Olympic Road Race Men

[thehog]

In the end GB came out with the same as Italy and Belgium. Two fold.

They put all their eggs in one basket. It worked in the worlds but they came up short this time. That's racing.

Not sure who would have helped them if they had asked. The Germans made some effort but who else other than the Aussies would have helped?

So every nation should just follow the same tactics as GB (Sky)?

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

So every nation should just follow the same tactics as GB (Sky)?

No. Where did I say that?

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Nice to see the clinic out in force in full cake and eat it mode.

 

[Kellys Big Sprocket]

Just have to say I'm happy with the way USA played their cards today. Could have been completely unnoticed, but used their young guys and ended up with a 4th place.

Kudos.

Exactly.

The future is USA in my opinion. Europe beware. SKY, sign em up !!!

The talent and future potential in that group of roadmen is MASSIVE and is only the select Olympic road team.

 

[Franklin]

Im not talking about an early stage, im talking about with 50km to go when there was a massive group up the road. Cav may well have won but silver or bronze with the chance of gold is better than zero chance or anything, which is the route they went down.

Perhaps an organisational issue. To far behind after the climb? Perhaps Goss told them he was absolutely crap?

It's not science. But one thing is sure, the Brittish idea of sacrifising two of your strongest pieces out of the gate was lunacy.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Martin and Gabsch yes but not Sieberg or Degenkolb. They did more than the Aussies but were a long way off fully co-operating.

Sieberg did 100% sure ride on front of the peloton. Commentators even noticed that.

Degenkolb ofcourse would never, he is the lead-out for Greipel.

 

[cineteq]

In our defense, we've talked so much about the Clinicky ridiculousness of Sky, we had convinced ourselves they could do it. And apparently, so had they.

I've been saying all along this was a long race, and that Box Hill turned out to be a leg breaker as expected.

 

[Franklin]

Nice to see the clinic out in force in full cake and eat it mode.

Hmmm?

You mean Wiggo pulling up the peleton inside one minute after driving the train the whole race? You find his performance anywhere near standard issue? How much more did you expect?

Come now, if you don't agree Wiggins did an amazing job you are trolling.

No cake to be eaten after this show of Wiggo's prowess. Show me a reel of Jan Ulrich doing the same thing for Zabel and we can talk.

 

[roundabout]

In our defense, we've talked so much about the Clinicky ridiculousness of Sky, we had convinced ourselves they could do it. And apparently, so had they.

In my defense, whenever I switched to the race I kept thinking that it would be difficult for them to keep it up.

When probably 15 more people got away on the last climb and that attack got 20 seconds very quickly , I thought that only the lack of cooperation would save GB as it would be 4 knackered riders and a couple of Germans and maybe 2-3 others against a group of 35 or so ahead.

Trust me, I would have spammed the clinic had GB pulled it off with 4 riders, but I wasn't really surprised that they didn't.

 

[UlleGigo]

Cav leading the orchestra of Pommie whinging.

'Everyone was happy not to win as long as we (GB) don't win'.

Yes Cav. It's all about you isn't it?

 

[UlleGigo]

If you don't agree Wiggins did an amazing job you are trolling.

I think overall its a healthy dose of the latter with some betting talk mixed in for good measure.

 

[Kellys Big Sprocket]

No. Where did I say that?

Did you say that Pedro ? . Nah, Pedro never said it.

(Pedro, don't be late you hear ?. You no what happen when your late. You don't do it again. )

KBS

 

[roundabout]

I dunno. I did think of O'Grady's chances of a medal vs Goss doing something in the sprint. I don't think Australia made a bad choice, but in the end it is a what if scenario.

 

[thehog]

Cav leading the orchestra of Pommie whinging.

'Everyone was happy not to win as long as we (GB) don't win'.

Yes Cav. It's all about you isn't it?

It's really not smart to go down that route.

What did he expect? Every other nation to ride him to the line?

He's an idiot thinking his team could ride 220km on the front then cover attacks in the last 20km's.

