The rise of British cycling or: how to become shit hot at a sport in ten years

[JTG]

Given that the expected medal deluge on the track has begun, thought I'd post this link. You've probably read similar tales in the papers lately but the way in which the cycling people have gone about becoming the world's top cycling nation in short time really astounds me and shows the way for other sports to go.

I think it's brilliant

 

[Part 2]

They just need to learn about BMX.

The way they handled the selection for the Olympics male rider was a shambles.

 

[QueenOfGoths]

Given that the expected medal deluge on the track has begun, thought I'd post this link. You've probably read similar tales in the papers lately but the way in which the cycling people have gone about becoming the world's top cycling nation in short time really astounds me and shows the way for other sports to go.

I think it's brilliant

Excellent article - very interesting and an approach which I hope may be taken to other sports to produce equally good results

 

[twistedAM]

i think Boardman deserves a lot of credit. We championed Graham Obree at the time but CB was one for minute detail about his equipment, his riding position, all-round training and nutrition that put him on a par with the continentals, the Us and those damn Aussies. His 92 medal and the opening of the Manchester Velodorome two years later were the important seeds.

The likes of Keen and Brailsford have been excellent hands on the tiller, esp Brailsford whose just got a lump of extra cash from Sky Sports.

I've wondered why we've never done better in TTs though as that is our national discipline. Miller is good but banned from the Olympics.

 

[grimble]

I wonder how much the technology has to do with it - Boardman has talked a lot about the Secret Squirrel lab where they have been designing our bikes - could be a big factor?

I also pray that it's all clean - I bet if it were any other country than Team GB we'd be pretty sceptical.

Great stuff though.

 

[JTG]

i think Boardman deserves a lot of credit. We championed Graham Obree at the time but CB was one for minute detail about his equipment, his riding position, all-round training and nutrition that put him on a par with the continentals, the Us and those damn Aussies. His 92 medal and the opening of the Manchester Velodorome two years later were the important seeds.

I thought it was interesting how Boardman's 92 gold was described as 'typical British Alpinism' or whatever ie they left no trail to follow, it was all about one particular rider and his bike. Since then the whole programme has become a lot more methodical and geared to the benefit of every rider that comes through the system with individual adjustments for each person - Project Pooley etc.

Basically cycling has left behind the chance element of finding a talented rider and a coach or engineer to go with him and decided that from now on we're going to be the best, nothing left to chance.

It's great

 

[twistedAM]

I wonder how much the technology has to do with it - Boardman has talked a lot about the Secret Squirrel lab where they have been designing our bikes - could be a big factor?

Very much so. In his pre-Olympic days Boardman was always very particular about sourcing the best gear and clothing possible. At local TTs people were always trying to get a good look at what he was riding and wearing.

 

[twistedAM]

I thought it was interesting how Boardman's 92 gold was described as 'typical British Alpinism' or whatever ie they left no trail to follow, it was all about one particular rider and his bike. Since then the whole programme has become a lot more methodical and geared to the benefit of every rider that comes through the system with individual adjustments for each person - Project Pooley etc.

Basically cycling has left behind the chance element of finding a talented rider and a coach or engineer to go with him and decided that from now on we're going to be the best, nothing left to chance.

It's great

Overall yeah it's cool...not so sure about Project Romero though - all those resources put into someone whose basically a weightlifter shifting her instrument of choice from a boat to a bike. I'd rather see that money put into more grass roots activity than for the sake of a gold at one games.

 

[JTG]

I wonder how much the technology has to do with it - Boardman has talked a lot about the Secret Squirrel lab where they have been designing our bikes - could be a big factor?

I also pray that it's all clean - I bet if it were any other country than Team GB we'd be pretty sceptical.

Great stuff though.

The bikes are absolutely a big factor but the same 'nothing left to chance' ethos applies to the training of the riders as well. Just as every single component of the bike is tested to the nth degree, so the riders are conditioned to be as good as humanly possible.

As for the drugs - well you can only look to the testing really. I do believe that the British policy is far more hardline on drugs than other countries' so hopefully the chances of anything untoward are considerably lower.

