Road Bike Racing - Some thoughts on the Olympic mens RR?

G'day,

I haven't seen to many comments on the forum about the Olympic RR, so I thought I would start the ball rolling.

1/ It's only a matter of time before some one gets seriously sick from racing this type of race. Not only was the air temperature well over 30c, but the ambient heat from the road & the buildings would of made it almost unbearable. I saw interviews with O'grady & McEwen (amongest others) at the end & both were totally exhausted. Is it any wonder that the PRo's don't rate the Olympic RR to highly when they are traeted like this! .I suppose it shoulda been obvious that TV would rule the day again!

2/ I love Big maggie!. How a bloke as big & heavy as him can match it with all the 'muppets' on a course like that, never ceases to amaze me. I was kinda hoping he could stay away, but knew it wouldn't happen.

3/ A lot of the more experienced pro's got caught out a little tactically. It's obviously harder to control a race with only 5 on a team than the 8 or 9 they would be used to in other races. The Germans, Aussies, French & to some extent the US, wasted alot of energy trying to control the race using 'pro team' tactics. The italians were virtually unsighted until about the halfway point. they had a man in every break after that who either didn't do turns, or soft pedalled waiting for Bettini....what a great ride!

4/ the 7 or 8 man break with McEwen in it, could well of stayed away if they were committed. I understand totally why they weren't, (mcEwen being the strongest sprinter & all), but sometimes you've gotta be prepared to lose in order to win....none of those guys got a medal, 3 of them might of if they worked.

5/ What a great course!......just as well it didn't rain...& too bad they didn't start the race at 9am.

so....what were your thoughts/observations,

cheers,

Hitchy

Prerfer the smaller teams-more emphasis on the individual rather than the team. Better with 3 riders per country than 9 man teams or even 5 man teams.

Hats off to Bettini. A salute to Paulinho and Merckx too. All three showed the peloton who was boss.

Hated the course. It was a freaking crit, not a road race. The buildings and landmarks got publicity, whoopee. Why couldn't they have staged the race further out of the city where there's better (smoother, wider) road surfaces? It was like a bad roller coaster track.

I thought the course was brutal - short sharp hills, cobbles....heck, they actually had to steer their bikes! :rolleyes: Sure, it would've been nice to have a point to point race, but there are certain realities of running a race like this you can't ignore. One question I had though - where the heck are all the spectators????

Man, Bettini was so happy and Paulinho was utterly shagged. Somebody give that man a Coke.

I thought it was hilarious people saying that Armstrong was considering racing the Olympics, but out of the kindness of his heart gave his spot to Leipheimer. Sure he did. I think it's plainly obvious that all he concentrates on is the TdF. Why is he not racing in the ITT?

One question I had though - where the heck are all the spectators????

You ask a very poignant question. The interesting thing is that the CyclingNews.Com reporter posted the same question/comment in almost every other update to the live running commentary during the men's road race. The fact of the matter is that Olympic spectatorship turnout has been seriously lacking. Have you seen any of the other events? As the camera pans across the gymnastics competitions (the most favourite and historically most attended events), you can see a sea of empty seats. I understand that the IOC is really concerned about this. They're now literally trying to drag people in off the streets and giving out free event tickets to anyone they can find. This would not be the first time they've done this. I think maybe the Olympics are starting to become irrelevant. I wonder if this is a result of opening it up to the pros which had started in the 80s for a few events but is pretty much rampant now throughout the entire Games. I for one feel that it has changed (diminished?) the spirit of the competitions. To be honest, I've gradually been finding the Olympics as a whole to be rather unexciting and have found myself resorting to tuning into the Boomerang Channel here because they're showing a Laff-A-Lympics marathon.

I thought it looked like a typical longer crit, the heat must have been a killer along with the air quality in greece. The comment about the big break hits right on, plus there are a few strategies they could have used to put McEwan off his game to give them a bigger a chance of placing first. My only complaint about the course is that it looked very narrow in places with the obvious consequences.

And well, I won't get into the whole pro vs amateur thing.



I thought it was hilarious people saying that Armstrong was considering racing the Olympics, but out of the kindness of his heart gave his spot to Leipheimer. Sure he did. I think it's plainly obvious that all he concentrates on is the TdF. Why is he not racing in the ITT?

I never heard the kindness of his heart comment, more along the lines that he wanted to spend some time at home, rather than go basically straight from France to Greece with maybe a week or two between traveling.

Either way, Lance already has his Olympic medals, granted he never got Gold, but he's shown up before.

