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

[Tim Cahill]

Where does an Olympic win rank? Below all the monuments?

Long running argument, the consensus varies wildly based on where you come from I think, some on here would rank it below certainly.

It's a massive thing over here at least, Ethan Hayter has been milling around like a cyclotourist trying not to get injured all season because he's got a big chance of medals on the track.

I think it's different because this is something all your friends, family and community can relate to and enjoy, not many outside of cycling know what Paris Roubaix is.

 

[meat puppet]

It's definitely worth more than some monuments.

I don't know, I would want to agree and value the Olympics more. But on the other hand at least the monuments feature a full, competitive peloton.

 

[Netserk]

But there is almost no criticism from the Danish media when it goes wrong, so he and the national team manager (who has been there for years, for some obscure reason) just continue with their weird strategies.

I think the strategies have been spot on for the past two WCRRs. I don't think maximal passivity would have worked any better.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Is Max the 119 DKK/month subscribtion? And what do you actually get outside of uninterrupted coverage by the Eurosport crew thats worth it?

Well, not sure about the stand-alone pricetag (added Max Sport via my ISP TV single pick streaming collection points feature) but so far I've enjoyed uninterrupted live streaming at Max - just as was the case for my deceased Eurosport Premium account.

 

[tobydawq]

I don't know, I would want to agree and value the Olympics more. But on the other hand at least the monuments feature a full, competitive peloton.

Sure (and it does feel even more strange this year) but is that really that important?

 

[Danskebjerge]

The Danish commentator wants the Benelux teams to "take some responsibility" at the front of the peloton. That's the nationalist way of saying that Bjerg doesn't need to sit at the front all the time. He has been chasing Africa solo for more than 50 kilometers now. He must believe he'll get a lot of praise for that when he abandons the race with 150 kilometers to go.

 

[Peyroteo94]

For me Olympics are like monuments and WC. It is an important race and give us a lot of entertainment, specially due to tactical reasons. There is no team able to control this race so we have chaos for 2 or 3 hours in the race.

 

[Danskebjerge]

You get 100 UCI points more for winning the Olympics and the World Championships than for winning a Monument.

 

[KZD]

Where does an Olympic win rank? Below all the monuments?

For me somewhere between the Worlds and the monuments.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

All the best riders are in the breakaway. WT teams should offer them contracts immediately
- @Skijumper Roglic fan, probably.

 

[Potomac]

You get 100 UCI points more for winning the Olympics and the World Championships than for winning a Monument.

That shows just how desperate the UCI is to give credence to themselves

 

[Danskebjerge]

I think the strategies have been spot on for the past two WCRRs. I don't think maximal passivity would have worked any better.

I think the strategy has been too offensive - "maximal passivity" is not the true alternative.

Denmark have had the maximum number of riders at those events - and yet their team has been critically reduced before the last 100 kilometers time and time again. Mads Pedersen losing to Pogacar in the sprint in 2023 is an example of not riding smart enough.

 

[Danskebjerge]

That shows just how desperate the UCI is to give credence to themselves

I think it's cool. I generally go by the UCI points when I estimate the value of races - because all other assessments are terribly subjective.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Alaphilippe looking around nervously, looking down at his bike, waving his arms in the air, weaving around everywhere on the road. It's so on.

 

[Netserk]

If Belgium stays behind, we should see some counter attacks.

 

[Rou]

For me the Olympics ranks lower than quite a few races. Worlds' is higher, all the monuments are higher. Even races like Gent Wevelgem and Amstel Gold I rate higher because of cycling tradition. The Olympics used to be an amateur meme event 30 years ago. I still view it like this.

 

[scribers]

How many minutes can they give this group? Peloton looks relaxed. Probably needlessly too long this race

 

[AnotherArmChair]

"Mike Woods a man who likes it hard at the end"

Seems ridiculous really that there are riders in this RR that cant even last 200K and then the reigning champion Carapaz cannot get a place in the race ...seems so wrong

 

[AnotherArmChair]

I also think UK or Demark or someone of the bigger countries should have put someone in the break..make Belgium work for it....and hopefully Denmar will stop helping them

 

[Heston]

An Olympic medal will always be something special no matter which sport you win it in. The Olympics is the biggest sporting event on Earth, and everyone knows what an Olympic medal is. How many people on the street know what Gent Wevelgem is?
In the grand scheme of things it is much larger than every cycling event other than the Tour de France, even if it doesn't have that status in the cycling world.

 

[E_F_]

Man, they almost look like they're track-standing now...

 

[Didinho]

10min. Give them 30 if you dare.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Come on you cowards give them 25 minutes

I'd have to stop watching cycling if Thanakhan Chaiyasombat won, it would only be downhill from there

 

[meat puppet]

Sure (and it does feel even more strange this year) but is that really that important?

Entertainment-wise, not necessarily. But pedigree-wise, it rather does, IMHO.

 

[scribers]

An Olympic medal will always be something special no matter which sport you win it in. The Olympics is the biggest sporting event on Earth, and everyone knows what an Olympic medal is. How many people on the street know what Gent Wevelgem is?
In the grand scheme of things it is much larger than every cycling event other than the Tour de France, even if it doesn't have that status in the cycling world.

How is it not bigger than the tour?