"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Men's Olympic RR (SPOILER!)

What the heck was GB thinking yesterday?

I watched most of the race live (split screen with other events) and they tried the same tactic as if it was a tour stage for a 1 day race. Seriously?

First mistake was to be all cocky and basically tell everyone it was Cav's race to lose; All the other teams to GB, "Thanks for the heads up..."

The second mistake was to ride the race like a tour stage. At the tour they could let guys go up the road and only had to mark 2 or three riders. In the Olympic RR they let guys like Menchov, Vino, Cancellara, Niboli go up the road WITH TEAM MATES. Then they thought they could just bring it back after riding all day on the front with just 4 guys working?

That had to be the dumbest overall tactic I've seen in a long time!!!

GB was WAY over confident and I, for one, am glad to see it bite them in the ass. That was some seriously stupid racing. And where did CAV finish in the bunch sprint without his train? Third?

Jeebus H Keyrist!

Mods, could you fix the typo in the title, please?

I was disappointed to see Cancellara crash. He would have made the last 3k a little more interesting. I wanted to see who was going to get his wheel and come around him for the win :)

Taylor in 4th! In a few months he might get a nice medal in the mail...

I was disappointed to see Cancellara crash. He would have made the last 3k a little more interesting. I wanted to see who was going to get his wheel and come around him for the win :)

Taylor in 4th! In a few months he might get a nice medal in the mail...

Yeah, that crash changed the entire dynamic of the finish. Then Vino stole Cancellara's move to win.

I couldn't see how well the US riders organised for Taylor. I know TJ was working to keep the move away in the last 20km but did Taylor get a wheel? Or did he get there on his own?

many people screwed up in that race, tactically.
GB's squad thought they deserved to win and all others would just lay down. Even if they made the leadout their legs would have been shot! Maybe they thought they had 9 instead of 5 on the team. Every other team had someone in the lead group so of course nobody really offered to help bring back the leaders.
Poor Fabian, I was waiting for him to make a move- but he misjudged the corner. At least x-rays are neg.
The 3 Americans should have been grouped together and not have Tejay pulling at the front. He is too good to just waste his legs like that. They could have tried a leadout and see what might have happened.
When Alexander Vinokourov made his move only one person chased---that was a huge F-up! Huge.
What the heck was that Columbian rider thinking?!? Turing your back on an experienced rider that close to the finish!
Easier to talk sitting here and not on the bike for such a distance, but errors were made by some great riders.

It all seems so simple, doesn't it?

Did Cancellara get interviewed anywhere after the race? Looking at the coverage I wonder if the camera moto somewhat contributed to his crash by either obstructing his view of the turn or causing him to take a different line.

It all seems so simple, doesn't it?

Sure! I always know exactly what I did wrong after a race. Applying that to someone else or their team is a breeze.

I was disappointed to see Cancellara crash. He would have made the last 3k a little more interesting. I wanted to see who was going to get his wheel and come around him for the win :)

Taylor in 4th! In a few months he might get a nice medal in the mail...
i say 50:50 chance that Vino gets caught

Did Cancellara get interviewed anywhere after the race? Looking at the coverage I wonder if the camera moto somewhat contributed to his crash by either obstructing his view of the turn or causing him to take a different line.

Looked to me like there was a decent gap to the motorcycle.

where's our very own Vinokurtov to give his take on things?

Hopefully you folks have emailed the teams in question so they will know to come to this thread for advice.

Hopefully you folks have emailed the teams in question so they will know to come to this thread for advice.

I forgot that only those with a Pro-Tour license can have an opinion...

I couldn't believe it when the Colombian looked back (on the inside!) at just over 200m. I'm wondering what GB should have done as the break was getting established... Sacrificed someone to get Cav across?

I couldn't believe it when the Colombian looked back (on the inside!) at just over 200m. I'm wondering what GB should have done as the break was getting established... Sacrificed someone to get Cav across?

Yeah, the kid totally blew that one. I also wondered what Vino said to him just before that?