Andrew

I think part of the reason why attendance is so lacking is because of security concerns. I mean, we're living in a different type of mindset since 9-11, and so many people are so scared about what might happen that they've decided to forego the Olympics, which is too bad, because Athens is a beautiful place! I seriously thought there would be no way I'd be able to find a room or a flight, so I didn't plan on going, but damn, that was all wrong, because people are too scared to go! Anyone there in Athens now has the opportunity for prime seating and probably a chance to meet with the athletes that you wouldn't normally get at other Olympics. A shame for the rest of the world, but prime opportunity for those who are there.

On a different note, I don't know how any athlete could have been caught off-guard by weather conditions in Athens. Sheesh, it's always that hot in Athens, and they should have prepared to ride in those kinds of conditions. Besides that, I actually think it's COOLER than normal- I think the high can go up to 35 or 36 C easily, so they better be glad it didn't get over 30 C for a change.

I still haven't had the time yet to see the road races I taped- I've had the weekend from hell with travelling all over the place, plus having my bike luggage and my checked bags LOST by United (effing scumbags) and dealing with that for the rest of the weekend.... so unfortunately, no comments on the races as of yet.

Koffee

I think part of the reason why attendance is so lacking is because of security concerns. I mean, we're living in a different type of mindset since 9-11, and so many people are so scared about what might happen that they've decided to forego the Olympics, which is too bad, because Athens is a beautiful place! I seriously thought there would be no way I'd be able to find a room or a flight, so I didn't plan on going, but damn, that was all wrong, because people are too scared to go! Anyone there in Athens now has the opportunity for prime seating and probably a chance to meet with the athletes that you wouldn't normally get at other Olympics. A shame for the rest of the world, but prime opportunity for those who are there.

I remember that Seoul and Sydney had very low attendance too. The IOC was handing out tickets on the streets during those two Olympics also. They even went so far as to collect servicemen and children and shipped them in before. However the winter Olympics in SLC was packed despite it occurring shortly after 9/11. I don't think the security thing is as big a deal... certainly a factour but not a huge one. I think it has to do with general lack of interest (I'm rooting more for Team Scooby right now than Team USA and I've already seen half these Laff-A-Lympic episodes), economic factours ("Let's see food for the next couple of months or go watch a bunch of little girls jumping around on a gym mat?"), ease of travel (disregarding security hassles) and to some extent the doping scandals. Apparently the local Greek turnout is low because one of their defending champions got the boot due to a doping investigation.

I remember that Seoul and Sydney had very low attendance too. The IOC was handing out tickets on the streets during those two Olympics also. They even went so far as to collect serviceman and children and shipped them in before. However the winter Olympics in SLC was packed despite it occurring shortly after 9/11. I don't think the security thing is as big a deal... certainly a factour but not a huge one. I think it has to do with general lack of interest (I'm rooting more for Team Scooby right now than Team USA and I've already seen half these Laff-A-Lympic episodes), economic factours ("Let's see food for the next couple of months or go watch a bunch of little girls jumping around on a gym mat?"), ease of travel (disregarding security hassles) and to some extent the doping scandals. Apparently the local Greek turnout is low because one of their defending champions got the boot due to a doping investigation.

To be honest I think people are a little tired of all the doping scandals associated with the Olympics. As for home viewership I don't think NBC could ruin anything to the level they have ruined the Olympics. The coverage is just plain bad and has been since they got control of them.

As for security concerns I have to agree with that. I could have been there working for NBC but I have a family and I didn't feel comforable risking my life for a few bucks.

To be honest I think people are a little tired of all the doping scandals associated with the Olympics. As for home viewership I don't think NBC could ruin anything to the level they have ruined the Olympics. The coverage is just plain bad and has been since they got control of them.

As for security concerns I have to agree with that. I could have been there working for NBC but I have a family and I didn't feel comforable risking my life for a few bucks.
Not just doping scandals but all the currupt business partnership BS that goes along with it. Remember Salt Lake last year?

Personally I could give 2 sthits. I think going pro also has a lot to do with it...

Disgraceful running a race over such parcours starting at lunchtime......temperatures hit 36 degrees in the shade out there. The refected heat from the road, cobbles, buildings etc would have been murderous....you only had to lok at some of the post race photos to see the effect on the riders.
Apparently done so it teed up nicely with European prime time for the finish.

