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

[Coffeeplanter]

That local circuit was great, I can't lie. I would love to have a new one day race here, albeit you would have to do some gymnastics with the rules. Evidently, you can't show up with an 180 men peloton here.

 

[Netserk]

Did I say "this route"?

Anyway. I posted my opinion "...for me". If you want to get wound up about it, have at it.

"every turn of every course"

Yes, that covers today.

 

[red_flanders]

That local circuit was great, I can't lie. I would love to have a new one day race here, albeit you would have to do some gymnastics with the rules. Evidently, you can't show up with an 180 men peloton here.

Agree. A one-day here would become an instant Classic. But I guess you can't just shut down Paris every year. Grateful to have seen this one.

 

[awavey]

I can't remember an Olympics or a World Championship in the last 3 years where the Danes didn't make any big tactical errors.

They're always on the front at least

 

[AnotherArmChair]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1819760436264194367

View: https://x.com/ciclismoliquido/status/1819760436264194367

 

[awavey]

Agree. A one-day here would become an instant Classic. But I guess you can't just shut down Paris every year. Grateful to have seen this one.

Don't they literally do that once a year for a race...or am I whooshing here

 

[Coffeeplanter]

Agree. A one-day here would become an instant Classic. But I guess you can't just shut down Paris every year. Grateful to have seen this one.

Time for some mental gymnastics. From now on, the Tour is only 20 stages long, from Saturday until Saturday. On the following Sunday, where normally we'd do laps around the church on the Champs-Elysees, we organise a new one day race on the circuit as seen today. Teams consist of 20 times 5 riders or 25 times 4 riders I do not yet know. The race is regular 1.UWT status, but points are received equal to a monument.

Takes a lot of rule bending, but I do not care. Instant succes. Get it done, ASO.

 

[red_flanders]

Don't they literally do that once a year for a race...or am I whooshing here

Haha, well said.

I think the Tour is different than a new one-day race. And the course is pretty confined. The course they rode today (I imagine) would be pretty hard to replicate.

 

[Unchained]

I for one don't get a level of disgust for many popular racers, Remco included. If you don't listen to race audio, take in propaganda both positive and negative about a rider if you watch Remco on the bike, it's almost perfection realized. Guy is constantly positive, he dictates, he attacks, has tools not available to all and uses different things. His TT skills are obviously second to none currently. He has gold medal for defined TT and today he got a gap and did another TT, including a bicycle circus move of a bike swap!!
Seeing 90 degree elbows, flat back, cadence turning over a massive gear, everything pointed in a straight line always and his capacity to suffer at unhuman levels... Jealous? Sure but you can say dislike but not hate the guy if you like racing!!
The guy is almost a dorf and can spin a 58!!! My legs begin to smoke and bleed after turning over a 52x15 after a few minutes of hard effort!! I don't love the guy but he is great!!
Everything is available!! If you want to measure yourself or favorite racer against Remco data points are all available.. He rides at an almost impossible level!!!

 

[Sciatic]

Jorgensen has to attack. Leporte will not chase.

Jorgenson had a difficult decision. He knew he drove a super hard chase LaPorte would be on his wheel and beat him in a sprint. But it may have been better if he went all-in regardless of LaPorte because he probably catches Madous and gets a shot at a medal. But without radios he also couldn’t know exactly how big the gap was.

 

[Sciatic]

I for one don't get a level of disgust for many popular racers, Remco included. If you don't listen to race audio, take in propaganda both positive and negative about a rider if you watch Remco on the bike, it's almost perfection realized. Guy is constantly positive, he dictates, he attacks, has tools not available to all and uses different things. His TT skills are obviously second to none currently. He has gold medal for defined TT and today he got a gap and did another TT, including a bicycle circus move of a bike swap!!
Seeing 90 degree elbows, flat back, cadence turning over a massive gear, everything pointed in a straight line always and his capacity to suffer at unhuman levels... Jealous? Sure but you can say dislike but not hate the guy if you like racing!!
The guy is almost a dorf and can spin a 58!!! My legs begin to smoke and bleed after turning over a 52x15 after a few minutes of hard effort!! I don't love the guy but he is great!!
Everything is available!! If you want to measure yourself or favorite racer against Remco data points are all available.. He rides at an almost impossible level!!!