I think GB could have started the chase in earnest long before they did. They had to react as guys jumped out of the group instead of just setting tempo at the front and letting the break swell with so many strong riders.

If they'd have had 1 guy marking the break a lot earlier I don't think it would have stuck.

Really, I think they lost the race before it even started. They just talked it up too much and all the other teams just hung them out to dry. I think it was Lemond who said that if the peloton doesn't want you to win, you won't. I think this was a perfect example. There may have not been anything GB could have done as everyone else was racing against them.

But what do I know? I'm not a professional rider...

jeesh, bdop - of all the folks in this thread, you have as much leeway to talk as you want.
Anyone with your experience & foxiness gets a pass from me.

Yeah, the kid totally blew that one. I also wondered what Vino said to him just before that?

On your left. :)

On your left. :)

:lol:

Yeah, the kid totally blew that one. I also wondered what Vino said to him just before that?

"do you want to fight for a gold medal, or do you want a silver medal and €100k (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/emails-between-vinokourov-and-kolobnev-published)?"

;)

or better yet: kid, you know, i'm doped to the gills right now. Just give me the limelight and the actual medal will be yours in a year.

On your left. :)

:thumb:

On your left. :)


ROFL!! Funniest thing I have read all week. Kudos to you.

On your left. :)

Funny.

my thoughts on the olympic men's rr:

strange race. love the way vino rides, always have, but gee whiz one cant help but be skeptical about this result.

uran, i cant understand what he was thinking. maybe his mind was on how he'd spend the money vino agreed to give him.

cancellara has been spending too much time with the schlecks. that crash was amateur at best and directly the result of him not paying attention to what he was doing. big WTF on that.

sky, er i mean, great britain, nice race. you too germany. and belgium. and australia.

foot note: worst opening ceremonies ever. that would have been bad if it was ice capades, for the olympic opening ceremonies, it was an embarrassment. back in the good old days, someone would get their head chopped off. only good part of the opening ceremonies was camera shots of princess kate. she's got it going on.

my thoughts on the olympic men's rr:

strange race. love the way vino rides, always have, but gee whiz one cant help but be skeptical about this result.

uran, i cant understand what he was thinking. maybe his mind was on how he'd spend the money vino agreed to give him.

cancellara has been spending too much time with the schlecks. that crash was amateur at best and directly the result of him not paying attention to what he was doing. big WTF on that.

sky, er i mean, great britain, nice race. you too germany. and belgium. and australia.

foot note: worst opening ceremonies ever. that would have been bad if it was ice capades, for the olympic opening ceremonies, it was an embarrassment. back in the good old days, someone would get their head chopped off. only good part of the opening ceremonies was camera shots of princess kate. she's got it going on.

please god, don't let me become the 2010's version of andres escobar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrés_Escobar)!

please god, don't let me become the 2010's version of andres escobar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrés_Escobar)!
in which case, the fact that he attacked over the top to bridge to the break and then slipped away with Vino would have been sufficient as no one in their right mind would bet that Colombia would be getting a medal from the road race

I just thought it was hilarious Vino wasn't mentioned once as during the race, and went to win the damn thing. :lol:

I forgot that only those with a Pro-Tour license can have an opinion...

It's not about having an opinion. I have opinions about the race myself. But as a drunk, washed-up, worse-than-mediocre ex-pro who hasn't entered a race in two decades I still have enough sense to know that sharing my opinions about the best road racers in the world would only make me look like a schmuck.

So I'm not surprised that people have opinions. I'm just surprised that nobodies on the internet have such poorly developed senses of shame that they think their opinions about top professionals are worth sharing, especially in such arrogant and authoritative terms. It's pretty much guaranteed that you lot wouldn't have quite so much to say to the faces of the folks you're talking about.

where's our very own Vinokurtov to give his take on things?

GB: announced their race tactics to the world then stuck to their motto of "It wouldn't be cricket to do otherwise, now would it?".