I do have to say, I wish they would turn the Olympics back into what it used to be- competition between the amateurs, leaving out the professionals. I don't know why or at what point it was decided that professionals could compete, but it certainly does take some of the fun out of it for me. I like rooting for the local boys and gals, and seeing the ones who gave it all up for the opportunity to medal. Nowadays, it's mostly big name folks, and the pros usually end up winning everything anyways. It's just not as interesting anymore for me. I watch the cycling because I like it, but that's about it for the summer. Oh, and I hate a lot of the new "sporting events" they have that I just don't think are at all worth thinking about. And have you guys seen the commercials where they are now trying to make poker part of the Olympic game lineup? Sheesh, where will it end!

Koffee

I do have to say, I wish they would turn the Olympics back into what it used to be- competition between the amateurs, leaving out the professionals. I don't know why or at what point it was decided that professionals could compete, but it certainly does take some of the fun out of it for me. I like rooting for the local boys and gals, and seeing the ones who gave it all up for the opportunity to medal. Nowadays, it's mostly big name folks, and the pros usually end up winning everything anyways. It's just not as interesting anymore for me. I watch the cycling because I like it, but that's about it for the summer. Oh, and I hate a lot of the new "sporting events" they have that I just don't think are at all worth thinking about. And have you guys seen the commercials where they are now trying to make poker part of the Olympic game lineup? Sheesh, where will it end!

Koffee


Agree 100%. Pros or more specifically, the new "Elite" class, crashed the Olympics for the first time in 1996 in Atlanta.

Take it back to the good old days on the road and track. I've still got my trusty old VHS tape of Olaf Ludwig winning in Seoul!

I don't remember too much of the race...because...NBC didn't cover it well. Every friggin 15min they would break to commercial then return to some other Olympic event.

I don't remember too much of the race...because...NBC didn't cover it well. Every friggin 15min they would break to commercial then return to some other Olympic event.

Aussies are lucky enough to have two stations covering the games....a shamelessly Aussie-focussed big commercial station that would have you believe swimming is the only Olympic sport and a government station.

Live coverage of the whole race, with Captain Phil steering the ship.

Aussies are lucky enough to have two stations covering the games...

NBC actually has about a half-dozen stations covering the games (including Telemundo which I guess is great for soccer ;)) but they still flip around their coverage. What really annoyed me was that of the stations dedicated to cover the Olympics all of them save one was airing "paid programming" during the time of the men's road race. And that one station that was doing any kind of Olympic broadcast was replaying the opening ceremonies. Ahh well, the quality of NBC coverage even when they do try just blows anyways.

It's just not as interesting anymore for me. I watch the cycling because I like it, but that's about it for the summer.

I enjoyed the cycling but I had to keep reminding myself that it was an Olympic event which is supposed to "feel" different to me... only it didn't and I was a little depressed over that. I still am waiting to see Olympic cycling. ;)

Aussies are lucky enough to have two stations covering the games....a shamelessly Aussie-focussed big commercial station that would have you believe swimming is the only Olympic sport and a government station.

Live coverage of the whole race, with Captain Phil steering the ship.


G'day,

woo hoo...wasn't it good too?....now if we can just have Andrew Orsatta sent to cover the 'bog snorkelling' it'll be perfect.......cracked me up when Phil said, (when the spaniards are rolling around on the ground after the bingle), "i think the Spanish team is in a spot of bother"

cheers,

Hitchy

G'day,

woo hoo...wasn't it good too?....now if we can just have Andrew Orsatta sent to cover the 'bog snorkelling' it'll be perfect.......cracked me up when Phil said, (when the spaniards are rolling around on the ground after the bingle), "i think the Spanish team is in a spot of bother"

cheers,

Hitchy

I'm surprised those bloodthirsty pigeons didn't move in for the kill.....

I do have to say, I wish they would turn the Olympics back into what it used to be- competition between the amateurs, leaving out the professionals. I don't know why or at what point it was decided that professionals could compete, but it certainly does take some of the fun out of it for me. I like rooting for the local boys and gals, and seeing the ones who gave it all up for the opportunity to medal. Nowadays, it's mostly big name folks, and the pros usually end up winning everything anyways. It's just not as interesting anymore for me. I watch the cycling because I like it, but that's about it for the summer. Oh, and I hate a lot of the new "sporting events" they have that I just don't think are at all worth thinking about. And have you guys seen the commercials where they are now trying to make poker part of the Olympic game lineup? Sheesh, where will it end!

Koffee

They let the "Pros" in for one good reason.
Some countries abused it, big time.
Thier amateur athletes lived in goverment sponsored housing. Ate government sponsored meals. Everything in thier lives was government sponsored. Thier only responsibility was, to practice and compete. They were, in effect, professionals. But since they didn't directly get paid, they weren't considered as such. But it was not a level playing field by any stretch. I have tremendous respect for the true amateurs who competed in those days, against those Olympic juggernauts, and won. Like the Miracle hockey team.
Finally they decided to just let pros compete against pros.
It has cheapened the whole thing as far as I'm concerned. But I understand why they had to do it.

