giro Next Gen, pro stage wins.
• Pablo Torres (UAE): Recovery after serious crash; former record-breaker on Colle delle Finestre.
• “If you have his palmarès in front of you, he won a race in France, pro race, at 18.” – Johan

5. Reflections on the "Youth Revolution" & Sustainable Development

[38:45–47:13]

• The pace of development: Some juniors (esp. from the U.S.) transition straight to the World Tour, skipping key stages of development.
  • “Should riders be going pro this young?... If you’re not picked up as a junior, it’s considered a failure. That’s a shame.” – Johan
• Debate: Is it better to spend a mandatory year or more in U23s? (Johan votes “yes.”)
• Dangers: Over-optimization, mental burnout.
  • [41:00] “There’s too much focus and optimization already so early... At some point, you see riders at 19, 20 saying, 'that’s it.'” – Johan

6. The New Arms Race: Contracts, Team Structure, and Talent Pipeline

[46:26–52:13]

• Teenage riders on six-figure—sometimes million-euro—pro contracts.
  • [46:45] “He’s not even under-23 yet, junior already signed for a million a year.” – Johan
• Development teams: Bigger teams now field junior, U23 and pro squads, shuttling riders between them for optimal growth and evaluation.
• EF, Decathlon, Red Bull, UAE, INEOS all running deep youth pipelines.
• [51:48] “You could, in theory, spend your whole career—junior, U23, senior team—all within the Red Bull structure.” – Spencer

7. What About Late Bloomers?

[52:49–55:11]

• Byron Munton (South Africa, Modern Adventure): Debuted at 27, immediately competitive on a queen stage—reminder that talent can be (and is being) “missed” by current talent ID trends.
  • [53:47] “Especially the way he got that... not like he took advantage of circumstances.” – Johan
• Cautionary note: Not all stars are identified at 18; teams should watch for undiscovered, mature prospects.

8. The Need to Keep Improving

[54:15–55:50]

• The pitfall of plateauing: Being the best 18-year-old in history is irrelevant if you don’t improve further. Cites Seychas and Del Toro as cases to watch.
• [55:38] “He just needs to be a bit more consistent and a bit more endurance and... he’s the real deal.” – Johan

9. Predicting the Next Young Superstar

[56:20–58:13]

• Spencer’s “Best of the Generation” Pick: Isaac Del Toro, despite not being a 2026 rookie.
  • [57:11] “I think of all these riders, Isaac Del Toro... is going to be the best of this generation—the 18 to 22-year-olds.” – Spencer

Notable Quotes

• On Paul Seychas:
  • [00:00] “Is he the best 18-year-old in the history of the sport? I would say probably.” – Spencer
  • [05:19] “He gave away a stage to a teammate because, ‘I’m still young, I'll have enough opportunities.’” – Johan
• On the draft and emerging talent:
  • [08:14] “Imagine we each have the worst pro cycling teams, so we get first draft pick in the 2026 Pro Cycling Draft.” – Spencer
• On the risks of early development:
  • [41:00] “You see writers at 19, 20 years old all of a sudden say, ‘okay, I don’t want to do this anymore, I’m sick of it.’” – Johan
• On big contracts for juniors:
  • [46:45] “I know a rider not even under 23 yet... already signed... for a million a year.” – Johan
• On pathways missed:
  • [54:04] “That shows you—there are riders, let’s say you miss this entire wave we’ve discussed, there's still a chance for you as a writer.” – Spencer
• On determining the true future star:
  • [57:11] “Isaac Del Toro... is going to be the best of this generation—the currently 18 to 22 year olds.” – Spencer

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment/Topic | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Opening: Best 18-year-old ever? Paul Seychas debate | 00:00–06:38 | | Review of 2025 Up-and-Comers | 02:28–06:38 | | Introduction to the "Cycling Draft" format | 06:38–08:14 | | Johan & Spencer’s 2026 Draft Picks | 08:14–24:15 | | Honorable Mentions and Development Team Talk | 26:33–35:33 | | Reflection on the modern “youth revolution” | 38:45–47:13 | | Contract/Structure/Arms Race discussion | 46:26–52:13 | | Late bloomers (Byron Munton, etc.) | 52:49–55:11 | | The importance of improvement/avoiding plateau | 54:15–55:50 | | Predicting the next breakout star: Isaac Del Toro | 56:20–58:13 |

Memorable Moments

• Spencer mistaking Lorenzo Finn for a child at a cycling event—a reality check on just how young new pros are [13:34].
• Johan’s story about a junior already signing a million-euro-a-year deal [46:45].
• Lively debate and banter about whether early success signals sustainable greatness or a risk of burnout.

Conclusion

This THEMOVE episode offers an incisive, sometimes sobering look at the pipeline of cycling’s future, mixing hope for generational talents with caution about rushing development. The “draft” approach highlights both the pressure facing teenagers and the creative strategies teams use to find the next Pogačar or Evenepoel. Underpinning the banter is a shared conviction: cycling’s future is bright, but navigating it—whether as a team, a rider, or a young fan—has never been trickier or more exciting.

For fans, insiders, and dreamers: The next great champion is out there… but who, and what, will they become?