hugh carthy

[mzjo]

Does anyone know about this lad? I saw the last stage of the Route du Sud on the telly last night and he was very impressive trying to take the battle to Solar and Quintana (he was pipped to the post by Quintana in the final stage, finished third and third overall in an event ruled by Movistar). He appears to ride for a Spanish team and it is the first time I have ever heard the name. Climbs well but not the same style of rider as the Spanish climbers.

So can anyone fill in the gaps? I haven't looked him up on Google but I think YACF would be more serious informants.

[David Martin]

He has been on the radar for a few years - rising young talent getting better each year. Definitely one to watch for the future.

[citoyen]

Phenomenal climbing talent. As DM says, he's been a rising star for a year or two now, has had several eyecatching results. And still not quite 22. I had that stage of the Route du Sud marked as one for him, so I was very pleased to see the result.

Only trouble is you won't see him in many of the big races because of the team he's on but he will be at the Vuelta this year, probably as team leader. (As a high-ranking Spanish Continental team, they always get an invite to the Vuelta, but they'll never be invited to the Tour.)

You'd expect him to get snapped up by a WorldTour team soon. Hopefully not Sky though - he'd just get swallowed up in the machinery there.

[citoyen]

Just watched the highlights of the Route du Sud stage 4. Cracking stuff. Carthy is definitely the real deal. As the commentators said, though, he'll need to learn how to spin lower gears if he ever wants to drop the likes of Quintana on hills like that.

[mzjo]

Perhaps I shouldn't have taken so much interest; I appear to have spooked his race. Crashed out just outside the 3km limit and lost his podium place. I don't know what happened after; no point in looking for that information from the french commentators when one french rider won the stage and another took the third place on general. Will have to google route du sud.

[citoyen]

Crashed out just outside the 3km limit and lost his podium place. I don't know what happened after

He reckons a Direct Energie rider knocked him off. Ended up last on the stage, losing nearly eight minutes. Unlucky.