Big concerns about pressure and demands on young cycling talents: "He immediately emailed us three new names..."

Molly, a scout for Soudal Quick-Step, elaborated on the situation during an interview with Sporza. He believes it’s important to amplify the voices of these young riders, as he’s concerned about how teams are handling newcomers. "I'm glad you called me because I want to show our side of the story too. I can understand if people read this and wonder: what is going on with that team?"

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The person responsible for youth scouting fully understands the comments made by the French rider, Berg. "Gabriel didn’t say anything wrong in that interview. He’s just telling it like it is." According to the Soudal Quick-Step staff member, it highlights the intense pursuit of young talent, who are debuting earlier at the highest levels and being fast-tracked in their development. "Eighteen is also a pivotal age. You have to do more and, most importantly, sacrifice more."

For many guys that age, this represents a crucial turning point. How do you maintain a social life, with all the temptations that come with it? "You have to be able to handle changing your life. Perhaps that’s the difference between a champion and those who are just slightly below that level. You need to be mentally strong." That doesn’t mean the two riders in question aren’t strong. On the contrary, Molly respects their decision.

"We do have a junior team, but we deliberately avoid putting pressure on them. Parents can often play a role, believing their son can turn pro." But the worst, and perhaps most influential players, are the managers, Molly asserts. "I attend youth races all over Europe. There have never been so many scouts from management agencies at these races. There are boys as young as 16 who already have a manager. They mess with the riders’ heads. They get them all worked up."

A heartbreaking example, according to the scout, occurred right after one of the young guys decided to quit. "When Cormac Nisbet announced that he was quitting, his manager immediately sent us an email with three new names of riders who could take his place. He wasn’t concerned with Cormac anymore. These managers want to make their riders turn pro as quickly as possible." This pressure, along with the high expectations of the young riders themselves, leads to talent dropping out. "I don’t think Berg and Nisbet will be the last young riders to quit. We’ll see it happen with our Belgian riders too."