Father and son Eddy and Axel Merckx during the 2001 Tour de France, with junior now running one of the best development teams in the world that includes Adam Rafferty and David Gaffney on its roster
The son of the most decorated cyclist of all time, and an Olympic road race medal winner during his own career, Axel Merckx, knows a thing or about cycling. He has also been at the forefront of developing young talent through his Hagens Berman Jayco team, the U23 development squad on the go, in its various guises, since 2009.
The team has been the official U23 development squad of World Tour team, Jayco AlUla, for the past couple of seasons, making it even more attractive to many of the best young riders in the world, including Tyrone's Adam Rafferty and Waterford's David Gaffney.
While Gaffney is a first-year U23 and is just getting going - but has really impressed so far - Merckx has had Rafferty on the team for the past three seasons. He has had a good look at what he can do and how he's progressing.
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Interviewed by Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad this week, Merckx singled out Rafferty among three of his current squad as those he regards as big talents.
Ireland's David Gaffney and Adam Rafferty, in purple, in action in Greece last month (Photo: Nassos Triantafyllou)
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When the journalist pointed out to Merckx that the current UAE Team Emirates XRG squad - the sport's best, and richest, team - currently had eight of his former riders on its books, Merckx replied:
"That is quite pleasing. And it's not just UAE. There are guys from our team at EF and Soudal Quick-Step as well. When I see Stuyven finish third in Roubaix, it brings back fond memories. We stay in touch," he said.
And when speaking about the "big talents" on his team right now, he named Rafferty.
"Jed Smithson is a good rider," he said of the 20-year-old Briton who was on the books of Visma Lease a Bike Development last year and has already ridden for the Visma Lease a Bike and Jayco AlUla World Tour teams.
"Adam Rafferty finished second in Rhodes and won a stage in the Baby Giro last year," he said of Rafferty, who also won the bronze medal in the U23 TT at the European Road Championships in France last year.
"And there is Ben Wiggins, who showed some great things at the recent European Track Cycling Championships. He certainly has potential, but it still needs to come out on the road."
Though Wiggins has enjoyed his best success on the track so far, he put in a notable ride at the recent Tour of Rhodes (UCI 2.2). While Rafferty was team leader – and took 2nd on the final stage and 2nd overall – Wiggins was 10th on the final stage and 9th overall; a big performance on the climbs for a classics-style rider.
