Homebrew01

Discuss the race: Before, During, After

canam73

There's bike races for girls?

chasm54

Fascinating race, actually. If I might get parochially Brit for a moment, the dynamics inside the GB team are one of the most interesting features. It seems clear that Lizzie Armitstead will be the team leader. But it is not at all clear that Nicole Cooke, the current Olympic champion, will be prepared to sacrifice her own medal chances. There was a wonderful public row between the two after the worlds last year, when Armitstead accused Cooke of abandoning her at the finish and riding for herself.

As for the "bike races for girls" crack, watching the women's racing is just as interesting as the men's. Often it's more animated, actually. One of the best things that could happen to the sport is for a few big sponsors to come in and make it more possible for women to make a living at the game. There's no shortage of talent, it just has almost nowhere to go.

Trucker Dan

This is like watching a cat 5 race. Lots of stupid crashes and weak attacks.

gsteinb

evie, no doubt, would crush most guys who have ever viewed this board. women's racing as a whole is kinda painful to watch though.

chasm54

Got to be pleased for Vos, she's been the top road racer for a very long time. Thoroughly entertaining stuff, I thought.

TommyL

Even with less riders, you could tell there is a much bigger spread of talent in the field. When 3 riders can just ride away from the field for 40k+, despite an organized peloton, it makes for less interesting tactics and a less interesting race. Nobody can do that in men's field, which to me makes men's more interesting.

Vos is just that much better. Crazy.

chasm54

Well, I agree there is a much bigger spread of talent in the field. But I've seen plenty of stages and, especially, one-day men's races in which small groups, or even single riders, have just ridden away from the field. Nibali/ Iglinsky in this year's LBL?

TommyL

45km off the front. Pancake flat. Full peloton working together is unable to close the gap and actually lose time on the leaders until the very end. None of those three describes LBL this year. It's not even close to the same, really.

DiabloScott

Agreed, this is not much like LBL... but the tactics are much more like a classic than a Tour stage, the "full peloton" was only 65 women, none of the teams had more than three riders, and the two strongest teams both had their best women in the break.

chasm54

The full peloton wasn't really working together, not until pretty close to the end, anyway. Just about five or six riders with the German doing too much work on her own. So not the same, no, but like Diablo says, much more like a classic, in which small breaks aren't uncommon.

Anyway, I enjoyed it. Ballsy effort from the front three and deserved win by one of the best ever women road racers.

TommyL

Yeah, I definitely don't want to take anything away from the effort put in by the breakaway, or the accomplishments of the medal winners. That being said, I will probably not go out of my way to watch a women's race again.

I do love the small team aspect. It was an interesting dynamic change for riders to figure out.

Flaneur

Well the teams that were most active- The US, GB and the Netherlands- were represented in the break, which is a reward for organisation, effort and commitment. The Italians were a bit unlucky with mechanicals. The Canadians, Germans and Aussies will probably be having more post-race recriminations than most.

Vos is a top rider and worthy winner. Armitstead rode a smart race and made the sprint closer than most would have envisaged.