He should have judged that and asked his team to pull off the front.

 

[BillytheKid]

Froome should have been kept in reserve to dog any dangerous break. I think GB wanted to payback Cav for perhaps giving up a title at the TdF.

 

[goggalor]

Small teams and no radios is the future!

I think the Aussies did the right thing. O'Grady had as good a chance as Goss, no need to screw him over. Didn't work out, but it is what it is. The British team looked fantastic on the second last lap, but lost the race the last time around, when everyone and their dog went on the attack.

 

[thehog]

It's not science. But one thing is sure, the Brittish idea of sacrifising two of your strongest pieces out of the gate was lunacy.

Correct. I turned on the TV to watch the start and couldn't believe my eyes when Sky (GB) went straight the front.

They expected to do that all day then lead out their sprint guy?

 

[Kellys Big Sprocket]

Cav leading the orchestra of Pommie whinging.

'Everyone was happy not to win as long as we (GB) don't win'.

Yes Cav. It's all about you isn't it?

It was suppose to be the Cav Show today and all things British this afternoon and it all failed. The media has been hyping this one road race in the UK as a dead cert win for over a year. Glad its all over even though I am £40 worse off The Sunday papers will have a field day in Britain with their lets build him up and then knock the kid down approach. It won't bother Mark either way as he is above it all. Yates will have a good chat with him and all will be well.

 

[Kellys Big Sprocket]

Correct. I turned on the TV to watch the start and couldn't believe my eyes when Sky (GB) went straight the front.

They expected to do that all day then lead out their sprint guy?

Basically Yes. KBS's thoughts too.

 

[roundabout]

Oh, and one final thing. Bourgain better win a medal. And Voeckler should have been included, as much as it pains me to write it.

 

[Franklin]

They expected to do that all day then lead out their sprint guy?

Obviously they did. And they came shockingly close.

 

[UlleGigo]

Small teams and no radios is the future!

I think the Aussies did the right thing. O'Grady had as good a chance as Goss, no need to screw him over. Didn't work out, but it is what it is. The British team looked fantastic on the second last lap, but lost the race the last time around, when everyone and their dog went on the attack.

Yep.

GB got mugged on the last lap for sure. They were losing control, but only slightly, a bit before that, but it just went ape**** on the last climb. I think Cav must have been struggling up the climb the last time around because Sky took it very easy when they should have been maintaining the fast pace at the very least.

That's what happens when you try and control a race to an extend that has never been achieved before. They came unbelievably close though. Surprised they even believed it was possible.

 

[cineteq]

I dunno. I did think of O'Grady's chances of a medal vs Goss doing something in the sprint. I don't think Australia made a bad choice, but in the end it is a what if scenario.

They screw up, Goss has close-to-zero chance of medaling if they come to a bunch sprint as seen in the Tour.

Evans = Invisible

@Gerro
What a day! Awesome crowds. Big ride @StueyOG. Impressive effort GB. Congrats Vino. Me, little frustrated I missed the break. #thatsracing

 

[Arnout]

It was suppose to be the Cav Show today and all things British this afternoon and it all failed. The media has been hyping this one road race in the UK as a dead cert win for over a year. Glad its all over even though I am £40 worse off The Sunday papers will have a field day in Britain with their lets build him up and then knock the kid down approach. It won't bother Mark either way as he is above it all. Yates will have a good chat with him and all will be well.

Yeah, we're good in doing that in the Netherlands too. Most annoying thing is that it are mostly the guys that can't be bothered about the sport itself, they just want to party on expense of the athlete, and if the athlete fails they suck. If they succeed, it's not the athlete who gets the recognition but rather the guys themselves that boast with a gold medal. That's why I hate the Olympic Games.

 

[thehog]

Obviously they did. And they came shockingly close.

I know! It's like they'd never ridden the Tour! I'm sure they can keep going through to the Vuelta.

Maybe through the winter into next season. They should just lead every race until the next Olympics.