Chase down every break in a 150+ mile road race with 4 guys and still have a lead out train...unlikely. Refusing to send anyone off in a break where they could force other teams to work or sabotage it from within meant they were on their back foot all day. They should have watched their worlds win and asked themselves what would have happened if they had half the team there.

Germany: There was zero question that they were 100, er 80, er 62% behind Andrei the Giant.

Vino vs. Uran: I'm sure if Uran had payed closer attention he would have won that sprint. At which point Rosario Dawson would announce that she was having my love child and I would return to my original planet in a spacecraft fashioned from Charlie Sheen's crack pipes to avoid child support payments. Am I the only one that saw this? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cGK25uZwpc)

Huh?: Quick, name the last 3 bronze medal winners...There were several teams that had two riders in that break when Uran went and Vino followed. I'll assume they were gassed and had nothing left. No excuse for that move sticking otherwise.

Cav: He's dead wrong about the other teams riding negatively. Or did he miss all those people shooting up the road all day? That's called racing your flippin bike. Chasing everything down is called negative racing. What he meant to say is he couldn't understand why Australia wouldn't chase down their own guy to help him win. Or why any of the other 18 or so countries that had guys in the break wouldn't help him. Because, you know, he's Cav. And he got his teeth fixed.

Alexander Kristoff: Norway's answer to...um, what was the question again?

Best quote of the games so far:

"If Vino says 'it's a victory for clean cycling" he'd be my hero. Alternatively if he said 'f*** every single mother******* one of you,' that would work too." - Floyd Landis

The Olympic Legacy: After having to listen to Paul and whoever, it's nice to know that the tradition of mindless repetitive announcing will continue. I felt like I was having hot Velveeta poured into my ears for most of the broadcast.

It's not about having an opinion. I have opinions about the race myself. But as a drunk, washed-up, worse-than-mediocre ex-pro who hasn't entered a race in two decades I still have enough sense to know that sharing my opinions about the best road racers in the world would only make me look like a schmuck.

Puh-lease.

So what you're saying is that only those who have ridden in the Olympics can talk about the Olympic RR? Then why bother having a RR forum to begin with? Isn't this the very place for schmucks to share their opinions?

And...am I wrong? If so, tell me why you think so and we can have what's known as a 'conversation'. Maybe others could join in, too?


So I'm not surprised that people have opinions. I'm just surprised that nobodies on the internet have such poorly developed senses of shame that they think their opinions about top professionals are worth sharing, especially in such arrogant and authoritative terms. It's pretty much guaranteed that you lot wouldn't have quite so much to say to the faces of the folks you're talking about.

Your guarantees ain't worth much.

I still have enough sense to know that sharing my opinions about the best road racers in the world would only make me look like a schmuck.

Without reading them we'll have to take your word for that. You would know best.

GB: announced their race tactics to the world then stuck to their motto of "It wouldn't be cricket to do otherwise, now would it?".

Chase down every break in a 150+ mile road race with 4 guys and still have a lead out train...unlikely. Refusing to send anyone off in a break where they could force other teams to work or sabotage it from within meant they were on their back foot all day. They should have watched their worlds win and asked themselves what would have happened if they had half the team there.

Germany: There was zero question that they were 100, er 80, er 62% behind Andrei the Giant.

Vino vs. Uran: I'm sure if Uran had payed closer attention he would have won that sprint. At which point Rosario Dawson would announce that she was having my love child and I would return to my original planet in a spacecraft fashioned from Charlie Sheen's crack pipes to avoid child support payments. Am I the only one that saw this? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cGK25uZwpc)

Huh?: Quick, name the last 3 bronze medal winners...There were several teams that had two riders in that break when Uran went and Vino followed. I'll assume they were gassed and had nothing left. No excuse for that move sticking otherwise.

Cav: He's dead wrong about the other teams riding negatively. Or did he miss all those people shooting up the road all day? That's called racing your flippin bike. Chasing everything down is called negative racing. What he meant to say is he couldn't understand why Australia wouldn't chase down their own guy to help him win. Or why any of the other 18 or so countries that had guys in the break wouldn't help him. Because, you know, he's Cav. And he got his teeth fixed.

