Phil Liggett on Olympic Track events

[avanti]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/liggett-slams-inclusion-of-mountain-biking-bmx-in-olympics

I agree somewhat with Phil on his comments. I do not object to the addition of MTB and BMX events but the track events should be expanded , not reduced.

The London track was built for the Olympics - it seems a shame to only use it for less than a week during the two-week games.

I notice swimming has 34 medal events vs. 10 track cycling medal events.

Lets hope the UCI and the IOC expand track cycling for the Rio games in four years time.

 

[nowhereman]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/liggett-slams-inclusion-of-mountain-biking-bmx-in-olympics

I agree somewhat with Phil on his comments. I do not object to the addition of MTB and BMX events but the track events should be expanded , not reduced.

The London track was built for the Olympics - it seems a shame to only use it for less than a week during the two-week games.

I notice swimming has 34 medal events vs. 10 track cycling medal events.

Lets hope the UCI and the IOC expand track cycling for the Rio games in four years time.

I Don't agree with that sell out, over the hill, old fart, at all. Rule #1: Don't eat your own. Why do we need Olympic Ping Pong???? (Oh I forgot, they call it Table Tennis!) Pick on some other sports, not your own. That idiot has lost all credibility as far as I'm concerned. When he needs Paul Sherwen to complete sentences he can't find the word to spit out, you ought to know his days are numbered. But when he calls Tejay Van Garderen, Tejay Van den Broeck!!!! Time is up! His thought processes are incredibly worn out, and if this negative pronouncement on MTBing is the only thing he can muster the courage to talk "candidly" about, after passing on so many other more important opportunities . It's time he's retired.

 

[CobbleStoner]

nice 1 Phil, somebody needed to say it.
shame on the IOC for it's disrespectful treatment of track cycling, and McQuaid for letting it happen.
BMX, Dressage, Rythmic Gymnastics, MTB, Table Tennis,... all the same to me

 

[auscyclefan94]

Liggett is spot on for once.

 

[Boeing]

Sounds like Olympic Track Cycling is in a spot of bother for 2016

 

[Parera]

Total complete ****.

 

[simo1733]

Yes Phil, we shouldn't put MTB in the Olympics.Pierre De Coubetain would be laughing at that.He much preferred the Motorcycling,Ballooning and 200m swimming obstacle race at the Paris games of 1900.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Pierre de Coubetain was also a misogynist although during his lifetime, that was not that uncommon.

 

[BroDeal]

It seems like every time I watch BMX half the riders crash in the first corner and the man lucky enough to avoid that wins. I am skeptical of a sport where it is typical for people's races to be ruined by getting crashed out.

Aside from that, I am all for getting rid of all track events. It is a dead sport that belongs a hundred years in the past. Any sport that is not viable outside the Olympics should be excised.

The Olympics should have a seven day stage race with gold medals for each stage as well as the overall. That woud get the medal count up there with swimming.

 

[DirtyWorks]

nice 1 Phil, somebody needed to say it.
shame on the IOC for it's disrespectful treatment of track cycling, and McQuaid for letting it happen.
BMX, Dressage, Rythmic Gymnastics, MTB, Table Tennis,... all the same to me

The IOC is a pay-to-play organization! Just like Pat. We know Pat's not interested in Track because it doesn't pay. Keirin apparently paid for their event at one point. That's pretty much how it works.

Unless track cycling picks up new viewers, it's lucky to have the events they will have.

What's more interesting is Phil being let off his chain..... Armstrong's check didn't show up this month?

 

[riobonito92]

Aside from that, I am all for getting rid of all track events. It is a dead sport that belongs a hundred years in the past. Any sport that is not viable outside the Olympics should be excised.

The exact opposite is true. The sports to axe are ones for which the olympics is not the most important event - e.g. tennis, football and, if a cycling event has to go it should be the male road race.

 

[simo1733]

I think swimming has too many events.I like tge sport but there shouldn't be much more swimming than running.

 

[Hawkwood]

I think swimming has too many events.I like tge sport but there shouldn't be much more swimming than running.

Plus there appear to be multiple swimmers from the same country for each distance/stroke, while in track cycling it's just one per country for each event.

 

[Boeing]

The exact opposite is true. The sports to axe are ones for which the olympics is not the most important event - e.g. tennis, football and, if a cycling event has to go it should be the male road race.

brodeal was being cynical I am sure.

I agree with you mano a mano sports only. Boxing. Track etc.

 

[Marva32]

It seems like every time I watch BMX half the riders crash in the first corner and the man lucky enough to avoid that wins. I am skeptical of a sport where it is typical for people's races to be ruined by getting crashed out.

Speaking of crashing out, it seems that there should be some rule changes in track cycling to avoid a situation where a competitor can admit to an intentional crash to get a restart.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/08/news/britains-hindes-admits-to-crashing-purposely-in-team-sprint_232933

Hindes, who made the switch from Germany to Britain only a year ago, has made the demanding “man one” starting position in the three-man event his own following a series of stunning performances over one lap of the track.

But he came close to sending Britain crashing out of the competition when his front wheel skidded only seconds after he left the start gate with Jason Kenny and Sir Chris Hoy on his wheel.

