Omloop Het (Volk) Nieuwsblad - Feb 26th 2011

[kurtinsc]

Swimming is one sport, all the others you named are different sports? It's not even possible to qualify for all the different sports that use a bike at the same time.

And the difference is way smaller, but you do have a point yes. But it changes nothing about my argument. If a country excels in swimming they"ll gain a lot more medals than a country that excels in cycling... Argue all you want, but it's true.

I've seen guys riding on the road who've ridden track, mountain bikes and even BMX (thouth those are rare I'll admit).

The difference is you generally have to focus on one or you won't be very good at any of them. Wiggins was excellent on the track, but he was very average on the road until he stopped focusing on the track.

It's similar with swimming. I know from experience. It's VERY rare for someone to be able to do sprints/middle distance/long distance events all at a top level. Same goes with the various strokes. Not only do they involve different technique, but they are helped and hurt by various muscle groups being stronger or weaker. The weight lifting I did to improve my backstroke HURT my butterfly and freestyle ability.

I know this is very OT... but the 1500m freestyle is as different from the 50 as BMX riding is different from road racing. What Phelps did in the pool would be the equivalent of Brad Wiggins winning golds in both the road race and the time trial as well as a couple of track medals.

A country will be able to get more medals in swimming... but not a lot more. In swimming, each country can only have 2 participants. The maximum number of medals you can get in mens swimming is 34 I think. Is that the case with the various cycling events? If not... you can get 33 mens cycing medals.

 

[theyoungest]

Swimming is one sport, all the others you named are different sports? It's not even possible to qualify for all the different sports that use a bike at the same time.

And the difference is way smaller, but you do have a point yes. But it changes nothing about my argument. If a country excels in swimming they"ll gain a lot more medals than a country that excels in cycling... Argue all you want, but it's true.

I think you mean to say: a country that excels in road cycling. Men's road cycling. Because that's your point, right? Belgium excels at it, but you can't get many medals from it. Which is sort of true.

You could argue that in terms of Olympic performance, it's too bad that in Belgium the sport of road cycling is pretty much uncontested as the biggest endurance sport. Hence a Belgian with a talent for endurance sports is very likely to become a cyclist. You're putting all your eggs into one basket, so to speak. But look at it this way: it's very good for your domination of the cycling world

 

[Spine Concept]

I think you mean to say: a country that excels in road cycling. Men's road cycling. Because that's your point, right? Belgium excels at it, but you can't get many medals from it. Which is sort of true.

You could argue that in terms of Olympic performance, it's too bad that in Belgium the sport of road cycling is pretty much uncontested as the biggest endurance sport. Hence a Belgian with a talent for endurance sports is very likely to become a cyclist. You're putting all your eggs into one basket, so to speak. But look at it this way: it's very good for your domination of the cycling world

Exactly, this ''domination'' only stretches as far as men's road cycling and cyclocross goes. Guess who dominates in women's cycling and cyclocross? A certain Marianne Vos, Daphne van den Brandt, Sanne van Paassen?

 

[Kwibus]

I'm a little bit late in this discussion, but I can't keep up with all of you. Don't you have jobs or are all of you still studying or what?

About the Netherlands vs Belgium discussion: There will always be a good healthy rivalry between our nations. Allthough I usually cheer for belgians if there are no dutchies to cheer for.
In football the only real rivalry we have is with Germany in other sports I feel it much more with Belgium.

About Boom: I tend to judge him too fast as well. Saying he won't be able to handle 200+ km races, but then again he's only racing long distances for 2 years now. His body was made for cyclocross. It will take some time before he can handle those long distances, maybe we'll even have to wait till he's 30.

 

[El Pistolero]

I think you mean to say: a country that excels in road cycling. Men's road cycling. Because that's your point, right? Belgium excels at it, but you can't get many medals from it. Which is sort of true.

You could argue that in terms of Olympic performance, it's too bad that in Belgium the sport of road cycling is pretty much uncontested as the biggest endurance sport. Hence a Belgian with a talent for endurance sports is very likely to become a cyclist. You're putting all your eggs into one basket, so to speak. But look at it this way: it's very good for your domination of the cycling world

Yes, that's exactly what I mean. But we also have a lot of talent going to tennis though But that's not an endurance sport ofc.

