Cav takes tabloid heat for failed GB tactics

[Machu Picchu]

Seriously? You think other teams would have chased harder if GB had a rider in the break? GB was facing this reality:

1. Cav gets in a break. No one works. Break fails.
2. Cav in chase. No team works to bring back break. Doesn't matter if a GB rider is in break.

Of course other riders would work with Cancellara in a break - he's beatable in a sprint and might even give you a ride to the 200m line.

GB chose to ride for Cav. That was obviously the mistake. Past that point on the road tactics didn't matter. Clear reasons for why they chose that, and once they made that decision they followed the only strategy they could.

Not that difficult really, GB put Millar in an earlier break, any team without a rider in said break would then chase in order to launch one of their own later, then GB can ride at the front but at least they've saved themselves a chunk of work and other teams (Germany/Australia) realise that there are other options.

 

[thehog]

Not that difficult really, GB put Millar in an earlier break, any team without a rider in said break would then chase in order to launch one of their own later, then GB can ride at the front but at least they've saved themselves a chunk of work and other teams (Germany/Australia) realise that there are other options.

Correct. If the break was getting to unmanageable levels someone/team would have stepped up. There was an Oynpic Gold at stake.

With GB keeping the gap to between 1 and 4 minutes for the entirety of the race meant no other team had any incentive to work. If the it stretched out to 15 minutes then another team had to work to get it back.

If not GB would have a fullly fresh and the full team bar Miller to bring it back if they chose to do so.

 

[Frosty]

The break that went away might not have got away if Millar had been there too, with riders sitting up etc and then waiting for a new break without Millar's presence. However, if an eventual break without Millar was of 5 or 6 then it would have been more manageable if GB were going to chase.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Correct. If the break was getting to unmanageable levels someone/team would have stepped up. There was an Oynpic Gold at stake.

Why? No one stepped up near the end of the race when the gap grew out. What difference would Millar being in the group have made to those teams?

 

[thehog]

The break that went away might not have got away if Millar had been there too, with riders sitting up etc and then waiting for a new break without Millar's presence. However, if an eventual break without Millar was of 5 or 6 then it would have been more manageable if GB were going to chase.

If GB didn't chase all day long the final break never would have gotten away.

They let two each from Belgium, Norway, the United States, the Netherlands, Colombia, three from Spain, and - before Cancellara crashed four from Switzerland!

They let Fabs ride off the front! Were they crazy? They would have known Cancellera's only chance was an attack on the last lap of Box Hill or with 2-3km to go and they just let him ride away.

Had nothing to do with Germany or Australia. They missed the key break of the day because they were either too tired or oblivious that anyone else was going to win the race in a fashion outside of a bunch sprint.

 

[thehog]

Why? No one stepped up near the end of the race when the gap grew out. What difference would Millar being in the group have made to those teams?

It would have meant they were fresh and had a hope of bringing it back. Riding on the front all day meant they couldn't drill it. They were physically spent. It was the classic rope a dope. Every team watched GB tire themselves out ala George Foreman before taking them down in the final rounds.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

It would have meant they were fresh and had a hope of bringing it back. Riding on the front all day meant they couldn't drill it. They were physically spent. It was the classic rope a dope. Every team watched GB tire themselves out ala George Foreman before taking them down in the final rounds.

They did try to sit up a few times but no one was having any of it. Now maybe they called GB's bluff on that. The problem is how long do you leave it.

I do think they should have had someone in the break to give them a plan B but I am just not convinced it would have helped pull it back to a sprint.

 

[Arnout]

Even Jeremy Clarkson seems to be genuinely interesting in bike racing now:

@jcrclarksonesq

So. The nation is now captivated by cycle racing, even though none of us understands it. How can the fastest rider not win?

@jforbes004

@jcrclarksonesq Er, I think you will find that he did a lot of drafting as did everyone else to varying extents.

@jcrclarksonesq

@jforbes004 yes but the man who won yesterday didn't do drafting. That's what I don't understand

Not that he understands, but this is a major breakthrough

 

[elapid]

It would have meant they were fresh and had a hope of bringing it back. Riding on the front all day meant they couldn't drill it. They were physically spent.