The top two teams from the first round qualified for the gold medal match. And, facing the prospect of losing just a fraction of a second to his rivals with a slow start, Hindes decided on some remedial action.

“So I crashed, I did it on purpose just to get the restart, just to have the fastest ride. It was all planned really,” said Hindes.

Pretty pathetic in my opinion.

 

[BroDeal]

Speaking of crashing out, it seems that there should be some rule changes in track cycling to avoid a situation where a competitor can admit to an intentional crash to get a restart.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/08/news/britains-hindes-admits-to-crashing-purposely-in-team-sprint_232933

Pretty pathetic in my opinion.

Cancellara should get a redo of the road race.

 

[abbaskip]

It's quite ridiculous that Track + Road cycling = 14 events, Swimming = 34.

It shouldn't be a matter of getting rid of Mountain Bike or BMX - Swimming wouldn't have to get rid of Water Polo if they wanted a new event.

The World Championship events should basically carry over - as they do with most sports.

And the one country, one competitor rule is also ridiculous. Imagine doing that in track with Jamaica and USA in the 100m, Kenya in the Marathon. Or swimming with Lochte vs Phelps.

The 1km time trial has been a track olympic event since day 0, and now they've taken it out?

 

[Catwhoorg]

The velodrome will be sitting idle for over a week between the opening and closing ceremonies.

Its not like having some other events would actually be difficult to schedule

 

[richtea]

Aside from that, I am all for getting rid of all track events. It is a dead sport that belongs a hundred years in the past. Any sport that is not viable outside the Olympics should be excised.

What would that actually leave you with? Football, road cycling, boxing and tennis. Perhaps basketball if you are charitable enough to call it a sport.

 

[leftover pie]

It's quite ridiculous that Track + Road cycling = 14 events, Swimming = 34.

as a proud orstrayan who's country has only ever been competitive on the medal tally because of swimming, i whole heartedly agree with you.

swimming bores me to tears and unfortunately while it's the swimming week of the games it's pretty much all we see on telly here.

pre-race introductions, the race, then then the scripted by the numbers post race interviews.

then repeats of the above, all while there are way more interesting events happening

instead we get swimming swimming and more swimming.

and if one of them wins gold, we're forced to endure 4 years of them in breakfast cereal ads or lifestyle TV show hosting.

there's a bunch of events you can cut out, basically anything that's not freestyle should be removed. you don't have athletics putting events in like "running backwards", "100m hop on left leg" "100m hop on right leg"

(don't get me started on race-walking though)

swimming should just be events based on the fastest from A to B.

no "non-optimal stroke" events.

 

[abbaskip]

I'm an Aussie too. And agree with almost all you have said...except that swimming is the ONLY reason we have been competitive in the medal tally. Track Cycling has helped us there over the years. especially in medals as a ratio of events.

 

[Marva32]

It's quite ridiculous that Track + Road cycling = 14 events, Swimming = 34.

It shouldn't be a matter of getting rid of Mountain Bike or BMX - Swimming wouldn't have to get rid of Water Polo if they wanted a new event.

The World Championship events should basically carry over - as they do with most sports.

And the one country, one competitor rule is also ridiculous. Imagine doing that in track with Jamaica and USA in the 100m, Kenya in the Marathon. Or swimming with Lochte vs Phelps.

The 1km time trial has been a track olympic event since day 0, and now they've taken it out?

I just saw that Trampoline is an Olympic sport. Why?

 

[Modiss]

Track Road BMX MTB? we're all Cycling and P Liggetts comments are as anti-cycling as it gets.

Agreed screwing over Track Cycling is short sighted beyond belief by the UCI as it pulls all Cycling down. Look at any national programs, the more medals on offer the better supported they are.

I'm beginning to question Liggetts motives or mental faculties, for someone who is supposed to be promoting cycling he seems determined to look for negative controversy and ways to dumb down the sport.

Constantly referring to Commisaires as referees? what's that about Phil? maybe it's time to up the meds or retire.

 

[online-rider]

Track Road BMX MTB? we're all Cycling and P Liggetts comments are as anti-cycling as it gets.

Agreed screwing over Track Cycling is short sighted beyond belief by the UCI as it pulls all Cycling down. Look at any national programs, the more medals on offer the better supported they are.

I'm beginning to question Liggetts motives or mental faculties, for someone who is supposed to be promoting cycling he seems determined to look for negative controversy and ways to dumb down the sport.

Constantly referring to Commisaires as referees? what's that about Phil? maybe it's time to up the meds or retire.

He sold his soul to Mammon during the Armstrong years. Either that or he is very stupid.

 

[Caruut]

I don't actually mind road cycling being horrendously under-represented at Olympic level, because I don't think that it needs the Olympics or the Olympics need it, frankly. It's nice having a medal, but I wouldn't want Olympic gold to be much more important than a WC/Monument.

Track cycling is in an awkward position. They desperately need more countries to take it seriously, which is why I think they've got the 1 athlete per country rule. Quite simply a GB 1-2-3 would be an absolute farce and possibly spell the end of track at the Olympics. BMX and MTB at least have far more even participation than just GB and Australia fighting it out, even if the standard is a bit lower.