It’s been three seasons since the last batch of Young Guns were selected, and already the likes of Rolf Enoch (scuppernong) and Gert Sijmonds (Yuri Super Team) have impressed. This season will see an unprecedented eight Young Guns selected and, with the three season gap and the increase in talented riders around, this year’s selection was the hardest yet. Therefore, this time the focus has been more on unknown riders and riders outside the top division.
  
   Anousone Keovilay – Vientiane Cycling - Climber
  
  Season 12 saw the first selection of Young Guns, just after Elias Holmström (Ponsbach CST) won the trophy for Season 11’s Best Rider. Many see the Young Guns 7 climber, Anousone Keovilay (Vientiane Cycling), as his successor. Keovilay is a clearly a gifted climber, but it is in the hills between the climbs that he specializes. Already with 4 victories and another 5 results to his name, the 23 year old has moved new team Vientiane Cycling into the 5th division. Laos is not exactly known for its exploits in the OCM world but, with Chaleunsouk Souvanhno (Equipo Easy On), Sengkeo Phengsawath (Team EUSKERA) and Ariya Sayavutthi (depadvinders) all impressing, that could soon change. If Keovilay can have a career with nearly as much success as Holmström’s, he will put Laos firmly on the OCM map.
  
   Francis Hoste – dux - Time Triallist
  
  Only a season ago, a young man from Belgium, Francis Hoste appeared on the hire list. Soon it became clear to manager alber (dux) that this was the talent he needed. Now he is fully trained in time-trialling, it is clear to all of us that he will be a talent to watch. With an amazing skils for a TT rider, he will be feared by the rest of the field. Although he hasn't won a race in his career so far, it will surely be just a matter of time before 'The TT-hope of Belgium' takes his first win.
  
   Hans-Erik Qvist – Pelles Gazelles – Sprinter
  
  Being compared to a beast may not seem like a compliment to many, but in the OCM world it is. Given the Danish connection, comparisons with Young Guns 3 sprinter, Lean Ahnfeldt-Mollerup (ABK), are inevitable for this season’s sprinting Young Gun, Han-Erik Qvist (Pelles Gazelles). However, rumours have been coming out of the Pelles Gazelles’ camp that Qvist will not progress much

more in training, so perhaps “Mini Beast” is more apt. Indeed, without a result to his name so far, weight of expectation may already be getting to him. But Qvist is a mightily talented rider and results will inevitably come. His talent has already caught the attention of the Division 1 teams, but Gazelle management has made it clear that he is staying. In a Gazelle mini-cage perhaps?
  
   Olivier Wittendorp – Cyclomotiv – Tour rider
  
  The Netherlands have a great OCM history, dominating the World Tour rankings and the team rankings over the seasons. But they haven't produced a lot of top tour-riders. They had cobbler Sieuwerd Schimmel, three one-tour winners and of course the great JJ Dussel, but compared to the other top nations that aren’t a lot of tour winners. However, they now have a young talent that could very well make it to that list - young team Cyclomotiv have struck gold with Olivier Wittendorp. After improving his time-trialling skills at the TT centre, he will be a beast of a climbing tour-rider. The only problem could be that his manager may think his TT centre will cost too much money. Let's hope he decides to give the Netherlands the great tour-rider they deserve. If he doesn't, Wittendorp will be still winning his races as he does now, but will probably never get to the OCM Hall of Fame
  
   Rogerio Echave – TACXkin – Cobbler
  
  Spain has certainly made its name on the cobbles of OCM, with the likes of Season 21’s Best Cobbler Mauricio Viola (Glamourade) and Young Gun 5 cobbler Rio Loredo (SierraEspadán), and this season’s Young Gun cobbler, Rogerio Echave (TACXkin), looks to be in line to continue this success. At 24, Echave already has an impressive list of results behind him, winning the Youth Jersey at this season’s Tweedaagse van Antwerpen and gaining two top 9s in Division 1 Classics last season. With Frenchman Alexis Terrier and a group of other talented cobblers at the club behind him, it will be interesting to see how Echave progresses over the next few seasons.
  
   Tom Bella – VC Botafogo – Tour Rider
  
  There has been enough abuse of his name in press releases, so there will be none of that here. He doesn't need his neat name to be the unbelievably talented rider he is. These are two words which describes

the handsome Australian much better than some silly jokes about his name. His results aren't that beautiful by the way, but if he gives up caring about his looks and starts focusing on the races I have no doubt the results will come. His team, VC Botafogo, has invested in some support and will of course try to make the pretty peer win a few tours. I think he could get some nice results in tours in the future as he's certainly one of the most talented tour riders around. You would almost say he's a beautiful rider.
  
   Urbano Arzu – Team airik - SARS
  
  Team airik used to be a permanent fixture in the Top 10 in the rankings of OCM, but management holidays and aging riders have seen them fall out of the top division over the past 4 seasons. However, that looks set to change. The team has rejuvenated itself and is aiming to slowly breed a new generation of riders that will propel the team back to the higher echelons of Division 1. One rider in particular and this season’s Young Gun SARS, Urbano Arzu, is looking to lead this charge. Already the finished article, Arzu is a supremely talented rider and already has 2 podiums to his name this season. Whilst he may struggle in the Division 1 flat sprints, he is likely to excel in sprints with some hills and climbs in them. However, his best performances may well come in the Tours where he is likely to challenge for GC, SC and YC.
  
   Abel Mentzer – teamsi - Hiller
  
  Abel Mentzer (teamsi) is a still improving hiller talent and this season hiller Young Gun. Some say he had a bad youth. His brother, who had to care for him after his parents died, didn't want to look after him, uttering the words: 'Am I my brother’s keeper?' Young Abel was left alone on the streets, when he found a bicycle. From then on his development never stopped and it still hasn't. It didn't take long before teamsi made his dreams come true with a professional contract. When he was trained he turned out to be a really good hiller and he can still become much better. The only thing missing for him is a result right now, so we wish this sympathetic Englishman the best of luck in his training and his races.
  
  Written by don hamster team and Gradient Levellers
  
  Thanks to don hamster team, teamsi, Telek@m, ultrajectum, Kremer, CCFC, Jonas Pro Cycling, Matrix Team, Onie, California Mist, speedyb, Hommerts Cycling Team and Vientiane Cycling for help with research