I'm sure more fans declined to attend due to security hassles than concern about terrorists.

CBC coverage was live but they kept jumping to other events as well. I figured they wouldn't show the entire thing.

As for the heat, no matter what time they started it would still have been hot. If they'd started at 10 am , it would have ended late in the afternoon. Maybe if they'd started at 6 am, or done it at night. I can't remember atlanta's race, that is, the weather. IT's incredibly hot in atlanta in the summer. I remember the women's road race in 96 it rained. THe women were a bit luckier than the men this time, it wasn't as hot. Anyways, I had picked bettini for the win, but the other two, i never would have picked. I was curious as to when was the last time a belgian won in the road race; it was 1964, Walter Godefroot got a bronze, and in 1960 another belgian won a bronze, I can't recall his name now.

RR in Barcelona started very early (I think about 8.30am, from memory) to avoid this exact problem.....not good for the riders, coz they have to get up so much earlier to eat and prepare.

Is it as hot in Barcelona? Just wondering, seriously.

Greece this time of year is just horrifying. It starts getting hot all the time starting in June and I don't think the heat lets up until closer to the end of the year! I would hope that the folks who thought they'd be going to the Olympics would have trained for those conditions. After all, it's the summer Olympics, and unless they plan on going to Australia, Iceland, Alaska, or the top of really high mountains (like the Alps whree it's still snowing), how could they even feign surprise at the heat? I guess if they really wanted to, they could race pre-dawn so that even though it's hot, at least there's no sun beating down on your backs, but that's not realistic.

Koffee

Is it as hot in Barcelona? Just wondering, seriously.

Greece this time of year is just horrifying. It starts getting hot all the time starting in June and I don't think the heat lets up until closer to the end of the year! I would hope that the folks who thought they'd be going to the Olympics would have trained for those conditions. After all, it's the summer Olympics, and unless they plan on going to Australia, Iceland, Alaska, or the top of really high mountains (like the Alps whree it's still snowing), how could they even feign surprise at the heat? I guess if they really wanted to, they could race pre-dawn so that even though it's hot, at least there's no sun beating down on your backs, but that's not realistic.

Koffee


g'day,

who said they are the 'summer olympics'?.....the best olympics ever, Sydney 2000, had them in spring....The bidding cities get to 'outline' when they propse to have the games in their proposal. the fact that Athens decided to hold the games in in middle of summer just shows the total disregard the IOC & the Athens people have for the athletes. Unfortunately, the Olympics aren't about sport anymore...if they were, they would never have given the games to Athens,

cheers,

Hitchy

g'day,

who said they are the 'summer olympics'?.....the best olympics ever, Sydney 2000, had them in spring....The bidding cities get to 'outline' when they propse to have the games in their proposal. the fact that Athens decided to hold the games in in middle of summer just shows the total disregard the IOC & the Athens people have for the athletes. Unfortunately, the Olympics aren't about sport anymore...if they were, they would never have given the games to Athens,

cheers,

Hitchy


exactly. :)

They let the "Pros" in for one good reason.
Some countries abused it, big time.
Thier amateur athletes lived in goverment sponsored housing. Ate government sponsored meals. Everything in thier lives was government sponsored. Thier only responsibility was, to practice and compete. They were, in effect, professionals. But since they didn't directly get paid, they weren't considered as such. But it was not a level playing field by any stretch. I have tremendous respect for the true amateurs who competed in those days, against those Olympic juggernauts, and won. Like the Miracle hockey team.
Finally they decided to just let pros compete against pros.
It has cheapened the whole thing as far as I'm concerned. But I understand why they had to do it.

Yea but now it's just about winning and getting that corporate logo up there on the podium. Who cares if other countries have there Pro Amature set ups. In our country now the kid that shows talent in High School maybe not pro talent but indeed has talent won't stand a chance of even competing in the games because some multimillionaire pro will be in there to fatten his ego with a gold medal big deal. When USA beat the Russian 'Pro' team in the 80 olympics it was a landmark event. That will never ever happen again.

I've spoken to a lot of people, and most believe that 90-95% of the athletes are taking some kind of performance enhancing drugs. Most think that athletes that get caught were just too lazy and didn't do their homework in covering up. Hearing that, I can understand the turnoff from the olympics in general. People watch olympics to be inspired and believing they can do the same if they work hard enough.