“Benjamín Noval is like Evenepoel and Héctor Álvarez like Van Aert” - New wave of huge prospects compared to cycling's biggest names

Spanish cycling has a new generation of riders starting to make their mark and raising high hopes for the future: Benjamín Noval, Héctor Álvarez, Alejandra Neira, Paula Blasi and others. Results in the development categories and early success as professionals have put several young riders in the spotlight.

To get a closer look at their strengths and potential for further growth, Félix García Casas, technical director of the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC), and women’s national team coach Gema Pascual have assessed five of the most prominent names.

Their assessments reveal contrasting profiles, from versatile riders capable of excelling across several disciplines to climbers with enormous potential. They draw comparisons with leading figures such as Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert, while also praising riders who have already achieved major results despite their youth.

Benjamín Noval is one of the young riders to have attracted the most attention, thanks to his ability to race with a maturity beyond his years. A two-time junior world champion, he stands out not only for his physical attributes but also for the composure with which he approaches races and his ability to read each situation.

Félix García Casas sees similarities between Noval’s profile and Remco Evenepoel’s, particularly in their versatility and understanding of the sport. “His maturity is surprising, as is his ability to analyse a race and the composure he shows at such a young age. He seems to have been racing as a professional for years. Based on what he does, I would compare him with Evenepoel; he has that kind of profile. He is also very versatile, in the modern mould, and capable of racing on the road, in cyclo-cross or mountain biking,” the RFEC technical director explains.

García Casas particularly highlights Noval’s ability to compete across different disciplines. His assessment points to a rider with the tools to adapt to varied terrain and formats, a quality that strengthens the high expectations surrounding him.

Versatility is also one of Héctor Álvarez’s main strengths. The two-time European champion has the attributes to perform in a range of settings, although García Casas believes the Classics could be an ideal arena for him to make the most of his qualities.

The RFEC technical director admits that comparing riders with the peloton’s greats is difficult, but points to one name that could help describe the young Spaniard’s profile. “It is very difficult to compare a rider with other leading figures in the peloton, but Wout van Aert may be the closest comparison for Héctor Álvarez. I see him mainly as a Classics rider; I think he has that profile. Above all, though, he is a versatile, strong rider who performs well on different terrain and is also an excellent track rider,” he explains.

Beyond the comparison with the Belgian rider, García Casas stresses Álvarez’s ability to combine physical strength, adaptability to different courses and strong track performances. Together, those qualities give him several possible paths for his sporting development.

In women’s cycling, Alejandra Neira has also given cause for optimism after becoming junior world champion. Gema Pascual particularly praises her strength, saying she was the strongest rider in the group that contested the victory in the final sprint.

“She was the least explosive and fastest rider in the group racing for world gold, yet she won the sprint because she was the strongest,” the women’s national team coach says. For Pascual, that victory reflects qualities beyond pure speed and leaves plenty of scope for further improvement.

“She is the rider with the most development and progress still ahead of her. She still has a lot to polish. Her profile is similar to Paula Ostiz’s. She sees herself as a climber, but I tell her she is just as good on the flat,” Pascual adds. Her assessment highlights a rider who can still develop across different types of terrain and who, for now, has yet to reach her full potential.

Paula Blasi is another rider who inspires optimism about the future of Spanish women’s cycling. Gema Pascual describes her as a natural climber and notes that her progress has already brought victories at the highest level. The 2025 under-23 European champion has also made the step up to the professional ranks with results that confirm her potential.

“Blasi is pure talent, a natural climber. She has won the Vuelta and the Amstel, finished fifth at the Tour, and we still expect more from her,” Pascual says. She also recalls first hearing about Blasi through a recommendation from Marta Vilajosana, a former fellow rider.

“Marta Vilajosana, who raced with me, once told me about a very good cyclist coming from duathlon. We backed her, and here she is. She is incredible, and she still has more to give,” the national team coach adds. Her words reflect her confidence in a rider who has already achieved notable results and, in Pascual’s view, still has plenty of room to grow.

Paula Ostiz completes the group of young riders assessed by the RFEC officials. Her profile combines power, time-trial ability and an ambition that Gema Pascual considers essential to her development. The coach also praises Ostiz’s adjustment to the professional peloton in her first year, despite missing two months through injury.

“Talent and hard work. Those are the two words that define Paula Ostiz. She is very complete and very ambitious. She is not a climber, but she is powerful and excels in time trials,” Pascual explains.

The head of Spain’s women’s team also stresses that Ostiz still has room to develop her qualities. “She still has a lot to develop. After two months out injured, she adapted well to the professional ranks in her first year. She still has a lot to give us,” she concludes.

The assessments from García Casas and Pascual show the range of profiles emerging in Spanish cycling. Noval and Álvarez stand out for their versatility, while Neira, Blasi and Ostiz each bring different qualities and, in their coaches’ view, significant room for improvement. These five riders have already achieved notable results, and the RFEC has high hopes for them.