'They are bike geniuses' - Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar generation hailed by Romain Bardet

Romain Bardet has described the up-and-coming generation of riders including the likes of Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar as «bike geniuses». Pogacar had won his first Tour de France by the age of 21 in 2020, and backed it up by taking the 2021 edition, with his extraordinary racing taking the cycling world by storm. Ad Evenpoel is a shade younger than Pogacar at 22, but won his first Grand Tour this year at the Vuelta a Espana, and also picked up the World Road Race title in the same month of September, becoming the youngest rider to do so in 29 years.

CyclingForget Tour de France, Evenepoel should target Giro in 2023 – NibaliYESTERDAY AT 11:07 Team DSM's Bardet, who came close to glory at the Giro d'Italia this year before illness forced him out of the race, has witnessed these riders' respective ascents from close at hand as they have raised the bar required for Grand Tour glory — leaving those like Bardet scrapping for the sport's consolation prizes. Talking exclusively to Eurosport France, Bardet said: «They [the likes of Pogacar and Evenepoel] are bike geniuses. When they are at 100%, no one can compete, they race each other.

»They're not worried about us, the second wheels. Everyone can see that the pace is higher than before. On the climbs, the pace is incredible.

Giro 2023 route revealed: Six stages where it will be won… and lost Forget Tour de France, Evenepoel should target Giro in 2023 – Nibali «The structuring of teams has changed the game. When you see the Jumbo [Visma] or UAE [Team Emirates] teams on the big tours, five or six of the eight guys could be leaders. »For us, their direct opponents, it quickly gets difficult.