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

[AnotherArmChair]

This obsession the BBC have with team GB medal is a pain

 

[Danskebjerge]

Mads Pedersen is the best sprinter among the 4-5 top favourites, but his strategy is as if he is the worst.

 

[Netserk]

So Benoot stopped pulling. I guess he will initiate attacks on the climbs coming up.

 

[Squire]

Mads Pedersen is the best sprinter among the 4-5 top favourites, but his strategy is as if he is the worst.

He's not guaranteed to be the best sprinter in any case, and especially with the technical finish, I wouldn't trust him to beat the crossers.

 

[Samamba]

Soderqvist secretly riding for his future teammate.

 

[Netserk]

Real race starts now.

 

[RedheadDane]

Söderqvist with a bit of Trek-loyalties towards Kirsch.

Soderqvist secretly riding for his future teammate.

Secretly?

 

[sam6]

He's not guaranteed to be the best sprinter in any case, and especially with the technical finish, I wouldn't trust him to beat the crossers.

Yes he might not be the favourite in a sprint against them, but surely that's his best chance of winning? He's already outsprinted MVDP in 2-up sprint this season

 

[tobydawq]

What a riveting race so far.

 

[Netserk]

Novak!

 

[Tim Cahill]

Pogacar's put on a few pounds hasn't he

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Bjerg Benoot Houle should have the medals themselves

Hugo Houle is so lucky, just getting those medals for free.

 

[jfazendeiro]

I think the race has been way to easy for Evenepoel to win.

 

[Danskebjerge]

I think the race has been way to easy for Evenepoel to win.

Judging by the Belgian strategy so far, it seems they view it differently.

 

[Squire]

Yes he might not be the favourite in a sprint against them, but surely that's his best chance of winning? He's already outsprinted MVDP in 2-up sprint this season

Don't think anybody believes they can control this all the way for a sprint anyway. So a hard race will benefit Pedersen in terms of increasing the chances that it will be a fight between the favourites instead of a lottery free-for-all where a random group goes away to fight it out.

 

[Samamba]

I might have expected way too much from this race. Still a long way to go of course, but it's very controlled so far

 

[Ilmaestro99]

If either Bettiol or Alaphilipe win, then cycling is saved and we can all rejoice

 

[Coffeeplanter]

I am confused as to what some countries are doing. They would benefit from a long final, where the leaders would have to do the work. Instead, they seem fine just letting Hoole drag them to the circuit, where Van der Poel becomes an instant favorite.

 

[Netserk]

I might have expected way too much from this race. Still a long way to go of course, but it's very controlled so far

Given the opening play, I don't think there has been room for moves. Benoot has hammered the first two of the climbs in the finale, and I think Hoole and Bjerg have weaken enough to allow a more open situation.

 

[Rob5091]

MvdP's best tactic seems to be just follow until close to the finish.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Viviani gesticulating and complaining about the workload, excellent stuff

 

[noob]

1 crash so far?

 

[tobydawq]

If either Bettiol or Alaphilipe win, then cycling is saved and we can all rejoice

Okay. Thanks for keeping track of which riders are allowed to win.

 

[Squire]

I might have expected way too much from this race. Still a long way to go of course, but it's very controlled so far

Almost everyone who's not Belgium or the Netherlands (or Denmark) only really have the manpower to do one big move. And using up that bullet in the flat part in the beginning, risking an exhausting chase just to get a break established, probably didn't seem like the best way of using your extremely limited resources.

Will be interesting once something happens. The route might not be hard enough for MVP, WVA etc. to force a massive selection, so the first lull in the action after it has kicked off might be the most attractive time to get a move going for the smaller nations.

 

[Netserk]

Viviani gesticulating and complaining about the workload, excellent stuff

🤌🤌🤌