According to an interview with Gilbert, GB were quite happy to sit behind the TV motorbike.

 

[thehog]

According to an interview with Gilbert, GB were quite happy to sit behind the TV motorbike.

That I did notice. Maybe Cav will blame the motorbike for not helping enough?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Even Jeremy Clarkson seems to be genuinely interesting in bike racing now:

@jcrclarksonesq

So. The nation is now captivated by cycle racing, even though none of us understands it. How can the fastest rider not win?

@jforbes004

@jcrclarksonesq Er, I think you will find that he did a lot of drafting as did everyone else to varying extents.

@jcrclarksonesq

@jforbes004 yes but the man who won yesterday didn't do drafting. That's what I don't understand

Not that he understands, but this is a major breakthrough

Did you watch his programme meet the neighbours? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pke1mQmjwg

 

[hrotha]

That I did notice. Maybe Cav will blame the motorbike for not helping enough?

Hunter and Cooke were commenting it on Twitter. Apparently they got some abuse from British "fans".

 

[Caruut]

Not sure what those 1million went home with? The idea that they had seen their team on the front all day looking the strongest but won nothing? Did these people go home feeling cheated or deflated, did they leave with more of a negative than a positive?

Not sure it was the right publicity for GB cycling! Lots of work and no medals = might be read as a waste of effort and more importantly, money!

Well, I saw the finish in a pub full of people who had been on the circuit (as had I). The almost overwhelming consensus was of disappointment that Cavendish didn't win, but also that they had enjoyed the race and that they thought the GB team had given their all.

In a sense I think if they had sat up and tried to force others to work and it hadn't come off, they would be getting a lot more flak than they are now. Right now it's a sense of "they tried their hardest but it didn't work". Had it seemed like they hadn't tried at all then it would have been so much worse.

All in all, getting what might be a record crowd out for a one-day race in a country without a history in the sport is seriously impressive, and I think perhaps hyping Cav as a favourite was part of the jigsaw necessary to promote the race. I doubt anyone who was following the sport will have been put off, and there are a host of potential new fans. If anything, anyone critical of the team will have taken a step towards being a fan - they've understood that the tactics on the road are important.

 

[El Pistolero]

Did you watch his programme meet the neighbours? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pke1mQmjwg

Lol, that program doesn't show reality at all. I never even heard of those sports. They just went to look for a couple of ancient sports only old guys do anymore.

 

[offbyone]

Of course there is frustration, but they put it all on the road, not much else they could have done. Sitting up wasn't going to bring that break back.

The other sprinter teams should be embarrassed, particularly the strong german team who was content to sit back and watch a big breakaway ride away.

 

[thehog]

Hunter and Cooke were commenting it on Twitter. Apparently they got some abuse from British "fans".

Gilbert said that: "The British steered behind the TV motorbike. It was sad - several riders reacted on this."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gilbert-pleased-with-olympic-performance

 

[zigmeister]

Well, if Cav could climb, he could of had his team attach on Box hill a few times, and just burn up the field, then take it from there.

There are many tactics they COULD have tried.

Unfortunately the tabloids are right, they can/only have one plan. Hope they can control everything for a bunch sprint.

I think most everybody knew there was no way that would happen on a one-day one-off race.

Good luck with that tactic in this type of race setup, it never works, don't care who is on your team.

Sagan, Greipel, Boonen, Farrar and the likes all got caught out and were 30 seconds back of the second group after the final attach.

So, the tabloids are kind of stupid because all of the sprinters got owned along with their teams in this one. Except the US, where Phinney almost nabbed Bronze.

 

[spalco]

Phinney's not really a sprinter, but yeah.

In hindsight GB tactics were dumb. Give Cav two guys for support, plus Eisel if he's willing, and the two others free reign to go into breaks without doing much pulling there if they make it. That's what they should have done. I guess most of us were caught up in the hype, both supporters and haters.

