Can cycling please get rid of Hot Seats?

[kingjr]

Perhaps the most useless and most annoying invention in all sports, having athletes sit around in a chair for hours for absolutely *** all. Abolish it now.

 

[tobydawq]

Perhaps the most useless and most annoying invention in all sports, having athletes sit around in a chair for hours for absolutely *** all. Abolish it now.

I'd rather get rid of the famous waiting for the podium sofa which is frankly just disrespectful to the riders.

 

[SafeBet]

I've always wondered whether it is compulsory for riders in the lead to actually sit there.

 

[tobydawq]

I've always wondered whether it is compulsory for riders in the lead to actually sit there.

I think it is.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Haha I just wrote in the race thread that I would've felt terrible for Schachmann if McNulty (or Skjelmose) would've taken the win away from him right at the end after he sat in that chair for basically the whole race.

I think it's a cool concept and I like it in other sports as well. I just think early starters should be allowed to take a shower and properly dress as well as being brought food and stuff. Schachmann sat there in his racing gear for almost 3 hours. That just smells really counterproductive in the age of high end professionalism of cooling down, stretching and massages after a race.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

At least they don't have to stand up while holding their bikes like ski jumpers do with their skis.

 

[kingjr]

Haha I just wrote in the race thread that I would've felt terrible for Schachmann if McNulty (or Skjelmose) would've taken the win away from him right at the end after he sat in that chair for basically the whole race.

I think it's a cool concept and I like it in other sports as well. I just think early starters should be allowed to take a shower and properly dress as well as being brought food and stuff. Schachmann sat there in his racing gear for almost 3 hours. That just smells really counterproductive in the age of high end professionalism of cooling down, stretching and massages after a race.

It would be torture for me, I get restless just looking at them sit there.

 

[RedheadDane]

For a rider who goes into the lead early, and is a favourite for the win - like Roglic in the Giro some years ago - I can definitely understand if they'd like to be able to get washed, change clothes, and have some food.
And let them be inside a room. Don't put them on some stage, possibly in the rain and cold.




(It gets extra silly when it's a TTT, and there's only one big fancy seat.)

 

[rallybanana]

Rider should go to the hot seat for 10 minutes. Record some short videos: rider looking happy, rider looking surprised, rider looking anxious, rider looking bored etc. Rider then goes back to hotel and TV director can use the required shots as appropriate.

 

[Potomac]

Rider should go to the hot seat for 10 minutes. Record some short videos: rider looking happy, rider looking surprised, rider looking anxious, rider looking bored etc. Rider then goes back to hotel and TV director can use the required shots as appropriate.

That's the perfect solution.

 

[RedheadDane]

Rider should go to the hot seat for 10 minutes. Record some short videos: rider looking happy, rider looking surprised, rider looking anxious, rider looking bored etc. Rider then goes back to hotel and TV director can use the required shots as appropriate.

What if the rider actually wins?

 

[rallybanana]

What if the rider actually wins?

holograms

 

[ice&fire]

What if the rider actually wins?

Indurain won his first ITT at the TDF in 1991 as an early starter. They had to call him to the hotel for the podium celebration.
A few years before that, the winner of the last ITT in the 1988 TDF had to be called for a 'fake' arrival because they didn't even had footage of him crossing the line for the stage highlights.

 

[Eagle_Alps]

Jacky Durand in 1995. Look it up.
Funny Story!

 

[RedheadDane]

Any recent stories of a similar theme?

 

[zlev11]

man people will complain about anything. who cares? unless you are actually Max Schachmann

 

[kingjr]

man people will complain about anything. who cares? unless you are actually Max Schachmann

I just can't help but imagine myself in that situation and I think it would drive me nuts. But it's obviously not really an important issue.

 

[CyclistAbi]

It's common in other sports too, for the current leader to get some extra TV exposure. On top of that if you win you would have to return at some point anyway. Maybe the person sitting there, especially if for the longest time, could be allowed to present the audience with some talent. Singing, poetry, panting, knitting ...

 

[CyclistAbi]

I just can't help but imagine myself in that situation and I think it would drive me nuts.

Rather normal if you ask me and fits nicely in current gen.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI0BKE8m-dk


All in all don't worry about it too much and learn to deal with it over time.