I love watching him on the bike—makes a long solo win more enjoyable than most.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1819760871305830743

View: https://x.com/phmauduit/status/1819760871305830743

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

In Rio there was much more to play for and the situation changed so many times. Plus it was a fantastic route.

Rio was great in many ways, but for me it’s always a big downer when a crash in many ways decide the race. If I remember correctly Nibali, Henao and Majka would’ve likely stayed away and gotten the medals, but the crash really had a big impact on the results and that always leaves a bitter taste for me.

One thing I found brilliant about the race today is that we had that situation where we had a super strong group ahead with the biggest favorites Belgium, Netherlands and Denmark behind in a pretty bad position. They managed to turn it around pretty quickly, but there was a moment where I thought they had messed up. Especially Belgium that in that situation had to carry VDP back in a situation where they should’ve had Stuyven ahead and forced the hands of the Dutch.

 

[Sciatic]

I love the Olympics and it should be a target for all top riders to want to win. It just makes me sad that someone who clearly would have been stronger than the winner didn't turn up and it cheapens the whole competition

Also sad that you’ve turned up and cheapened the whole discussion.

 

[Sciatic]

Awesome shots

 

[houtdffan]

think remco may have blown his chance

that's what I get for watching on peacock... which was about 5 minutes behind...

 

[houtdffan]

Also sad that you’ve turned up and cheapened the whole discussion.

Pog is not better than Remco on a course like this. Never has been

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Agree. A one-day here would become an instant Classic. But I guess you can't just shut down Paris every year. Grateful to have seen this one.

Or they could do away with the sprint stage on the Champs and have this instead.

 

[will-10]

Would love to see the Tour use the Eiffel Tower finish straight sometime.

 

[Oldermanish]

Jorgenson had a difficult decision. He knew he drove a super hard chase LaPorte would be on his wheel and beat him in a sprint. But it may have been better if he went all-in regardless of LaPorte because he probably catches Madous and gets a shot at a medal. But without radios he also couldn’t know exactly how big the gap was.

Matteo rode the second-best race on strength and dominance today. He kept in contact repeatedly with WvA,
MvP and Remco until the breakaway fractured and the Lesson on Dominance was put down. Remco was absolutely unstoppable but Matteo was impressive. So were the French in a tactically near-perfect finale. Unfortunately one of the French would've had to stay on Remco's wheel to contest for Gold; they all tried and eventually fell off his pace. Great race to watch except NBC's broadcast had a string of pointless commercials during the last fan-frenzied hill climb without sound and the race in a corner box on the screen.

 

[red_flanders]

Or they could do away with the sprint stage on the Champs and have this instead.

That would be amazing...for an opening stage every year. I have little love for the Champs, but I do like that the last stage is a procession. The TT isn't bad...but I'm not sure a course like that is a good finale stage. Interesting thought though...maybe I'm wrong about that...

 

[Brullnux]

You they paid a tidy sum to host the Olympics, so it’s not surprising they would want to show off their city.

Of course, but they were showing it at a crucial moment in the race lol, Healy was getting dropped from the Madouas group.

 

[Brullnux]

Looking forward to tomorrow, should be a really good race. Dutch big favorites but Kopecky and the Italians might make the race really tricky for them, as Balsamo did in '21.

 

[Sciatic]

Matteo rode the second-best race on strength and dominance today. He kept in contact repeatedly with WvA,
MvP and Remco until the breakaway fractured and the Lesson on Dominance was put down. Remco was absolutely unstoppable but Matteo was impressive. So were the French in a tactically near-perfect finale. Unfortunately one of the French would've had to stay on Remco's wheel to contest for Gold; they all tried and eventually fell off his pace. Great race to watch except NBC's broadcast had a string of pointless commercials during the last fan-frenzied hill climb without sound and the race in a corner box on the screen.

Great points. Fortunately I watched a Belgian broadcast with zero commercials during the finale. Announcers did get a bit excited though . . . 😉

 

[Lequack]

So all these riders were preparing for the Olympics specifically, only to come to Paris and let Remco, tired from the hard Tour, take both medals.