 

[ferryman]

Well, I saw the finish in a pub full of people who had been on the circuit (as had I). The almost overwhelming consensus was of disappointment that Cavendish didn't win, but also that they had enjoyed the race and that they thought the GB team had given their all.

In a sense I think if they had sat up and tried to force others to work and it hadn't come off, they would be getting a lot more flak than they are now. Right now it's a sense of "they tried their hardest but it didn't work". Had it seemed like they hadn't tried at all then it would have been so much worse.

All in all, getting what might be a record crowd out for a one-day race in a country without a history in the sport is seriously impressive, and I think perhaps hyping Cav as a favourite was part of the jigsaw necessary to promote the race. I doubt anyone who was following the sport will have been put off, and there are a host of potential new fans. If anything, anyone critical of the team will have taken a step towards being a fan - they've understood that the tactics on the road are important.

I think this is a pretty good summary of how to get the uncoverted onboard. It's baby steps. Get them interested in the races. It helps if you have a national guy to support. It also helps if the TDF has a beautiful course (as the scenery is as much an attraction for the casual fan).

The rest follows, the questions. why did he do that. why did they do that, when is Contador back

Yep that is my dear mum I'm talking about

 

[patrick767]

Oh get the @#$# over it. I didn't think it would end with a breakaway rider winning, but it did. That's why riders go on breaks. The chance of staying away may be small, but it's better than the zero percent chance they likely have of beating the sprinters if the peloton stays together. It worked this time. It's one race. It just happens to be a really big one.

Chapeau to Vino even though I'd have liked to see someone else win.

 

[argyllflyer]

Oh get the @#$# over it. I didn't think it would end with a breakaway rider winning, but it did. That's why riders go on breaks. The chance of staying away may be small, but it's better than the zero percent chance they likely have of beating the sprinters if the peloton stays together. It worked this time. It's one race. It just happens to be a really big one.

Chapeau to Vino even though I'd have liked to see someone else win.

Not that many classics end in bunch sprints though?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Lol, that program doesn't show reality at all. I never even heard of those sports. They just went to look for a couple of ancient sports only old guys do anymore.

Who says they are true?

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

I do find it hilarious how clueless the British Media is about cycling. It's almost like they first started paying attention this year during the TDF.

Why aren't they going after Brailsford? Sure Cav incurred venom for going after the Aussies, but it's Brailsford who basically concocted the miserable plan.

It was pure lunacy to conceive that Team GB could control the whole race and just deliver Cavendish to the finish line.

It's like trying to control Paris Roubaix ... it ain't gonna happen.

Team GB needed to go under the assumption that it wasn't going to be a bunch sprint and work from there.

It's weird like all of the sudden Britain cares about cycling even though they had tom Simpson and other good riders, and yet it really feels like the sport didn't exist until this year for them.

 

[mastersracer]

I do find it hilarious how clueless the British Media is about cycling. It's almost like they first started paying attention this year during the TDF.

Why aren't they going after Brailsford? Sure Cav incurred venom for going after the Aussies, but it's Brailsford who basically concocted the miserable plan.

It was pure lunacy to conceive that Team GB could control the whole race and just deliver Cavendish to the finish line.

It's like trying to control Paris Roubaix ... it ain't gonna happen.

Team GB needed to go under the assumption that it wasn't going to be a bunch sprint and work from there.

It's weird like all of the sudden Britain cares about cycling even though they had tom Simpson and other good riders, and yet it really feels like the sport didn't exist until this year for them.

I agree about the questionable call of hanging everything on Cav in a sprint, but I'd bet the press would skewer Sky if they had tried another tactic and it failed. Then we'd be reading about how they failed to support Cav etc. Also, no one else on the team is really a huge threat in terms of winning from a break. Imagine if Stannard or Millar had come in 16th from that break!

 

[patrick767]

Not that many classics end in bunch sprints though?

Fair enough. I thought GB might be strong enough to pull back the breaks. They weren't. As others have said they should have had a Plan B. Oh well. The fits the tabloids are throwing are just stupid though.

edit: Also the likelihood of a Classic bunch sprint depends on the Classic. Some often end that way. Others almost never...