The 2006 edition of the Tour de l’Avenir, which was launched from Belgium, [01] allows the public to discover cycling’s flourishing talent, a skilful combination of professional and national teams. [02] During the first stage, a circuit course, [03] the young Mickaël Delage, winner in Charleroi, is the race’s first yellow jersey holder.
[04] A yellow jersey that he loses to his team mate Cyrille Monnerais the following day, at the end of a superb stage won by the Norwegian Edvalo Hagen. The end of the 3rd stage is marked by a terrible collective fall [05] during the final chase: Hans Dekkers manages to slip through the cracks to win an easy sprint, with no other contenders in view… During the 4th stage, the route starts to climb and the Roche family talent and genes speak for themselves: Nicolas, a tribute to his father Stephen, secures his first professional win, and seizes the yellow jersey in Metz. [06]
He holds onto his prize in Nancy (second victory for Hagen), but, amid shouts of encouragement from small children, [07] loses it to the Agritubel leader, Moises Duenas Nevado, winner of the 6th stage. With determination, poise and the authority of a future champion, the Spaniard retains the lead in the overall standing until the finish of the 10th and final stage. [08] In Ornans, Hagen [09] pulls off the "hat trick";
the following day, the young French hope, Rémy Di Grégorio, [10] confirms his gift as a climber by triumphing in the very selective 8th stage. In the time-trial between Chamonix and Finhaut, [11] only Bernaudeau’s favourite, Stef Clement, manages to do better than the race leader, who is more than one minute ahead of Robert Gesink. On the last day, two Spanish riders share the honours: Sergio Pardilla, winner of the grand alpine stage (nine climbs in the line-up) and the race’s best climber, and the overall victor, whose green eyes embody the hope of becoming a great champion, the Tour de l’Avenir’s key mission.[12]
