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Herlings is pushing the limits as well, but away from the sand, doesn't do anything particularly different or innovative...he just does it all very, very well.
Future stars though, I don't know. Not up on the Amateur scene, but I haven't seen anyone blow my mind the way James did.
I'd say Herlings and Gajser are definitely sport changing talents.
I thought Roczen was going to become the next legendary rider but i'm doubting that at the moment. Last years injury was way worse than what i thought. He has been forced to change his riding style drastically and now he got injured again.
Tomac is the difficult one. Look at how amazing he can be, but he has basically been in his prime for 2 years and screwed things up and he wont win this years SX title either. He also got pretty lucky with the outdoor title last summer. Roczen hurt, Dungey retired, Marvin hurt, Baggett hurt, Anderson hurt. Everyone got hurt and he wasn't able to dominate the series.
Then there are the current 250 riders. I can't see anyone of those riders(US and GPs) that could become the next generational talent.
But like someone already posted. This is in a way a good thing, we will wont have 5-10 years of domination like MC, Cairoli, Everts, RV, RC etc. did.
The Shop
He might become the next big thing if him and his dad keep it fun, and Haiden doesn't burn out.
Supercross Tracks to scale and unlimited seat time. How can DangerBoy not be successful if he stays healthy and motivated? He's being groomed from the cradle, in what appears to be a well thought out manner. ie Staying in school and doing other sports specifically.
Sometimes I feel like any of the top 10 can discover one piece of the puzzle and just take off overnight....sounds simple but realistically maybe not so easy.
For the first time in a long time we have no all time greats out there. It makes for great racing at the front. Racing that would normally be for 3rd-5th place.
Think about this for a second. Justin Bogle, while obviously a top rider in the world, is not anywhere near that top tier professional level. He won a moto last year. That would NEVER happen with Carmichael, Villopoto, Stewart, or Dungey out there. Roczen too pre injury and even Reed back in his prime. No chance that would ever happen. None. Nada. MAYBE if only one of the above mentioned was racing and they happened to have a bad day. Think the end of 07 when Stewart was injured and Reed went SX only. Or early in 09 before Reed got going and after Villopoto got injured. Or one moto here and there when only one all time great was out there and they happen to struggle one moto. Alessi at Washougal in 12 when Villopoto was out and he held off Dungey. But we look at years like 04, 05, 06, 07, 11, and 13 where we had multiple all time greats pushing each other, a guy like Bogle could kiss a moto win goodbye no matter what. Even years where there was just one out there like 12 and 15 (with Roczen pre injury), moto wins were impossible for a guy on Bogle’s level. Windham, in my opinion, would win a championship or even multiple with the current group of guys.
The issue I see in Deegan's kids is they won't be made from the right "material". What I mean by that is, the money will never be a problem for them, their dad will pay for everything with no problem. The patter that occurs in almost 95% of the best athelets, especially in mx and sx, is that their parents were broke. I mean, they were an average family, with average earnings, that just invested everything they had in their kid untill they basically became broke. When I watched RV's documentaries, you can read between the lines how bad it was. I also personally know Gajser, who has the potential to be one of the greats, and let me tell you his childhood was pure suffer... His dad spent so much money on his racing, that his family had nothing to eat... Let's leave the facts that these kids also got beat up by dad when they didn't finish in a place their father wanted.
The point I'm trying to make is that some "conditions" have to be fullfield that some fast kid becomes one of the greatest and change the sport. The suffering and strugles when they were growing up were necessary, because they give them that something that separates an average "fast guy" and a "legend" (like RV,RD,..)
I just don't see something like that in Deegan's kids... They will become pro probably, maybe even win a race or two, but I just don't see them as the next big "thing".
But, like I said, this is just my opinion...
"Sport Changing" requires much more than just being really good. It requires being good in a remarkably different way than everyone before.
Pit Row
That's a huge weight on a kid's shoulders, but it seem like that's what it takes to make that "next level" athlete.
Now, it seems like most of the riders stay in the 250 class past age 22.
Not sure if it's chicken or egg. Do guys not become dominant, because they wait too long to move up? Or, do they not move up because they know they can't be dominant.
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