Hollis
bloody furious
Yes - and just look at who does! Can't see too many silver or bronze medallists calling themselves champions..
Moar later.
Cycling (Road Race and Time Trial)
- Thread starter twistedAM
- Start date
Yes - and just look at who does! Can't see too many silver or bronze medallists calling themselves champions..
Moar later.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Why bother starting a thread about it? People's definition of champion clearly differ. I think it's any kind of winner at the Olympics and the BBC seem to agree. Those who disagree are incorrigible glory chasers who lack the generous Olympic spirit.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Frumious B.
Well-Known Member
It's a redundant argument. Cycling is one of those sports where an Olympic gold is not the ultimate - a TdF win outranks it. So does winning the sprinters or climbers competition.
As for the silver, that's got to be way, way down in prestige, below a couple of dozen of the lesser races on the pro calendar. Even wearing yellow for one day in the Tour or winning a single stage will get you remembered for longer than a silver medal.
As for the silver, that's got to be way, way down in prestige, below a couple of dozen of the lesser races on the pro calendar. Even wearing yellow for one day in the Tour or winning a single stage will get you remembered for longer than a silver medal.
Frumious B.
Well-Known Member
Dunno about the womens'. It's all so underfunded and underreported that none of it seems to rate, not even the Tour Feminin. Hopefully Cav's failure the other day will have a silver lining by bringing more investment for the women. There's been so much focus on Armitstead as our only 'champion' that it must be getting sponsors interested. And she's very media-friendly.
I'm a bit puzzled by the size of the crowd for the womens' race. I can't believe many of them have an interest in womens' cycling. But a chance to sample the Olympics for free on a Sunday was too good to miss. I hope this gets the riders a minimum wage so that Pat McQuaid gets called a dick slightly less often http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/01/news/must-read-australian-sprinter-calls-uci-president-a-dick_201789
I'm a bit puzzled by the size of the crowd for the womens' race. I can't believe many of them have an interest in womens' cycling. But a chance to sample the Olympics for free on a Sunday was too good to miss. I hope this gets the riders a minimum wage so that Pat McQuaid gets called a dick slightly less often http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/01/news/must-read-australian-sprinter-calls-uci-president-a-dick_201789
Nigel Irritable
Five, Ten, Fifteen Years
Women's cycling is a small sport in terms of resources and attention. More people follow it than follow men's track cycling, but like track, its marginality means that a share of the Olympics glory is very important. In men's road cycling, the Olympic road race ranks behind the three Grand Tours, the five monuments and the World Road Race. In track it's the pinnacle, because track doesn't have anything else. In women's cycling, I think I'd only put the women's Giro ahead of the Olympics. There's a pretty strong inverse correlation between the strength of a sport and the importance of the Olympics.
So Olympic silver means more to the career of an Armitstead than it does to the gloriously mulletted Rigoberto Uran Uran.
On another note, while I'm all in favour of a minimum wage for women cyclists, I am also in favour of McQuaid, Ireland's most irritating contribution to world's sports, getting called a dick as often as possible.
So Olympic silver means more to the career of an Armitstead than it does to the gloriously mulletted Rigoberto Uran Uran.
On another note, while I'm all in favour of a minimum wage for women cyclists, I am also in favour of McQuaid, Ireland's most irritating contribution to world's sports, getting called a dick as often as possible.
RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
That no longer exists.
Hollis
bloody furious
Yes, I fully understand..
However, for the interested bystander...page 11 of the following document may be of interest.http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Reports/EN/en_report_668.pdf
twistedAM
Left Of The Dial
The Germans seem to be keeping pretty tightlipped about why Tony Martin pulled out of the RR. Can't find anything about it but loads of stories on Cancellera's injury and tired little Cadel (as if he was going to figure anyway).
I ask, cos I stuck a tenner on him at sixes for the TT and he's gone into 4/1 (prob due to Cancellera drifting out).
I ask, cos I stuck a tenner on him at sixes for the TT and he's gone into 4/1 (prob due to Cancellera drifting out).
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
I think he's feeling a bit guilty about shooting that gypsy in the back
twistedAM
Left Of The Dial
Oh how hilarious.
I have however wondered how someone born in East Germany would have a name like that. Must be quite rare.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Can't be that rare.
Not read anything 'proper', but he's been in pretty poor shape all season. Add to that the injury from the tour and I wouldn't bet on him getting a medal.
Now that's said, he'll probably storm it.
edit; still got him in my fantasy team though, natch.
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
I'll stick me neck out and say:-
1.Wiggins (GB)
2.Phinney (USA)
3.Froome (GB)
4.LL Sanchez(ESP)
5.Grabsch(GER)
1.Wiggins (GB)
2.Phinney (USA)
3.Froome (GB)
4.LL Sanchez(ESP)
5.Grabsch(GER)
Nigel Irritable
Five, Ten, Fifteen Years
Only three ways Wiggins doesn't win Gold:
1) He injures himself or gets sick.
2) Cancellara or Martin are in top, uninjured, form.
3) Froome puts in an insane performance.
I don't think that any of those three are likely. And if its number 3, then GB gets the Gold anyway.
1) He injures himself or gets sick.
2) Cancellara or Martin are in top, uninjured, form.
3) Froome puts in an insane performance.
I don't think that any of those three are likely. And if its number 3, then GB gets the Gold anyway.
Frumious B.
Well-Known Member
I suppose it will be rain...are there any dodgy corners on the course?
I suppose Wiggo could puncture...but he'll probably have a big enough lead for half a dozen bike changes,
I suppose Wiggo could puncture...but he'll probably have a big enough lead for half a dozen bike changes,
Nigel Irritable
Five, Ten, Fifteen Years
Yep. It would have to be a full crash, with some resulting minor injury, I suspect.
Frumious B.
Well-Known Member
Do they use beefier tyres in the rain? Is there a school of thought that some puncture protection is a worthwhile gamble in the wet?
Nigel Irritable
Five, Ten, Fifteen Years
tommers
Fuck it, it's fine.
Fingers crossed eh?
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
They would use grippier tyres - softer compound - and slighly reduced pressure..but not beefier. Tyres make a massive difference in how far your watts go.
The kiwis seem to be think their girl has a chance to get a medal. which would be very welcome as our current total is even worse than the GB one.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/cycling/7391783/Linda-Villumsen-medal-contender-in-time-trial
