With the stars of OCM still polishing their newly-won trophies, it’s time to focus on the up and coming riders on the circuit. We’ve scoured the globe and have come with 7 riders who we believe are the youngest and most talented riders around. Will the following riders be snatching the Rider of the Season Award from Elias Holmström and making Äme Anderberg glad he retired or will Rodney Hodgson and Freek van Weenen show them that quality equals talent plus experience?
  
  Isaak Papadimitriou – 25 – Club Ciclista Riaza - Tour rider
  
  Yet to pick up a result let alone any OCM points, 25 year-old Isaak Papadimitriou is still the hottest new rider on the OCM circuit. Spotted by Club Ciclista Riaza whilst competing at last season’s Volta, Papadimitriou has been training behind closed doors in order to prepare for this season’s race. With a strong all round ability and a talented and experienced team, he must surely go into this season’s Tour as one of the pre-race favourites. Papadimitriou has three dreams - win the World Championships road race, get a Top 3 in the Germany Tour and take part in the Clash of Nations with his country, Greece.
  
  Dan Korošec - 23 - Team iPower – Sprinter
  
  New Slovenian sprinting sensation Dan Korošec has already proved his worth by winning the Division 3 Toulouse GP last season. Primarily a climbing team, Team iPower are so confident in Korošec that they are now looking to build a sprinting team around this talent as they look to push for promotion into the Zyte Division. Currently working on building up his strength in the hills,

this young lad could spring a few surprises at this season’s Netherlandse Tour and perhaps, one day, in Germany.
  
  Bartosz Ozóg – 23 - Velo Club Bored Man – Tour Rider
  
  Ozóg is one of the most naturally talented riders seen in years and could have been a highly successful climber or even sprinter. However, VCBM are a Tour team and this is where they have steered Ozóg’s talents. Very much in the mould of last season’s Germany Tour winner, Vernon Kings, Ozóg’s combination of Climbing and Time-trialling ability makes him ideally suited to Tours. However, we will still be seeing him compete in one-day races, as proved by his 6th place at the recent Salt Lake City GP where he beat more established climbers.
  
  Miron Golovina - 25 - G D RAPOSENSE - Sprinter
  
  Golovina, runner-up in last season’s Essex Tour Youth Classification, is more known than the other prospects here but just as talented. A powerful and balanced sprinter, Golovina is ideally suited to the flat races and has thrived in races in both England and the Netherlands. This young rider looks set for a bright future, and may have the big boys in Division 1 fighting over his signature.
  
  Tito Vera – 23 - Gradient Levellers – Climber
  
  A former postman from the Balearic Islands, Vera is relatively new to the world of cycling and is still yet to race competitively. However, this hasn’t stopped the Gradient Levellers having high expectations for him and he looks set to make his professional debut as a teammate for Yasunari Yamauchi at this

season’s Volta au Porto. Weighing in at a mere 56k and hence nicknamed the “Scarecrow” by his teammates, Vera has been flying up some of the hardest climbs in England and looks set to battle against some of the big guns in the future.
  
  Fabrício Malta – 25 - Delfins Team – Sprinter
  
  Fabrício Malta is a name not known to many in the top divisions but one known and feared by those in Division 3 and 4 - and for good reason. Taking an impressive 8 wins and 3 podiums in what was effectively his 'rookie' year, Malta has single-handedly taken his team from nothing to knocking on the door of the Zyte Division in just one season. The top sprinters had better take note as this is the rider who took a 1st in the Baltimore Invitational Classic followed by a 3rd in the Orel-Kursk only four days later, and he seems hungry for more.
  
  Jeraldo Piedrahita – 24 – Team Zyte – Cobbles/Sprinter
  
  Team Zyte is facing major changes and management and sponsors have decided to change the team completely putting the focus on a young talent from Argentina - Jeraldo Piedrahita. Prodigiously talented in both sprinting and on the cobbles, 24 year-old Piedrahita was spotted in the Netherlands where Aphloeg discovered his potential. Team Zyte quickly snapped up this going-to-be super star and is now expected to bring back Team Zyte back to the Top Division.
  
   written by Tim Johnson of Gradient Levellers and Ross (H Versteg) of Korten Cycletek
  
  (with research help from Team Tirilla, Korten Cycletek, Kremer and Team iPower)