After pinning their cobbled hopes on 30 year old perennial top ten Roubaix and Flanders finisher Sebastian Langeveld, Cannondale-Garmin have had to put their trust in their younger riders after the Dutchman was taken out on the crash that involved Fabian Cancellara last Friday in E3 Harelbeke.

“Our leader is not there anymore, that is a fact. We don’t know [if can come back] for the classics. He had a big goal, but sometimes it’s just bad luck,” sport director Andreas Klier told VeloNews before the start of Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday.

Langevled has a deep knew contusion and a bone bruise on his tibia. This means for now that Dylan Van Baarle (third in Dwars door Vlaanderen) will lead the team along with Jack Bauer, eighth at E3.

“Of the two races so far, we have a podium and a top-10, so we have to be happy,” Klier said. “These young guys are working well together. Jack was very visible during Harelbeke. It was a nice surprise. Maybe we will have a few more.”

The team wants to succeed now with Langeveld, but with three talented youngsters on their team in 22 year olds Van Baarle and Ruben Zepuntke and 21-year-old Kristoffer Skjerping, it is also obvious the team is laying down the foundations for future success.

“It’s a new adventure. We have a good group of young kids,” Klier said. “Riders like Ruben and Kristoffer, I think they have the skills to do something in the near future, but I do not mean today. Some time very soon. I am very happy with this group. There is big potential there.”