General News Thread

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Putting aside who would be the best option, the issue as far as I can see is that the selection period for points was only announced several months after it commenced.
By then Navarez had already ridden in Australia and earned points.

yeah, the internal qualification criteria looks like a mess indeed. Those from the IOC were known years in advance, though.

 

[Berniece]

Stage 7 of the Dauphine has been adjusted slightly due to road works. They removed Col des Aravis en Col de la Colombière, but added Col de la Ramaz. It's a bit easier now since with 5-6km less climbing.

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[Bolder]

Stage 7 of the Dauphine has been adjusted slightly due to road works. They removed Col des Aravis en Col de la Colombière, but added Col de la Ramaz. It's a bit easier now since with 5-6km less climbing.

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New

It's probably a wash. Bummer that Aravis and the easier side of Colombiere are gone (was going to watch on Colombiere), but Ramaz is longer and because of the sun angle, can be hot.

In other general news, defending Olympic gold medalist Carapaz can't defend his gold medal. Certainly make sense based on the course but still I'm sure he's annoyed. He's being penalized for being from a small country.

 

[RedheadDane]

In other general news, defending Olympic gold medalist Carapaz can't defend his gold medal. Certainly make sense based on the course but still I'm sure he's annoyed. He's being penalized for being from a small country.

That whole alotment thing for the Olympics is a mess! Not even giving a free spot for the defending champion...

 

[Red Rick]

That whole alotment thing for the Olympics is a mess! Not even giving a free spot for the defending champion...

It's an Olympics thing, not an UCI thing.

There's a certain amount of comedy to some countries putting a track sprinter in the road race just to get an extra track spot.

 

[tobydawq]

It's an Olympics thing, not an UCI thing.

There's a certain amount of comedy to some countries putting a track sprinter in the road race just to get an extra track spot.

It's a lot worse this year than previously.

In Tokyo, the field was 130 riders, this time it's 90. And maximum team size has been reduced from 5 to 4.

It's hardly a bike race anymore.

 

[RedheadDane]

It's an Olympics thing, not an UCI thing.

I know it's an Olympics thing, it's still a mess.
In fact, if the IOC just followed the usual UCI way of doing things, it wouldn't be so big a mess.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I know there are difficulties (it would either require a very large field, very small teams, or potential contenders not being invited), but I think that the sporting principle of equitable opportunity should be given a chance somewhere in a championships: all invited teams to be of the same size. I would like to see it at least given a shot, maybe in a second level championship (Continentals?). Not everyone can qualify, but all those that do make the cut do so on the same terms.

 

[RedheadDane]

I would like to see it at least given a shot, maybe in a second level championship (Continentals?). Not everyone can qualify, but all those that do make the cut do so on the same terms.

Great idea!

In fact, I don't even think it would be necessary to cut nations off if done for the Continental Championships.
Last year at the European Championships, there were 31 nations, even with 6-rider teams it wouldn't be an issue.
The biggest issue would be for some nations to even field 6 riders.

I'm not sure how many nations usually participate at the African, American, and Asian Championships.
Of course the Oceania Championships is a bit different, as they ride for trade teams.

 

[Netserk]

I know there are difficulties (it would either require a very large field, very small teams, or potential contenders not being invited), but I think that the sporting principle of equitable opportunity should be given a chance somewhere in a championships: all invited teams to be of the same size. I would like to see it at least given a shot, maybe in a second level championship (Continentals?). Not everyone can qualify, but all those that do make the cut do so on the same terms.

For the TTT.

In fact, the only road cycling event at the Olympic Games should be the 100 km TTT.

 

[tobydawq]

For the TTT.

In fact, the only road cycling event at the Olympic Games should be the 100 km TTT.

In fact, it should not.

 

[yaco]

The Olympics RR will be a crap shoot and the first break could win the day.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

In another controversial Olympic selection, the French have overlooked Évita Muzic. Just like in the case of Carapaz, the route might not necessarily suit her to a T, but it also seems like they've preferred to bring Victoire Berteau in order to get another option for the track events.

