BIOGRAPHY
Just look at his track record. 18 years. To see the potential of this runner born on 28 January 2004. A 18 years, He counts 9 victories since its first race on 18 avril. He made his first classes on the bike with the minimal and cadets. This allows him to alternate the route, track and mountain biking with success.
In 2021, he finished 6th in the Junior World Championship, beaten in particular by the Frenchman Romain Grégoire. Winner of the 6th stage of the Tour de l'Avenir. Or even beaten by the winner Per Strand Hagenes who will turn pro in the Jumbo-Visma team in 2024.
Finally this year, he finished 2nd of the Gipuzkoa Classic. 2è Center Morbihan Trophy. 2è of the Peace Race. Which is a key point for the passage in the professional ranks because what performs on this race often passes professional a few years later, we think of our French Hugo Toumire (Cofidis), since this year, Brandon McNulty (UAE) professional since 2017 who won the race 2015 ou encore Remco Evenepoel (Alpha-Vinyl) winner in 2018 and past professional 2019. A few days ago, it was due 19 at 21 August. He won the Junior Tour of the Ribera del Duero.
“I am excited and motivated to start this new phase of my career “
HIS QUALITIES
As for knowing s’ he will one day win the Tour de France, the answer is yes but. The Ribera del Duero Junior Tour was quite hilly without being extremely mountainous. During his 6th place in the World Championships in 2021 in Leuven there were cobblestones.
If we look at the races they compete in : Junior Peace Race, Tour of the Pays de Vaud, the Junior Tour of Ribera del Duero or currently the Giro della Lunigiana, a demanding race in Italy in which he is engaged with his national team, these races are more for punchers-climbers.
One cannot make too hasty statements until he has won a professional race on a steep or mountainous course. From his young age, his profile can still change. Has an excellent top speed, he is also extremely explosive. Morgado also knows how to ride fast and can drop his opponents on the flat. In modern cycling, some cyclists or by the instructions of coaches do not hesitate to diet and go against their nature to perform in another area that was not predestined for them at the base.
PORTUGAL CHAMPIONSHIP VIDEO 2022
“Representing the Hagens Berman Axeon cycling team will be a great honor as well as a huge responsibility”
Today, we want more and more versatile runners, who have no flaws. We want runners who are good everywhere but excellent nowhere. We can think of Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), who at the very beginning of his young career was a roller because he was born in Denmark, and in this country there is no pass, the highest point is the top of the Great Belt Bridge.
Another example, it's Alfred Wright's (Bahrain-Victorious), English was a sprinter, now it's a complete runner. With his 75Kg and 1m84, he has the physique of a sprinter, but yet he is becoming a stage chaser on the big laps and as soon as 2023 will be a leader in his team on the classics for punchers like the Amstel Gold Race, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, or even Paris-Roubaix. A good comparison that can be made of him is his 7th place in the Tour of Flanders and his 2nd place on the 12th stage of the Tour de France which was for punchers-climbers.
All that to say that Antonio Morgado is still only in the beginnings of his sport and that his qualities as a puncher can still change. If Antonio Morgado still confirms in his second year as a junior, no doubt he will be a new great talent, and time will tell.
HIS TRANSFER TO HAGENS BERMANS AXEON
The double champion of Portugal 2022 in the Road Race and in the time trial has signed up with the American team to 2023, it was announced on tuesday 31 August by the team led by Axel Merckx. The native of Salir do Porto reacted :
“Antonio has achieved good results at national and international level. He has a beefy running style and his results show it. We can't wait to help him reach the next level on the international calendar.”, for his part estimated the sporting director Koos Moerenhout of the American team.
Among the big names who have passed through this stable we can mention Tao Geoghegan Hart, Ruben Warrior (2015-2016), Neilson Powless (2016-2017) or the late Adrien Costa who has only 20 years old when he joined this training before he lost his legs during a mountain outing or Jasper Philipsen (2018). Without forgetting the prodigy Leo Hayter who will join INEOS Grenadiers in 2023 and winner of the Giro U23.