 

[kurtinsc]

Yes, that's exactly what I mean. But we also have a lot of talent going to tennis though But that's not an endurance sport ofc.

Well a country specializing in road cycling is the equivalent of a country focusing only in the butterfly. You aren't specializing in a sport... it's a subset of a sport.

It's the most popular sub-set by far, don't get me wrong.

There's only 2 chances for a butterfly specialist to win a gold medal too... three if you include the medley relay.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I'd be surprised if Greg ever won a big classic.

And it's not hard to get medals in sports almost no one does
Hence why cyclocross is not an olympic sport and many more should be scrapped. And Dutch people don't care? Every time I meet a Dutch person they start bringing up football up to the point that it's getting extremely sad.

thank you for prooving my point.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

So your Dutch Colombian? Like DAOTEC? I never knew there was such a big Colombian population in Holland

no I'm Dutch. Daotec is half Colombian I believe.his father is dutch or that is his father on here I don't always know.

however there are quite a few people from my age born in the 80s who were born in colombia because many kids were then adopted here. I've had at leats 3 guys in my schoolclasses that were born colombians.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Why are the Dutchies so hateful towards us?

Is it because I'm a lazy Walloon that I had never felt such hatred before I registered on CN?

I'm no fan of Langeveld (fixing of the NK with Boogerd) but he was definitely the strongest last Saturday (he won a mens sprint because he was the freshest and not the fastest).

Whenever a Dutchie wins, I feel like a compatriot wins. I'm a proud Citizen of the Low Countries. Don't forget we share our only PT stage race. My dad was a Cruyff fan. He could name every player of the Oranje team back then.


Boom will one day come back to cyclocross. He already announced his presence in Overijse next year [Edit: I meant Koksijde, WC]. That's not downgrading. I think he can combine cross and road. De Vlaeminck also dropped cyclocross for a few years when he was young but when he had enough body to combine cross and road, he did it.

Surely, Boom was close to dominating the 2007/2008 season.

Moreover, for every Belgian but Pistolero, Ghent-Ghent is a presitigious one-day race and Saturday's race results weren't flattering for the Belgians, neither was yesterday's race, for the Dutch-speaking part.

this is something between flanders and netherlands and wallonne has nothing to do with it. you are totally different. also chauvinist but with pride like the french. flemish people and I've met so many of them a lot of them are very afraid especially older people there. they are very closed and talk behind your back stuff. they are chauvinist but not because they are proud but because they are afraid. I remember they literally had tv programs on belgian tv discussing why netherlands could get so many medals and belgium not. flemish feel like the little ******* son that never got it's fair share. that's also why they are in so much trouble with wallonish people. because wallonish people are more laid back and don't care what others think. 180 degrees opposite of flanders.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Swimming? Yeah, no one does that.

don't go into it. he really believes that.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Is Daotec really Dutch? I already knew Ryo was, but Dao too?

yeah he is.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I t was a great reaction. But he did get in boomeranged into his face.

no he did not. he refused to do it and camera went off. I do however remember a completely frustrated belgian/flemish guy on vrt going nuts over it saying oh those dutch guys with their big mouths blabla I watch every day because I hope they will fail. this is the point I'm trying to proove why do you always have to talk down to us for youself to believe something that isn't there?

 

[Echoes]

I never said the Omloop wasn't prestigious. But we have cyclists that can actually win the only races that matter in the spring season: Milano- San Remo, De Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris-Roubaix, Amstel Gold Race and Luik-Bastenaken-Luik. Hence it doesn't matter how many Belgians failed at the Omloop, it doesn't matter for them. It's too early to be in top form and you can't win the Omloop without being in top form. And that was my original point I made before the Dutchies started to wet in their panties.

And as a Walloon I suppose you're used to resentment by now.

Four pages since my last visit, wow. If Ghent Ghent is prestigious, it does matter. This thread going on and on and on is further evidence that it's a big race.

Why resentment? Van Genechten was the first Belgian in Kuurne and Gilbert is the best one-day rider at the present time.