 

[Wyndbrook]

That whole alotment thing for the Olympics is a mess! Not even giving a free spot for the defending champion...

I've got an allotment.

 

[Unchained]

It's a lot worse this year than previously.

In Tokyo, the field was 130 riders, this time it's 90. And maximum team size has been reduced from 5 to 4.

It's hardly a bike race anymore.

Don't know if Mexico will have a rider...?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Don't know if Mexico will have a rider...?

Cycling at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Qualification - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

No Del Toro sadly…

 

[Sciatic]

It's a lot worse this year than previously.

In Tokyo, the field was 130 riders, this time it's 90. And maximum team size has been reduced from 5 to 4.

It's hardly a bike race anymore.

I get irritated every time this comes up—for someone who for years used to really enjoy watching the Olympics it sucks that it has become classist ( and as we all know $-driven) and nationality-biased so that sports that they think are the big draw get so many more medals events and athletes participating.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Carapaz aside, as obviously he's a top-tier athlete and the circumstances are different, I was reading a bit before about how classism unfortunately begins at the highest echelons of the IOC, and has for a long time.

50 stunning Olympic moments No11: Eric Moussambani flails way to glory | Barry Glendenning

Barry Glendenning: The Equatorial Guinea swimmer had never dipped a toe in an Olympic pool but left a hero despite a hapless performance

www.theguardian.com

The International Olympic Committee’s president, Jacques Rogge, also disagreed with Thorpe’s assessment that heroism of the hapless was what the Games were all about, telling the Guardian about his plans to stop handing out wild cards to countries that would otherwise be unable to send competitors on the grounds that “we want to avoid what happened in the swimming in Sydney; the public loved it, but I did not like it.”

90 Riders on a 273km course is going to get out of hand fast, very few domestiques and a few strong guys could get away ridiculously early, do they have radios?

Hey look at that Uruguay got a spot, maybe Moreira will bring his Volta shape!!!

 

[Ricco']

Hey look at that Uruguay got a spot, maybe Moreira will bring his Volta shape!!!

Nope, Olympics RR overlaps with Volta a Portugal and will be held on the penultimate day of the portuguese race.

 

[Nick2413]

On the other hand, some chaotic racing might be a breath of fresh air. It would be cool to see some less predictable racing. The Olympics is already so different from regular cycling anyway.

 

[Eagle_Alps]

Or they just ride for their trade teams. The team with the most riders wins. UAE?

 

[RedheadDane]

90 Riders on a 273km course is going to get out of hand fast, very few domestiques and a few strong guys could get away ridiculously early, do they have radios?

No, that's partially how Kiesenhofer stayed away in Tokyo. The Dutch team not realising that there was another rider up the road.

 

[search]

I get irritated every time this comes up—for someone who for years used to really enjoy watching the Olympics it sucks that it has become classist ( and as we all know $-driven) and nationality-biased so that sports that they think are the big draw get so many more medals events and athletes participating.

It's part of the Olympic Agenda 2020 to reduce the number of people in general, because the Olympics have blown up to a size no one can manage or finance anymore. Of those ~1000 athletes less in Paris, cycling will contribute 14.

The main reason for the small field in the road race is that this comes together with the introduction of gender equality. The spots which used to be available for then men now went to the women

 

[tobydawq]

It's part of the Olympic Agenda 2020 to reduce the number of people in general, because the Olympics have blown up to a size no one can manage or finance anymore. Of those ~1000 athletes less in Paris, cycling will contribute 14.

The main reason for the small field in the road race is that this comes together with the introduction of gender equality. The spots which used to be available for then men now went to the women

I have an easy way for them to get 72 fewer people.

Scrap BMX.

 

[pastronef]

Sagan has not qualified for the Olympic XCO race