• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Olympic Road Race (men’s) 2024 (August 3rd)

Page 37 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
A

andrew_s

Jun 28, 2009
100
68
8,930
Visit site
Axel Hangleck said:
He needs proper prep to succeed on the MTB; he's completed 3 XCO races since August 2019 when he was the best XCO racer that season. Since then, he's also crashed on the first lap of two major races.......unlike Pidcock, he can't just jump on the MTB and be competitive.
If he really wanted to target the XCO race, then he needed to set aside time for it; that wasn't possible, so going 'all in' on the road race was the correct decision.
Click to expand...
Setting aside time for XCO wouldn't just be a matter of preparation - he'd have to have ridden enough of an MTB programme both this year and last year to earn the UCI points to qualify an Olympic place for the Netherlands. As it was, the Netherlands had no places for men, so riding MTB wasn't an option.
Back in 2019/2020 when places for the last Olympics were being qualified, the Netherlands were also getting points from Milan Vader, who was good for top 10 in a World Cup on a good weekend, but he's also swiched to road.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
Moose McKnuckles

Moose McKnuckles

Nov 7, 2009
10,369
2,720
28,180
Visit site
tobydawq said:
It's as if people have completely forgotten about Wollongong and Liège '22 and '23.

The underestimation of Remco this year has been surreal.
Click to expand...
No need to be Remco chamois-sniffer, but if you're so inclined, go for it.

I certainly didn't underestimate him on one-day races, but I did have questions re: his grand tour potential after his 2023 Vuelta. He didn't look super at last year's Worlds either. I think he answered a lot of questions with his performance at this year's Tour.
 
  • Like
Reactions: StryderHells, Salvarani, Cookster15 and 1 other person
Ricco'

Ricco'

Aug 14, 2012
4,037
4,890
21,180
Visit site
andrew_s said:
Setting aside time for XCO wouldn't just be a matter of preparation - he'd have to have ridden enough of an MTB programme both this year and last year to earn the UCI points to qualify an Olympic place for the Netherlands. As it was, the Netherlands had no places for men, so riding MTB wasn't an option.
Back in 2019/2020 when places for the last Olympics were being qualified, the Netherlands were also getting points from Milan Vader, who was good for top 10 in a World Cup on a good weekend, but he's also swiched to road.
Click to expand...

Netherlands had a spot in the mens xco (thanks to Tom Schekellens placing in the U23 race in Glasgow) but chose not to use it
 
  • Like
Reactions: Axel Hangleck and QueenStagiaire
C

Coffeeplanter

Jul 15, 2024
565
1,103
4,280
Visit site
Axel Hangleck said:
He needs proper prep to succeed on the MTB; he's completed 3 XCO races since August 2019 when he was the best XCO racer that season. Since then, he's also crashed on the first lap of two major races.......unlike Pidcock, he can't just jump on the MTB and be competitive.
If he really wanted to target the XCO race, then he needed to set aside time for it; that wasn't possible, so going 'all in' on the road race was the correct decision.
Click to expand...
Yes, but that is exactly what I meant. He had the time to show up to (some of) Nove Mesto, Arinsal, Portes du Soleil, Snowshoe and Mont-Saint-Anne last year and actively thought about it, but ultimately couldn't be bothered. He had the time to show up to Nove Mesto again this year and thought about doing so, but once more couldn't be bothered. Going all in on this lottery of a road race and not hedging his bets by including mtb was, in my opinion, a mistake.

Prior to the road race he stated XCO in Los Angeles will be a major goal, but Van der Poel is not 24 anymore. Any chance you do not grab is a wasted one. By the time the next Olympics come around he'll be 33, and the world will look entirely different by then. Phenoms come and go. There'll always be someone ready to take the crown, and it would appear that mythical figure has already appeared in Albert Withen Philipsen. Not to mention Pidders will probably still be around.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Axel Hangleck
Squire

Squire

Dec 28, 2010
3,517
2,106
16,680
Visit site
Coffeeplanter said:
Yes, but that is exactly what I meant. He had the time to show up to (some of) Nove Mesto, Arinsal, Portes du Soleil, Snowshoe and Mont-Saint-Anne last year and actively thought about it, but ultimately couldn't be bothered. He had the time to show up to Nove Mesto again this year and thought about doing so, but once more couldn't be bothered. Going all in on this lottery of a road race and not hedging his bets by including mtb was, in my opinion, a mistake.

Prior to the road race he stated XCO in Los Angeles will be a major goal, but Van der Poel is not 24 anymore. Any chance you do not grab is a wasted one. By the time the next Olympics come around he'll be 33, and the world will look entirely different by then. Phenoms come and go. There'll always be someone ready to take the crown, and it would appear that mythical figure has already appeared in Albert Withen Philipsen. Not to mention Pidders will probably still be around.
Click to expand...
Are you really hedging your bets by possibly losing to Pidcock in the MTB then being gassed for the road race?
 
  • Like
Reactions: jmdirt and StryderHells
A

Axel Hangleck

Jan 7, 2017
2,109
2,959
17,180
Visit site
andrew_s said:
Setting aside time for XCO wouldn't just be a matter of preparation - he'd have to have ridden enough of an MTB programme both this year and last year to earn the UCI points to qualify an Olympic place for the Netherlands. As it was, the Netherlands had no places for men, so riding MTB wasn't an option.
Back in 2019/2020 when places for the last Olympics were being qualified, the Netherlands were also getting points from Milan Vader, who was good for top 10 in a World Cup on a good weekend, but he's also switched to road.
Click to expand...
I'm sure they had a spot, but didn't use it (ah, somebody has already stated this). Which is pretty damning - having a spot, and turning it down.

The Dutch coach needs to sit down and plan for LA 2028, and find out if MvdP is serious about racing the MTB; instead of this 'will he/ won't he' saga. Schellekens looks like he'll move to the road, so the cupboard is looking bare for male Dutch XCO riders.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jmdirt
A

awavey

Oct 3, 2021
1,780
1,639
7,680
Visit site
red_flanders said:
I think those are all valid points.

I also think they don't have a rider who could have won today, whatever the team makeup, allocations, or tactics.
Click to expand...

completely agree. its that approach though that bugs the hell out of me, you dont see other nations going well we've got no chance in this, so lets pick a random team of riders, no plan for it, just let them ride for the giggles of it and we might get lucky.

this is literally the same plan theyll use for the world championships too btw.
 
  • Like
Reactions: red_flanders
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom