Olympic Road Race

[Andy99]

5 man teams? Gee that is small!

Aye. Should hopefully make the race interesting!

 

[Winterfold]

But as I understand the hill is about 2km.

All of it will be out of bounds?

Anyone know if there are any other uphill areas where one can watch maybe?

Mass civil disobedience is a possible option

 

[The Hitch]

Mass civil disobedience is a possible option

mmm, we could have it canceled it like they did with thing after the Crostis, in the Giro.

 

[search]

5 man teams? Gee that is small!

SVK 1

so at least Sagan won't win it with ease

Edit: I don't really understand that numbers btw: 5 spots for Switzerland while France gets 4?!

 

[AussieGoddess]

5 man teams? Gee that is small!

I thought it had always been 5 man teams at Olympics.

And 2 of those must ride the Time Trial.

it will certainly be harder for GB to control

 

[Anonymous]

Olympics... *Shrugs*

 

[hfer07]

5 riders per team..........hmmmmm.........................................
Looks interesting to me!!!! more aggressive riding & less "lead out train BS"- tactics aren't going to make a difference at the last 50 K-its all about who's the best that day. Cance is probably leaking his lips right now

 

[AussieGoddess]

Squad sizes for the Olympic Road Race announced by the UCI today...

http://www.uci.ch/Modules/BUILTIN/g...bjTypeCode=FILE&type=FILE&id=NzM5ODE&LangId=1

Notably;

AUS 5
BEL 5
CAN 1
DEN 4
ESP 5
FRA 4
GBR 5
GER 5
IRL 3
ITA 5
KAZ 2
LUX 2
NED 5
NOR 3
NZL 2
SWE 1
USA 5

also Swiss gets 5. Cance will be pretty happy. Will he go all out for TT or road race?

 

[Ferminal]

Breschel gets 3 helpers, solid.

Russia only 3, makes it tough for Denis, although Kolobnev might be alive for it.

 

[The Hitch]

also Swiss gets 5. Cance will be pretty happy. Will he go all out for TT or road race?

Both like last time.

Road race comes first so he does what he has to there, and takes what energy he has into the time trial.

 

[Archibald]

I thought it had always been 5 man teams at Olympics.

And 2 of those must ride the Time Trial.

Bobridge(TT), Porte(TT), Goss, Renshaw, Haussler... choo choo!! ??

 

[ingsve]

5 man teams? Gee that is small!

Ya, that's what makes the olympics a bit of a joke. Unlike other sports the Olympics is far from the most prestigious race to win. I think it would almost struggle to make the top 10.

 

[Ferminal]

Ya, that's what makes the olympics a bit of a joke. Unlike other sports the Olympics is far from the most prestigious race to win. I think it would almost struggle to make the top 10.

Is it a joke because 5 is too small relative to the 8 in a monument, or 9 in the worlds, or because 5 is fundamentally too small for a cycling team?

 

[hughmoore]

Maximum of 5, maybe should be max of 3 then its last man standing!



Hugh

 

[Archibald]

Is it a joke because 5 is too small relative to the 8 in a monument, or 9 in the worlds, or because 5 is fundamentally too small for a cycling team?

don't see the 5 is too small, but for the poor ******s who get 1 rider each it's a bit tough - not even a water carrier for the country's rep - would make it very hard to get near a win let alone a podium

 

[ingsve]

Is it a joke because 5 is too small relative to the 8 in a monument, or 9 in the worlds, or because 5 is fundamentally too small for a cycling team?

Well 5 is not too small regardless of circumstances. There are plenty of races that only have 6 man teams for example. But when you compare it with other major races then having 5 riders instead of 8 or 9 makes a huge difference in how the race is raced and that means it drops in significance quite a bit. It becomes more of a lottery than what I consider acceptable in a top road race.

 

[Jukebox]

http://app.strava.com/segments/627910

Thats a link to GPS data for box hill. It's a very steady grade and the best amateurs are climbing the hill in 5 and a half minutes at almost 17 miles an hour(27kph). I really don't see this being an issue at all for the sprinters.

 

[theyoungest]

Well 5 is not too small regardless of circumstances. There are plenty of races that only have 6 man teams for example. But when you compare it with other major races then having 5 riders instead of 8 or 9 makes a huge difference in how the race is raced and that means it drops in significance quite a bit. It becomes more of a lottery than what I consider acceptable in a top road race.

With Sanchez, Bettini, and Ullrich as the most recent Olympic champions, I think your lottery argument doesn't fly. Yes, it might be raced a little differently, less controlled because it's hard to control a race with 5 man teams, but is that a bad thing? Clearly the winner has to be strong regardless. Maybe even stronger.

 

[CobbleStoner]

I don't think that the 5 man teams will make the sprint any different, it will just make it impossible for team GB to control the whole race like they did in Copenhagen. plus Germany and Australia will be riding for the sprint so GB will get some help pulling back the Belgians, Dutch, and Italians. (the French will go on a couple breaks when the cameras are on, then give up by themselves)
Kittel, Cav, & Goss, with Farrar as the bubble boy

 

[just some guy]

Bobridge(TT), Porte(TT), Goss, Renshaw, Haussler... choo choo!! ??

Bobridge will be track riding and nowhere near the RR unless he watches from the stands imo

if the TT riders must ride the RR

Then Evans,Porte,O´Grady,The Hussler and Goss

With Rogers as reserve

 

[Kwibus]

Ya, that's what makes the olympics a bit of a joke. Unlike other sports the Olympics is far from the most prestigious race to win. I think it would almost struggle to make the top 10.

The only olympic race that I remember was in Bejing when I wasn't really into cycling and I certainly enjoyed that race. The small teams certainly don't make it a joke for me. It makes the race a lot more interesting if you ask me.
If it were 9 man teams we would allready know who would be the winner.

 

[Ferminal]

Bobridge will be track riding and nowhere near the RR unless he watches from the stands imo

if the TT riders must ride the RR

Then Evans,Porte,O´Grady,The Hussler and Goss

With Rogers as reserve

As no doubt expected, that would be my team too

Porte really needs to step it up though this (next) year to be any help in the RR.

I don't remember the Beijing RR apart from the last lap or so, didn't a big group get off the front early?

 

[auscyclefan94]

I think Bobridge will be focusing on the Track and imo that is wise. I think there are better alternatives than Porte for the RR. Wouldn't be wise to have him in the RR when you can have Evans, O'Grady, Goss, Hayman & Haussler.

 

[maltiv]

http://app.strava.com/segments/627910

Thats a link to GPS data for box hill. It's a very steady grade and the best amateurs are climbing the hill in 5 and a half minutes at almost 17 miles an hour(27kph). I really don't see this being an issue at all for the sprinters.

Not for most sprinters, but Cavendish has been dropped on far easier parcours. In absolute top shape he has a chance though.

 

[just some guy]

Not for most sprinters, but Cavendish has been dropped on far easier parcours. In absolute top shape he has a chance though.

I guess the question is ....

Is the course more selective than the WC - Which I believe it is - GB road brilliantly at the WC but used up all of their guys about 4 km from the end - if the course is more selective the Cav will need the ride of his career to make it to the end, unless the other teams don´t attack him early .