Besides, my dad is a Fleming from Temse, my paternal grand-parents are/were speakers of East-Flemish. Grandpa was in the army and moved to Namur when my dad was 6. Besides², my maternal great-grandma was a French-speaking Fleming from Ghent. I have more Flemish blood in my veins than most of those who claim they're Flemish.

So don't talk about things you don't know. I see that you've edited your post since my last visit coz' when I first read, there was no talk about that.


Oh by the way, I guess you've never picked up a tennis racket to argue it's not an endurance sport (just play for 11 hours 5' and you'll see) and I don't see much up-and-coming talents in Belgium, other than Bemelmans or De Greef. The Dutchies have De Bakker but he still keeps choking. We just have to go with good old Malisse and Rochus.

Exactly, this ''domination'' only stretches as far as men's road cycling and cyclocross goes.

We have the best riders in the centuries old history of men's road, track and cross cycling. Women, in their rightful place: home ! (joking )

 

[hrotha]

What the hell have you guys done with this beautiful thread.

 

[jens_attacks]

pieter van den hoogenband.that's all.

i have no idea what you were talking about.history lessons on cn forums are boring...

 

[boomcie]

no he did not. he refused to do it and camera went off. I do however remember a completely frustrated belgian/flemish guy on vrt going nuts over it saying oh those dutch guys with their big mouths blabla I watch every day because I hope they will fail. this is the point I'm trying to proove why do you always have to talk down to us for youself to believe something that isn't there?

He did get it boomeranged right back in his face. Gerard Kemkers made sure of that on the 10k.

Also, the last things you have been saying on this forum (including the totally negligent and partially racist remarks about Flemish people) were just outrageously feebleminded.

 

[L'arriviste]

Two hours later I come back and you're all still OT! Sort it out, eh? This is the OHN thread!

 

[Spine Concept]

He did get it boomeranged right back in his face. Gerard Kemkers made sure of that on the 10k.

Also, the last things you have been saying on this forum (including the totally negligent and partially racist remarks about Flemish people) were just outrageously feebleminded.

So what? What are you trying to prove? Is your sole aim to ridicule Kramer? At the end of the day he was still the fastest on the 10k despite the unfortunate mistake and he still is the best long-distance speed skater of all time. Deal with it and let it go. You're grasping at straws and it's borderline pathetic. Now hopefully we can move on to cycling, which is what this forum and thread is for. Sigh.

 

[El Pistolero]

Four pages since my last visit, wow. If Ghent Ghent is prestigious, it does matter. This thread going on and on and on is further evidence that it's a big race.

Why resentment? Van Genechten was the first Belgian in Kuurne and Gilbert is the best one-day rider at the present time.

Besides, my dad is a Fleming from Temse, my paternal grand-parents are/were speakers of East-Flemish. Grandpa was in the army and moved to Namur when my dad was 6. Besides², my maternal great-grandma was a French-speaking Fleming from Ghent. I have more Flemish blood in my veins than most of those who claim they're Flemish.

So don't talk about things you don't know. I see that you've edited your post since my last visit coz' when I first read, there was no talk about that.


Oh by the way, I guess you've never picked up a tennis racket to argue it's not an endurance sport (just play for 11 hours 5' and you'll see) and I don't see much up-and-coming talents in Belgium, other than Bemelmans or De Greef. The Dutchies have De Bakker but he still keeps choking. We just have to go with good old Malisse and Rochus.




We have the best riders in the centuries old history of men's road, track and cross cycling. Women, in their rightful place: home ! (joking )

Flemish or Walloon blood doesn't exist, both are modern artificial constructions.

If you don't think there's resentment among a lot of Flemish people against the Walloons then you have been living under a rock. Just look at the amount of people who voted for Vlaams Belang and N-VA.

Why is their resentment? Because the Walloons have a long history(Belgian history since 1830) of being total hypocrites, that's why.

Tennis is not an endurance sport like cycling is. Just look at how fat some female tenissers are, just pathetic.

And there's a lot of up and coming talent in female tennis.

 

[Barrus]

Allright guys, since the race was over we pretty much let the off-topic talk slide. But now that it has gone into politics, I think I'll just close this thread