Swabian Lass said:I'm not crazy about this trend for "national" teams in cycling, truth be told. But if you look at the history of sport it's full of people changing nationality to get a better chance to compete, so I don't think that the UK's any worse than any other country really.
If you're born in Malta almost by accident but spend your childhood in Scotland and your teen years in Hong Kong, why would you represent Malta?Sofía_ said:Please don't turn this into a discrimination-forum-thread, it wasn't my original idea.
My point is: if you born in Malta, you must represent the cycling federation of Malta. You can hold a British/Italian/Finish passport and be whatever you want... but it's cycling, it's not a war or politics.
hrotha said:If you're born in Malta almost by accident but spend your childhood in Scotland and your teen years in Hong Kong, why would you represent Malta?
Sofí said:you don't represent a country, you represent the cycling federation of that country.
@ will10: hehe, funny![]()
Millar has even less of a relationship with the Maltese cycling federation than with Malta itself.Sofía_ said:you don't represent a country, you represent the cycling federation of that country.
@ will10: hehe, funny![]()
ultimobici said:By your definition Phil Anderson is British not Australian by virtue of his place of birth.
But to answer your original question, not hard at all. Robert Millar, Deno Davie, Mick Edwards, Dave Lloyd, David Rayner (RIP), Malcolm Elliott were all great riders. Edwards was Moser's gregario, Elliott won the points title in the Vuelta. So it's not hard at all!
Ragerod said:In that case the British team at the Olympics would represent multiple cycling federations from different countries but not the one that has had a direct impact on their development as a cyclist and invested resources in them.
hrotha said:Millar has even less of a relationship with the Maltese cycling federation than with Malta itself.
Sofía_ said:How hard can be build a cycling identity if you're british?
Wiggins: from Belgium
Froome: from Kenya
Daniel Martin: yes! Birmingham, no wait, he rides for Ireland.
Jeremy Hunt: Brit... no, Canada
Peter Kennaugh & Cavendish: Isle of Man (a self-governing British Crown Dependency)
David Millar: this one is from... Malta
do you know another examples?
Martin318is said:You're talking about a country whose royal family is effectively German so...
You get the same thing with "Australian" movie stars.
Mel Gibson - American since about 11yrs old I think
Russel Crowe - Kiwi?
Nicle Kidman - born in Hawaii or somewhere wasnt she?
My own kids are Australian but born to a Colombian mother and they have been living in Colombia for about 6 months so... as of right now are they Aussie or Colombian? Who cares, they're mine.![]()
The Hitch said:Poland
Chopin - French
Curie - French
Mickiewicz- Lithuanian
Pilsudski - Lithuanian
The Hitch - British
Our Kings from 1570- 1796 French, Sweedish and German
And yet we are the most ethnically homogeonous state in europe.
Btw I know my list doesnt quite measure up to yours in terms of greatness![]()
Martin318is said:You're talking about a country whose royal family is effectively German so...
The Hitch said:Poland
Chopin - French
Curie - French
Mickiewicz- Lithuanian
Pilsudski - Lithuanian
The Hitch - British
Our Kings from 1570- 1796 French, Sweedish and German
And yet we are the most ethnically homogeonous state in europe.
Btw I know my list doesnt quite measure up to yours in terms of greatness![]()