Olympic Road Race

[Fus087]

From the top of my head, I remember it as 500.000 € or more (there were some numbers flying around). I'd consider that a lot for a lead-out man.

Of course, I'm a poor student...

 

[greenedge]

Going to be quite exciting if riders attack. I hope to see Cancellara, Wiggins and Evans all ITT away. Germany will have no other option than to pull for a sprint so Tony will somehow reel them back in and then Cav will fail and either Goss or Farrar win if it comes to a bunch sprint.

 

[Kwibus]

I've been through this many a time. For me, Hondo is a better leadout than Renshaw.

Mark Renshaw is great at his job, but his job is pretty consistent - be on the end of the train, set blistering tempo, use force if necessary to make sure your sprinter has the best position to set up from. All very good, but pretty samey, especially when he can usually nigh-on guarantee that he'll be finding himself in the best position because he's part of a well-drilled train. It will be interesting to see how he goes now divorced from the likes of Eisel and Cavendish. After all, part of why Renshaw has such a good reputation is because of playing his part in such a huge number of wins, but there are probably quite a few of those sprints that Cavendish could have won without him, and having the fastest guy in the world on the end of your train certainly does wonders for making you look good. Danilo Hondo is something else. Him and Petacchi are incredible at times. They've been four riders apart on opposite sides of the train, then round a corner and whoosh, they're there, together, right where they need to be. Hondo can muscle his way into other people's trains, he can drag a sprinter to the front from the most unlikely of positions, and when you see something like stage 4 of the 2010 Tour where he completely on his own totally derailed the Columbia train with a full kilometre to go, you realise he's more than just a leadout man in the "get on the front and launch your guy" sense.

Renshaw needs his train? right..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPBcM-tS6vI (edit: apparently it's Goss lol)

Just an example and there are more of these. Renshaw is a brilliant leadout and if not the best leadout in the world then certainly one of the best.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qrFkEUw338&NR=1
This one is cool too, only I'm not sure if HTC a good train here since they didn't show it. It's nice anyways.

 

[Ferminal]

You do realise that's Goss?

 

[Kwibus]

Going to be quite exciting if riders attack. I hope to see Cancellara, Wiggins and Evans all ITT away. Germany will have no other option than to pull for a sprint so Tony will somehow reel them back in and then Cav will fail and either Goss or Farrar win if it comes to a bunch sprint.

You are talking about 3 riders that could TT away and than you say Germany has no other option to pull for a sprint so Tony has to work his *** off for his sprinters. Don't you think Tony could TT away as well? He is the best or 2nd best TT rider in the world afterall?

 

[Kwibus]

You do realise that's Goss?

That sucks.. I wasn't sure since I don't have sound here.

Ok I fail, but I won't quickly edit my post to rescue myself I'm sure Renshaw did this before as well though

 

[Ferminal]

That sucks.. I wasn't sure since I don't have sound here.

Ok I fail, but I won't quickly edit my post to rescue myself I'm sure Renshaw did this before as well though

That's OK

Renshaw has done it previously for sure... HTC seem to do even better on the technical finishes.

 

[Andy99]

A step in the right direction...

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...r-numbers-could-be-upped-for-london-2012.html

Up to 15,000 spectators may now be allowed to watch the London 2012 Olympic Games cycling road race on Box Hill, Surrey, on July 28 2012 - a significant increase on the previously announced limit of 3,500.

Cycling Weekly has heard from a source at the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) that the number of spectators may be upped after feedback from the London-Surrey Cycle Classic test event is analysed.

Spectator numbers had originally been severely restricted due to concerns over damage that could be caused to Box Hill's fragile wildlife habitat, in particular to several unusual species of orchid.

Long lengths of steel fencing were used to restrict access to Box Hill during the Olympic test event. Only those with a wristband pass could enter the restricted area to view the race but it created a muted atmosphere on what should be a flashpoint in the race.

 

[El Pistolero]

You are talking about 3 riders that could TT away and than you say Germany has no other option to pull for a sprint so Tony has to work his *** off for his sprinters. Don't you think Tony could TT away as well? He is the best or 2nd best TT rider in the world afterall?

I'm pretty sure he's the best after constantly beating the second best this season

 

[Cobblestoned]

A step in the right direction...

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...r-numbers-could-be-upped-for-london-2012.html

Up to 15,000 spectators may now be allowed to watch the London 2012 Olympic Games cycling road race on Box Hill, Surrey, on July 28 2012 - a significant increase on the previously announced limit of 3,500.