 

[JTG]

Overall yeah it's cool...not so sure about Project Romero though - all those resources put into someone whose basically a weightlifter shifting her instrument of choice from a boat to a bike. I'd rather see that money put into more grass roots activity than for the sake of a gold at one games.

otoh, success at Olympic level begets more interest at the grass roots level so it's a bit chicken/egg.

I have far more faith in British sport generally to capitalise on an upsurge in interest in cycling/rowing or whatever now than 20 years ago. Interest in hockey was way up after the gold in 88 and what became of that?

 

[twistedAM]

otoh, success at Olympic level begets more interest at the grass roots level so it's a bit chicken/egg.

I have far more faith in British sport generally to capitalise on an upsurge in interest in cycling/rowing or whatever now than 20 years ago. Interest in hockey was way up after the gold in 88 and what became of that?

I think you're probably right there but my ideal situation would be an upsurge in successful British roadies. Our women can do it, let's hope the guys follow.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

As for the drugs - well you can only look to the testing really. I do believe that the British policy is far more hardline on drugs than other countries' so hopefully the chances of anything untoward are considerably lower.

This strikes me as naive.

As road cycling has rather conclusively demonstrated, the only people who are caught by tests are the unlucky, the desperate or the stupid. People who know what they are at - and in particular teams that know what they are at - are very rarely caught by tests. In fact most of the big breakthroughs against doping in road cycling have come about through things like police raids, the monitoring of cyclists movements, and people opening their mouths when caught and implicating the doctors.

I was reading this thread and was amused that only one person mentioned the possibility that drugs are involved. That possibility has to be considered pretty much any time competitors or a team dramatically improve in pretty much every sport.

 

[London_Calling]

I was reading this thread and was amused that only one person mentioned the possibility that drugs are involved. That possibility has to be considered pretty much any time competitors or a team dramatically improve in pretty much every sport.

So your point is . . . British riders are using more drugs than they have in the past, more than their opponents, better drugs than their opponents . . . can you spell it out, and why can't the improvement be better funding better used ?

 

[Geri]

If I had my time again, I would have gone into competitive cycling instead of wasting all my youth on political activism.

 

[Skimix]

That article makes me feel warm inside. I get so pissed off with the general "well we're a bit shit but what can you do?" attitude in this country, it's great to see someone who not only wants to win but has put in place the infrastructure to make sure it happens. Brilliant. I really hope he can replicate it across the whole of Team GB.

The negative attitude seems to be pervading the whole build up to 2012. "We'll never have an opening ceremony as good as the chinese", "the transport will be shite", "it'll cost too much"...do fuck off...

 

[Skimix]

That possibility has to be considered pretty much any time competitors or a team dramatically improve in pretty much every sport.

Right, but it's not like they were doing the same things and suddenly got better. They are approaching it in a much more professional and focussed way from equipment to diet to training.

 

[JTG]

Given that what Nigel has said re drugs is largely true, all one can do is hope *shrugs*

Having said that, the improvements are demonstrably there in attitude, approach, funding, technology etc etc. Just as there are reasons (covered in the relevant thread) for the slew of swimming world records, there are perfectly above board reasons that can be pointed to for the massive improvement in British cycling.

It's not impossible that drugs are involved of course. But to suspect them any more than you suspect them of any other competitor from any other nation is to ignore the things which are measurably different (and better) in the whole set up of elite cycling in Britain.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

So your point is . . . British riders are using more drugs than they have in the past, more than their opponents, better drugs than their opponents . . .

It could be any of the things you mention above. Or they could just be brilliant, part of an amazingly put together programme or whatever. As JTG put it, we don't know and we can only hope.

But in any sport where endurance, recovery time, power or speed matters, significant improvements in performance will raise eyebrows.

 

[agricola]

Its a great start, but surely we will only have arrived as a nation in cycling terms when there are numerous British domestiques in the Tour? As gratifying as this success is, its the type that is relatively easy to achieve with the right funding and development, but is quite narrow and there is always the danger that the focus will always be on the Olympics.

I would like to see a British company starting to sponsor a Tour side for next year, lord knows they are short of major sponsors and it would be a good next step to further raise the profile of the sport in this country. Boosting the profile of the Tour of Britain would also be welcome, even if its just boosting the price money to ludicrous proportions so that the best teams and riders participate.