Alexander Kristoff: Norway's answer to...um, what was the question again?

Best quote of the games so far:

"If Vino says 'it's a victory for clean cycling" he'd be my hero. Alternatively if he said 'f*** every single mother******* one of you,' that would work too." - Floyd Landis

The Olympic Legacy: After having to listen to Paul and whoever, it's nice to know that the tradition of mindless repetitive announcing will continue. I felt like I was having hot Velveeta poured into my ears for most of the broadcast.

superb!

So I'm not surprised that people have opinions. I'm just surprised that nobodies on the internet have such poorly developed senses of shame that they think their opinions about top professionals are worth sharing, especially in such arrogant and authoritative terms. It's pretty much guaranteed that you lot wouldn't have quite so much to say to the faces of the folks you're talking about.

I don't think that's true at all. I'd love the opportunity to discuss all this with Wiggins and Cavs over a beer, and ask them the same questions that are being talked about in this thread. Doubt I'll get that opportunity though.

This is what sports fans do. You don't have to have played in a Super Bowl to question why the Quarter back audibled to a pass and threw an interception.

If the only acceptable discussion is "wow these guys are gods", then it's not going to be much fun to talk about races.

superb!

+1 lmfao

It's not about having an opinion. I have opinions about the race myself. But as a drunk, washed-up, worse-than-mediocre ex-pro who hasn't entered a race in two decades I still have enough sense to know that sharing my opinions about the best road racers in the world would only make me look like a schmuck.

So I'm not surprised that people have opinions. I'm just surprised that nobodies on the internet have such poorly developed senses of shame that they think their opinions about top professionals are worth sharing, especially in such arrogant and authoritative terms. It's pretty much guaranteed that you lot wouldn't have quite so much to say to the faces of the folks you're talking about.

That's just absolute and utter drivel. Before the internet (and still) folks talk, debate, argue over sporting events in bars, offices, on the streets...And not just sporting events...books, movies, TV shows, politics.... Folks debate the end of the Harry Potter series...should they not because they're not experts in Potter? Because they didn't write it?

It's BS to think this a new phenomenon or to consider oneself superior for calling folks out on it.

The 3 Americans should have been grouped together and not have Tejay pulling at the front. He is too good to just waste his legs like that. They could have tried a leadout and see what might have happened.

I disagree. Team USA rode their best national team event in literally decades. What use is a leadout if the group doesn't stay away? No. They put Duggan in the early break - smart. Then Phinney and Tejay came across at the top of Box Hill on different laps - smart. Then when the front group was away, Tejay realized that the USA had a serious medal contender in that group with Taylor Phinney, so went to the front and helped drill it to make the move stick - smart. He also tried to close down Vino and Uran, but it seemed like he was pretty cooked by then. There was just nothing left in the tank for a leadout after 250 km, and that was true of pretty much all the teams in the front group. It came down to Kristoff being a bit faster on the day. You can't take anything away from Taylor to be 4th after a 250 km road race against an international field of that class. Not a medal, but a huge result for the USA compared to years past. And USA Cycling should be feeling like idiots for keeping Horner out of the Olympics for so long. His personality annoys the crap outta me, but he's unquestionably a brilliant team captain. It's too bad he won't be there next time. But I think this year Tejay and Taylor have shown just how powerful they're going to be in international cycling over the next few years.

As for the claims that Uran sold the race - I think that's bogus. And hugely disrespectful to the guy to suggest that he did it. That's all I have to say about that.

As for team GB, thinking that four riders could control a 250 km one day race was hugely over-optimistic. Especially because they had to keep the pace on Box Hill down to just enough to let Cav hang on. And that's why riders were able to roll away at the top, they just couldn't go fast enough to really discourage attacks. I can't fault GB for having a plan and riding it flawlessly. I can fault them for being inflexible and for the stupid complaints about "negative racing" from teams that had a more balanced strategy and executed it appropriately.

