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

[Netserk]

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

You get 3 times as many points for winning the GC of Guangxi as for winning the Belgian championship.

 

[Squire]

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

IOC kinda deserves having this breakaway go all the way with their non-professional-cycling-like rules for this race.

 

[Potomac]

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.

Is McDonald's the best hamburger in the world?
Everyone knows what a Big Mac is.

 

[Danskebjerge]

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

I've considered if there could be a rule at the Olympics that secured the defending champion a place while not reducing the national team. I guess in some disciplines it wouldn't work.

 

[Netserk]

Mistake to wait for Belgium to come to the front. They should have attacked soon after the speed dropped. 3 riders in a move could easily reel in the breakaway and win.

 

[Gigs_98]

Man, those are some random ass riders in the break

 

[Potomac]

I've considered if there could be a rule at the Olympics that secured the defending champion a place while not reducing the national team. I guess in some disciplines it wouldn't work.

I think in annual competitions it makes sense, but with 4 years between them it seems less important.

 

[scribers]

Tour = Ronald McDonald
Flanders = hamburgler
Olympics = grimace

 

[RedheadDane]

KAGIMU FTW!

I've considered if there could be a rule at the Olympics that secured the defending champion a place while not reducing the national team. I guess in some disciplines it wouldn't work.

They should just do the thing that works best for each sport.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

The Danish commentator wants the Benelux teams to "take some responsibility" at the front of the peloton.

Seems a bit unfair on Alex Kirsch

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

gap increasing quickly, peloton is crumbling and the dominating forces in the breakaway is heading towards victory and eternal glory.

 

[tobydawq]

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.

It's a useful measure in most cases but Tour Down Under and the Canadian races get more points than their prestige can carry.

 

[Potomac]

Tour = Ronald McDonald
Flanders = hamburgler
Olympics = grimace

Maybe change your avatar to Ronald?

 

[Danskebjerge]

If it doesn't cost anything to be sitting at the front like Bjerg did for one and a half hour, then why don't any of the other teams go to the front now? When it's for free?

 

[tobydawq]

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

Do you honestly mean that you would like to see such a win in one of the biggest races?

 

[Ricco']

Is this the Paris ceremonial ride we didn't get at this year's Tour?

Pogi could be here sipping champagne.

 

[Potomac]

13 minutes

 

[E_F_]

I think I rate Olympics, Worlds, monuments, & GTs on a similar level as the first races I look at when evaluating someone's palmares.

 

[Danskebjerge]

It's a useful measure in most cases but Tour Down Under and the Canadian races get more points than their prestige can carry.

That's because the UCI want to upgrade the importance of those races. Fine with me.

 

[meat puppet]

Do you honestly mean that you would like to see such a win in one of the biggest races?

Why not? Kiesenhofer sure served the dutchies right.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

The Irish arent going to let any no bodies win this race

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Heartbreak for Marocco

 

[Danskebjerge]

I think in annual competitions it makes sense, but with 4 years between them it seems less important.

Could be.

 

[awavey]

How is it not bigger than the tour?

because everyone knows the tour, even my mum watches the tour, how many people are watching this today ? or will note the result hidden among all the other medals handed out today.

its something I remember Lizzie D saying even before the TdFF came back as a race, she always said people came up to her and asked her had she raced in the tour, and she had to patiently explain no she hadnt because it was the mens race and there wasnt an equivalent for the women, but she's won a medal at an Olympic road race, no-one ever asks her about that even though most Brits are predisposed to following the Olympics more than other races, they always ask about the Tour instead.

and that to me sums upwhere the Olympic road race sits, its definitely below the Tour in peoples minds for sure as a bike race

 

[RedheadDane]

Interesting chase group.