 

[stavros]

It was Boardman blowing everyone away, catching the runner up in the final , that first exposed me to professional cycling. I watch all that I can now, am loving the Olympics already and the TdF is my annual sporting highlight.

Not sure if it's been mentioned up thread, but the building of the velodrome in Manchester, for I think their abortive Olympics bid, must also have played a major part, centralising track cycling at a world-leading facility. So many non-altitude world records have fallen there.

 

[twistedAM]

But in any sport where endurance, recovery time, power or speed matters, significant improvements in performance will raise eyebrows.

Team GB has the best equipment any team could hope for and that does buy valuable seconds or at least fractions thereof.
Boardman and his crew have really done a lot for the team in that respect.

 

[Descartes]

The finite attention to detail, the constant awareness of technical improvements, design and technology of bike design, the sports specialists, dieticians, training and exercise all contribute to a ' professional ' attitude to the cycling GB.

Then, the sportsmen and women willing to undergo the restrictive training programs, the constant review of technique and development, physical and mental attitudes, and a proven method of man management...

If only the same dedication, foresight and attitude was prevalent throughout British sport. The ability of management to make the difficult decisions, all contribute to a winning team.

Then you would see bucket loads of medals.

And everyone wanting to take part.

The access to the sport has been its saviour, the multitude of clubs, the ability to ride a bike and to develop and to train and to .... and...now in a proficient and successful manner.

Bikers of GB unite you've nothing to lose but your chains, whoops, that's wrong..

 

[twistedAM]

and yet athletics dominates BBC coverage

no one give a fuck about those lottery-funded showponys

everyone wants cycling these days init

 

[JTG]

Team GB has the best equipment any team could hope for and that does buy valuable seconds or at least fractions thereof.
Boardman and his crew have really done a lot for the team in that respect.

I was reading about some aerodynamically designed wheel nut, they reckoned it was worth 0.005% off the athletes' times - not much but combined with all the other bits and bobs it adds up to something significant

 

[London_Calling]

It could be any of the things you mention above. Or they could just be brilliant, part of an amazingly put together programme or whatever. As JTG put it, we don't know and we can only hope.

Well, if you don't know, why are you "amused" about the enthusiasm in this thread and why was JTG "naive" - you see, it's easy to throw comments like yours around when, in truth, you don't know fuck all ?

Would actualy be interested in some proper analysis about the change in UK track cycling.

 

[twistedAM]

Well, if you don't know, why are you "amused" about the enthusiasm in this thread and why was JTG "naive" - you see, it's easy to throw comments like yours around when, in truth, you don't know fuck all ?

Would actualy be interested in some proper analysis about the change in UK track cycling.

Or he might want to analyse on his boxing thread exactly why a British boxer went home before the games even started.
Was he really overweight?
Was it really just bad preparation?

 

[Stobart Stopper]

Given that the expected medal deluge on the track has begun, thought I'd post this link. You've probably read similar tales in the papers lately but the way in which the cycling people have gone about becoming the world's top cycling nation in short time really astounds me and shows the way for other sports to go.

I think it's brilliant

Lots of things are involved, great dietary advice, proper physios and training, getting lots of sleep between training. Get it all right and you have a winning team.

 

[Stobart Stopper]

If I had my time again, I would have gone into competitive cycling instead of wasting all my youth on political activism.

It's never too late you know. As soon as our local cycle track opens I am getting my bike.

 

[1927]

I was reading about some aerodynamically designed wheel nut, they reckoned it was worth 0.005% off the athletes' times - not much but combined with all the other bits and bobs it adds up to something significant

They were talking about this earlier on Beeb. Something about the marginalisation of reward. If you find something that reduces your time .25%
the if you can find 4 youve got 1%. It all adds up.

 

[London_Calling]

There's also talk of an awful lot of money being spent on researching how the GB race suits could be legitimately altered to produce better results - of course it could al be a smoke screen for the biggest drugs scandal since the East Germans . . . . or not if they want to keep their funding for 2012, imo.


Don't know anything about the boxing guy.