Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

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Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by JAFO »

Olympics today.

Well that's hilarious. Apparently there are no team radios allowed in the cycling, and from what I saw, the gaps weren't being communicated. In today's women's race, an Austrian cyclist, Anna Kiesenhofer led from the start, and with 2 others built up a 10 minute lead. The other two flagged and were caught, but Kiesenhofer stayed clear and won by 2 minutes. Annemiek van Vleuten came second, but she and all the others racers thought the lead group had all been caught.

Very poor management. Drinks weren't being handed out very well either, so bad work by the organisers all round.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

^^^ My knowledge of these tactical nuances is limited, but what about Well Done to the girl who won? She took responsibility on herself. Good for her.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by JAFO »

I agree. I thought she performed fantastically. The commentators did as well The commentators thought she had just been allowed to get too much of a lead, under very hot conditions in Japan, and had been able to sustain the lead. Unlike team racing, where teams have 6 members, the Olympic national team strength varied between 1 and 5, I believe. I think they said there were (only) 67 starters, so there were fewer riders to initiate a chase. Maybe national teams had qualified to bring varying numbers, based on success over the last 4 years.

So the Dutch runner up celebrated, thinking she had won, along with the rest of the peloton.

In hindsight, the 10 minute lead had dropped to 2 minutes at the end, and I'm pretty sure the peloton would have caught up had they known there was still a rider ahead, and for that not have happened reflects on the race organisation. When you watch the tour de France, say, the riders all have team radios, but also motor bike riders show boards to racers displaying the race situation, and that didn't happen.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by scooter »

Brilliant ride by Kiesenhofer.

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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by Lavaine »

JAFO wrote: Sun Jul 25, 2021 4:48 pm In hindsight, the 10 minute lead had dropped to 2 minutes at the end, and I'm pretty sure the peloton would have caught up had they known there was still a rider ahead, and for that not have happened reflects on the race organisation.
That's a lot of words to say that only 1 rider rode her best race at the (arguably) most important race in the world. If the peleton COULD have caught up, but didn't, then they didn't ride their best, and didn't deserve to win. Simple as that. Don't blame sub-par performance on the race organizers.

Congratulations to Kiesenhofer on a great race.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by JAFO »

That's not it at all.

Anyway, mountain bikes tomorrow, which ought to be between Tom Pidcock and Mathieu Van Der Poel, but you never know. Peter Sagan didn't have a great time in Rio. Go Tom.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by suicidal_orange »

Lavaine wrote: Sun Jul 25, 2021 9:38 pm only 1 rider rode her best race at the (arguably) most important race in the world. If the peleton COULD have caught up, but didn't, then they didn't ride their best, and didn't deserve to win.
Didn't see the race but completely agree with this - on the biggest stage you should be going all out for the world record, get that and the win is usually a given. Sounds like Kiesenhofer tried and only faded at the end so is a deserving winner.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by scooter »

The 2012 Olympic champion Marianne Vos, a member of the Dutch team, has reportedly said that she was fully aware of the race situation, and of the fact that the pre-race favourites were only fighting for silver when they entered the Fuji Speedway in the closing kilometres.

"There were still three riders ahead and we caught two, so I knew there was one more ahead," fifth-placed Vos told Dutch radio.

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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by JAFO »

Sensational Mountain Biking today (finished about 9:30 UK time). I won't spoil it.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

JAFO wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:47 pm Sensational Mountain Biking today (finished about 9:30 UK time). I won't spoil it.
Very enjoyable event.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by Lavaine »

Was watching the mountain biking last night at work, but got called out halfway through. Don't the drunks know the Olympics are on? Very disheartening to see Van Der Poel go down on the first lap.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by JAFO »

^^^^^
Looked an awful crash didn't it?. I was amazed he only lost a minute. The only other one to retire was a Czech guy who had a puncture when he looked like getting bronze.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by Soporsche »

My current employer sponsors/put together the best womens pro team at the moment. Some fierce competitors amongst them and I have to say my interest/enjoyment in cycling has increased significantly through the association with a team. Lots of in company articles, interviews and enthusiasm (and merch)..
Still not quite as much as watching British Superbikes etc but fun for different reasons.
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by sjedwardz »

The mountain bike race was superb. I watched it on the GCN+ app live.

It was a shame about van Der poel as I would have loved to see him and Piddcock fight it out. VdP said he didn’t realise the ramp that was there would need taken out for the race. A bit of a rookie mistake that as when his coach said they were told on multiple occasions and even discussed it.

A good Olympics for Team Ineos, they have two gold medalists in the team now!
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Re: Cycling (Olympics and non Olympics)

Post by JAFO »

The press reporting would have you think Tom Pidcock was new to cycling, and the result was a complete surprise. I thought he had a favourite's chance. For me the section (end of lap 4 or 5, I think) where he slowed and dropped back to third through the feeding zone to have a look at the 2 swiss riders, before overtaking them again on the first hill, and then powering on was a clear sign he was the strongest. That's the sort of manoeuvre you see from the greatest road cyclists.

He made a much-heralded instant smash in his first season on the world tour already, placing highly in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, and the Strade Bianchi, then winning the Brabantse Pijl from Wout van Aert, and narrowly losing a photo finish for the Amstel Gold Race to van Aert. van Aert wowed in the just finished Tour de France.

Pidcock is right up there with van Aert, Remco Evenepoel, and van der Poel as potential Tour De France winners, although Tadej Pogacar, Egan Bernal and others may have have something to say about that. I imagine he would have gone close in the road race that Carapaz won on Saturday. He said he wanted to do the road rave and the MTB next time.
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