Vino vs. Uran: I'm sure if Uran had payed closer attention he would have won that sprint. At which point Rosario Dawson would announce that she was having my love child and I would return to my original planet in a spacecraft fashioned from Charlie Sheen's crack pipes to avoid child support payments. Am I the only one that saw this? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cGK25uZwpc)

Huh?: Quick, name the last 3 bronze medal winners...There were several teams that had two riders in that break when Uran went and Vino followed. I'll assume they were gassed and had nothing left. No excuse for that move sticking otherwise.



i didn't look at Wiki, but i believe it went: Cancellara/Kolovnev in 08, Axel Merckx in 04, and Vino in 00? Can't remember who won it in 96.

also, this video is much better. that music in the other video is atrocious


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI4QfcW7qnY

^^^
'96 Oly bronze went to Max Sciandri, behind silver Rolf Sorenson and gold Pascal Richard

The only reason we may ever remember who got silver in the 2012 race, is for the insanity of Uran looking left. I am 100% sure he was bought and 100k sounds like a deal for Vino. Easily could be more like 250k

please god, don't let me become the 2010's version of andres escobar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrés_Escobar)!

ooof, that'd be a bad deal if he was bought

^^^
'96 Oly bronze went to Max Sciandri, behind silver Rolf Sorenson and gold Pascal Richard

The only reason we may ever remember who got silver in the 2012 race, is for the insanity of Uran looking left. I am 100% sure he was bought and 100k sounds like a deal for Vino. Easily could be more like 250k

and poor frankie andreu got 4th, after initially working for big tex, who was on a bad day but wouldn't admit it.

and poor frankie andreu got 4th, after initially working for big tex, who was on a bad day but wouldn't admit it.

and then an even worse October

I am 100% sure he was bought and 100k sounds like a deal for Vino. Easily could be more like 250k

LBL, probably. Here, I doubt it, mostly because unless Vino pulls out of his pedal like he did at the Tour, he wins that sprint every time.

But if there was a deal Uran's bad at budgeting. A gold for Columbia would be worth a lot more than $250k. National heroes make bank.

LBL, probably. Here, I doubt it, mostly because unless Vino pulls out of his pedal like he did at the Tour, he wins that sprint every time.

But if there was a deal Uran's bad at budgeting. A gold for Columbia would be worth a lot more than $250k. National heroes make bank.

yep. there's only one colombian gold medalist. in weight lifting, i believe.

apparently she was so poor, she won her gold wearing borrowed shoes.

If you have a secret deal at the sprint, wouldn't you at least pretend to contest it ?

who the fudge came up with the pink color scheme for the olympics?

LBL, probably. Here, I doubt it, mostly because unless Vino pulls out of his pedal like he did at the Tour, he wins that sprint every time.

But if there was a deal Uran's bad at budgeting. A gold for Columbia would be worth a lot more than $250k. National heroes make bank.

Yeah, I just don't see how Vino would need any deal. He's going to beat Uran every time, and Uran's motivated to help keep the 2 of them clear coming up to the sprint because he gets a silver, as oppossed to nothing if they're caught. So Uran didn't have anything worth paying for.

Exactly. For Uran to look left at that moment was dumb, but it hardly constitutes evidence that Vino bought the win. Especially since Vino would leave Uran for dead in any sprint, no question. Kolobnev is a sprinting threat at the end of a Classic-length race. Uran isn't. Pretty simple financial calculus for both Vino (in not making an offer) and Uran (who would likely refuse any offer Vino could make).

What does it take to have an opinion on something? I've never murdered anyone, but I've got a reasonably firm opinion on the matter.

As for the claims that Uran sold the race - I think that's bogus. And hugely disrespectful to the guy to suggest that he did it. That's all I have to say about that.

i think it's hugely over dramatic to get pissy when people make tongue in cheek comments related to vino's shady past on a message board. hugely.

Pro sports are where they are BECAUSE people have opinions and banter on about them. How is cycling any different from the rest of the pro sports?