How the top talents fared in 2023: Lost year for Leo Hayter after illness
Sebastian Lindner
· 19.11.2023
No question: Leo Hayter had imagined 2023 differently. Completely different. The 22-year-old Brit started his first season as a professional with plenty of praise after a strong pre-season with a commanding win at the U23 Giro in August. Team Ineos Grenadiers, where his brother Ethan, who is three years older than him, also rides, signed him as a permanent member after six months as a stagiaire.
However, the debut season of the self-confident tour talent did not go as hoped or expected. Hayter was only able to credit himself with 29 race days. Then an illness took him out of the game. What exactly caught Leo Hayter out has so far remained a mystery. But the fact is that it must have been serious enough to prevent him from racing for almost six months.
Leo Hayter celebrates comeback in China
Although Hayter was still registered for the British Championships in June, he was no longer at the start. On his birthday in August, Hayter posted on Instagram that he was back on his bike after a long absence. However, there was still no question of training.
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He finally returned for the last World Tour race of the season. After a five-month break, his sole aim was to collect kilometres. In return, his team later sent him to Singapore for the Tour de France criteria.
Of course, Hayter was unable to demonstrate his talent as a cyclist there. But he rarely managed to do so in the early stages of the season, which could also be due to the fact that he hardly ever rode one. Apart from the Tour Down Under preparatory race, there was only the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali. And there he rode to a respectable fifth place in the overall standings - his best result of the season.
Conclusion: Hayter's development slowed down
His last race before the forced break was also another tour. At the Tour of Norway, Hayter finished in 81st place after 20th place in the prologue, while his two young team-mates Ben Tulett and Magnus Sheffield finished the tour in 1st and 2nd place. It's quite possible that something was already up.
Hayter's cancellation remains a little mysterious. The fact that both the team and the rider kept a low profile in terms of communication does not tend to be a good sign. The fact that Leo Hayter finished 15th at the mountain top finish in China, on the other hand, is.
And so it can be said that the young Brit's development has been slowed down at least once in 2023. At best, this will only delay his breakthrough on the tour. At worst, Hayter's illness will have long-term consequences. Ultimately, however, only the future and next year in particular will show whether he can build on his good form from before his professional career.
