Originally Posted by
taras0000
I wouldn't make the F200 it's own event, simply for the fact that the IOC decided to eliminate the Kilo and that was one of the most popular draws in track cycling. Something has to be said about getting a single shot at somehting and having everything ride on that. The stakes are higher. Here the stakes on your qualifying ride are the chance to compete.
Also, to make it it's own event would eliminate it as a sprint event. Track cycling seems to be the easy place for the elimination of events when it comes to IOC medals, and no one eliminated any endurance events. I would keep things the same just to preserve the sprint side of cycling.
It seems that you are looking for reasons to
not change as opposed to looking at the reasons
to change. I think the latter outweigh the former.
If the objective is to see
the very best in an event, then make that event a medal event. Period. Then you will see Flying 200M times get better and Match Sprinting get better. This same logic applies to the Omnium....which promotes the best all-around riders and not the best IP, TT, Elimination, Scratch, or Points racers. The Omnium was the death knell to the specialist and wake up call to the all-arounder...all to gain fan appreciation. But, I think you are arguing that fans appreciate the specialists, right?
The Team Sprint and Team Pursuits have gone from a 1-ride, sudden death events to qualifying and finals system in the Olympics as well has IP and Time Trials in the World Championships and people are OK with that...and provides for surprises, as what happened at Worlds a few weeks ago.
The IOC dropped the IP and TTs to make room for BMX because BMX was a new and experimental event. I think it has proven itself to be a worthy and popular sport now. I wouldn't let what the IOC thinks determine what happens for UCI events from Worlds down to local races. The ones where the UCI has jurisdiction. Let's discuss those?
The IOC can and will change in the future...a new format might inform that change.