Cycling Weekly has heard from a source at the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) that the number of spectators may be upped after feedback from the London-Surrey Cycle Classic test event is analysed.

Spectator numbers had originally been severely restricted due to concerns over damage that could be caused to Box Hill's fragile wildlife habitat, in particular to several unusual species of orchid.

Long lengths of steel fencing were used to restrict access to Box Hill during the Olympic test event. Only those with a wristband pass could enter the restricted area to view the race but it created a muted atmosphere on what should be a flashpoint in the race.

Orchids.....ok. LMAO

If you Brits want, I do a stop in the netherlands and bring some with me.

 

[Ferminal]

Well, a cycling race shouldn't mean the extinction of a couple of species.

Sounds like there can be a win-win outcome though.

 

[Midnightfright]

I'm pretty sure he's the best after constantly beating the second best this season

Yeah he beat Wiggans everytime they faced eachother so he's defo the best

 

[spalco]

Long lengths of steel fencing were used to restrict access to Box Hill during the Olympic test event. Only those with a wristband pass could enter the restricted area to view the race but it created a muted atmosphere on what should be a flashpoint in the race.

No ****, eh?

 

[Winterfold]

Thanks for sharing that good news Andy

Let's hope for more - cycling is a free access sport for the people and VIP corporate helipad nonsense will suck the life out of it - as they have found

Of the 3000 I wonder how many were asking where Lance was?

So - how do you get tickets?

 

[bjorno]

VIP - its a shocking **** up they planned the route but didnt check if the site could take thousands of fans (it is a site of SSI/national heritage). They are also restricting access on a lot of the roads around the hill.

Total fecking balls up - a lot of fans over here are very hacked off with it.

Big corporate sponsors will be there no doubt...

There are a few hundred tickets becoming available that were due to be done on a lottery through Cycling Weekly - but I think CW told them they could not do that on principle (road racing being free to spectate as a principle) - they may come up somehow.

As a Brit who lives in the area and rides up box Hill a lot, I am both deeply pi55ed off and hugely embarrassed by it.

Ok no Olympic Race for me then. It's a shame! Cycling is a sport of the working men. But it become's more and more an event just for VIP. That's also the plan over here with the new route of the Tour of Flanders. I bet in a few years you have to pay to see the race.

 

[Andy99]

Good news at last!

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...box-hill-olympic-capacity-to-15-000-fans.html

 

[l.Harm]

Couldn't find a profile so I decided to make one myself. Don't know anybody has done this so don't shoot me

This must be the lap they ride 9 times.

 

[Azabael]

Couldn't find a profile so I decided to make one myself. Don't know anybody has done this so don't shoot me

This must be the lap they ride 9 times.

That indeed looks tougher than many have made it sound.

 

[Gloin22]

Been saying it's quite tough for some time. Guys like Sagan will really favour this course.

Guys/Girls like AussieGoddess in first page must feel like idiots now

 

[theyoungest]

Box Hill on video

Every rider who has reconned the course says it's harder than expected. I assume Cav didn't lose all those kilograms for nothing. Still, the last time Box Hill is at 40 k from the finish line, right? Normally you'd still expect a reduced bunch sprint on such a profile.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The last box hill is so far from the finish it will almost always be a 50+ man sprint.

Think it will be Cavendish vs Sagan

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah he beat Wiggans everytime they faced eachother so he's defo the best

We'll see how Wiggo's time trialing is after he gets hit by a car.

 

[Kwibus]

The last box hill is so far from the finish it will almost always be a 50+ man sprint.

Think it will be Cavendish vs Sagan

Under normal circumstances definately, but I think the smaller teams will make it a lot harder to control things.
Allthough Wiggins, Froome, Thomas and ....let's say Stannard all 4 riding for Cavendish might be enough.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Under normal circumstances definately, but I think the smaller teams will make it a lot harder to control things.
Allthough Wiggins, Froome, Thomas and ....let's say Stannard all 4 riding for Cavendish might be enough.

Depends what teams are selected and who is in the break.

Australia, Germany and the mighty Slovakia could all have a sole interest in a sprint depending on how the cards fall.

 

[l.Harm]

Box Hill on video

Every rider who has reconned the course says it's harder than expected. I assume Cav didn't lose all those kilograms for nothing. Still, the last time Box Hill is at 40 k from the finish line, right? Normally you'd still expect a reduced bunch sprint on such a profile.

Yeah.

Last lap up, and then 40k flat to the finish