Inequality on elegability criteria for Olympic Road Race

[Caruut]

And no pure African countries represented... (South Africa the odd one out as I hope I don't need to explain that).

Sorry, what exactly do you mean?

 

[RedheadDane]

Buuuut... they were a couple of more guys! Just look at this bit from an interview with Millar:

"Let's say we've got 8 in that five," Millar said enthusiastically. "Wiggins and Froome just finished first and second in the Tour de France so they're worth four guys. We've got Cav who is worth two guys in the sprint and then we've got Stannard, who when on a great day, is worth a few more. We'll be alright.

 

[avanti]

And no pure African countries represented... (South Africa the odd one out as I hope I don't need to explain that).

I'm not sure what your point is (sorry).

From the start list there were no riders from South Africa but one from Namibia (#162 Dan Cravens). I'm surprised there were no riders from South Africa.

 

[greenedge better then some]

I'm not sure what your point is (sorry).

From the start list there were no riders from South Africa but one from Namibia (#162 Dan Cravens). I'm surprised there were no riders from South Africa.

daryl impey was in the race/start list

 

[42x16ss]

So was Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eritrea)

 

[King Boonen]

All teams should have the same number really.

So either the top 50 nations get4 men in and that's the cut off, ask Ryan Giggs about being a big fish in a small pond, or every nation gets to send one rider.

 

[Kwibus]

And no pure African countries represented... (South Africa the odd one out as I hope I don't need to explain that).

40 Daryl Impey (South Africa)
62 Adil Jelloul (Morocco)
72 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eritrea)
127 Soufiane Haddi (Morocco)
DNF Azzedine Lagab (Algeria)
DNF Dan Craven (Namibia)
DNF Mouhcine Lahsaini (Morocco)

 

[The Cobra]

So 204 Olympic nations, how many riders should each have?

One. Now that would an interesting race. Every man for himself!

 

[RedheadDane]

So 204 Olympic nations, how many riders should each have?

Are you saying that, say, Micronesia would have to send a rider as well? (No offense if there are actual an up and coming rider from Micronesia.)

 

[Tragic]

I love this forum seriously debating something as if it had any serious chance of happening.

The current system results in A) most of the top pros being there and B) an interesting race.

Leave it alone.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

So nation number 51 is completely ****ed over in comparison to nation 50?

As happens in most other sports: yes. Non-qualifiers don't qualify.

 

[Frosty]

How come Sagan was by himself? I would have thought they were good enough to have another rider (Peter Velits).

 

[Kellys Big Sprocket]

As Matti Brechel had his 230th meal of pasta this season just hours before the race, Denmark team should have been automatically permitted to field a larger team to assist Matti...

Indigestion comes to mind. Nice.

 

[kurtinsc]

''We could have done with a couple more guys'' thus spoke David Millar with the British teams inability and frustration in not bringing the breakaway back. Cavendish had 4 domestiques while NZ rider Greg Henderson had 1. The formulae used to determine each countries number of elegible riders is really quite bizaar. As i understand it the countries number of world ranking points determines this. I have also read somewhere that some countries do not have enough experienced riders to ensure this inexperience doesn't lead to accidents in the bunch...absolute rubbish..any such riders would soon be left behind. There are a number of other factors which present questions. It may well be that a country has 2-3 extremely highly ranked riders but absolutely no depth below that. Does that mean that they will qualify with 2 extra domestique riders who have all the inexperience they're so concerned about. Road cycling is a team sport, pure and simple and teams in every other sport take the field with equal numbers...and surely thats the Olympic spirit. To use this convoluted logic outside the confines of cycling, how about the next time the All Blacks take the field against the British Lions, the All Blacks have 15 players to the British Lions 6?...as reflected in World rankings....the whole things an absolute nonsense and countries like NZ should boycott the games until there's some form of level playing field...3 riders per country...period.

Technically olympic cycling isn't a team sport... not really. An "olympic" team sport results in a medal being awarded to the team. For example, a relay in swimming is a "team" award.

Individual sports result in a medal per individual... for example one person from the country could get first and another could get second.

Road cycling counts as an individual sport. None of the riders on the team have to try to help a team leader. I'm not sure how many other sports have the odd team/individual dynamic that cycling has. Had Cavendish won, it's not like Wiggins would have gotten a medal too. But he's expected to work for Cav, not for himself.

Are there any other events like that?

 

[Caruut]

As happens in most other sports: yes. Non-qualifiers don't qualify.

When you're getting down to nation #50 and #51 you're really looking at 4 guys chancing it as best they can though, rather than much of a team tactic.

The current system is good, though I think it does need a bit of tweaking. Two Moroccans and one Slovakian has me scratching me head a bit.

 

[Fowsto Cope-E]

Really, the top nations are already the best. They don't need any MORE of an advantage by having more riders now, do they? I propose that the top nations should only get one get one rider while countries like Eritrea should get full 9-man teams. Then, everything will be nice and fair.

 

[RedheadDane]

Really, the top nations are already the best. They don't need any MORE of an advantage by having more riders now, do they? I propose that the top nations should only get one get one rider while countries like Eritrea should get full 9-man teams. Then, everything will be nice and fair.

Except for the... eh... difficulties in actually finding 9 man some of those countries might have.

 

[Fus087]

Daniel Teklehaimanot
Natnael Berhane
Jani Tewelde
Tesfay Abrha
Freqalsi Debesay
Meran Russan
Tesfom Okubamariam
Meron Amanuel
Semere Mengis

There you go.