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hrotha

hrotha

Jun 10, 2010
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theyoungest said:
You really don't see the difference between an obscure sport at the Olympics, and an espoirs race in a sport where there's a professional equivalent? The amateur roots of the Olympics are entirely irrelevant, cycling used to be all amateurs as well.

I like watching the espoirs race, don't get me wrong, but the "arguments" I hear are those of disappointed/frustrated cycling fans. Just like a fan of snooker might like to see a tournament of aspiring snooker players on tv.
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You missed the part of my post where I said it's not professional vs amateur, but elite vs u23. "Amateur" hasn't existed as a category since 1997. Many of the riders who compete in the u23 WC are professional cyclists in every sense of the word.

Even more important is the fact that the u23 race is part of the event. It's a package.
 
El Pistolero

El Pistolero

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Dekker_Tifosi said:
I have no idea why Vanendert didn't get selected. Also have serious doubts about some other names in the Belgian selection.

He's almost as dumb as Van Vliet
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Because Vanendert simply hasn't done **** since the Ardennes.

Meersman has been top 20 in Vuelta mountain stages. Also top 10 in other stages of the Vuelta. Roelandts and GvA showed form in the Canadian races. Johan Vansummeren and Stijn Vandenbergh are selected to be domestiques. Stijn's job will be to keep Boonen/Phil save in the peloton until the final starts. Johan Vansummeren will either control to break of the day or be in it.

Bjorn Leukemans is a good friend of Gilbert and has won 2 races recently plus he showed good form in the Canadian races. He'll have no problem working for Gilbert and Boonen. Greg van Avermaet has to live with Gilbert for a while longer in the same team, so it won't be wise of him to **** Phil off. He'll work for Phil if the latter's legs are good. He already worked for him in the Amstel Gold Race anyway, so he can be trusted.

Kevin de Weert is a good domestique who showed form in the Vuelta. So not really an odd decision.
 
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Gloin22

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El Pistolero said:
Because Vanendert simply hasn't done **** since the Ardennes.

Meersman has been top 20 in Vuelta mountain stages. Also top 10 in other stages of the Vuelta. Roelandts and GvA showed form in the Canadian races. Johan Vansummeren and Stijn Vandenbergh are selected to be domestiques. Stijn's job will be to keep Boonen/Phil save in the peloton until the final starts. Johan Vansummeren will either control to break of the day or be in it.

Bjorn Leukemans is a good friend of Gilbert and has won 2 races recently plus he showed good form in the Canadian races. He'll have no problem working for Gilbert and Boonen. Greg van Avermaet has to live with Gilbert for a while longer in the same team, so it won't be wise of him to **** Phil off. He'll work for Phil if the latter's legs are good. He already worked for him in the Amstel Gold Race anyway, so he can be trusted.

Kevin de Weert is a good domestique who showed form in the Vuelta. So not really an odd decision.
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Vanendert showed **** all before the last prep race for Ardennes too though...
 
T

theyoungest

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Descender said:
Keep trying to defend the undefendable.
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No, I'm simply trying to look a little bit past my own horizon. You should try it, it's fun ;)

And no, I don't think "it has always been broadcasted, so it should always be broadcasted" is a valid argument.

hrotha said:
You missed the part of my post where I said it's not professional vs amateur, but elite vs u23. "Amateur" hasn't existed as a category since 1997. Many of the riders who compete in the u23 WC are professional cyclists in every sense of the word.

Even more important is the fact that the u23 race is part of the event. It's a package.
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I don't think you'll find too many full pros in the U23 category.

The u23 race is also part of the package at the Nationals. Yet it's never broadcasted.
 
T

The Sheep

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theyoungest said:
No, I'm simply trying to look a little bit past my own horizon. You should try it, it's fun ;)

And no, I don't think "it has always been broadcasted, so it should always be broadcasted" is a valid argument.


I don't think you'll find too many full pros in the U23 category.

The u23 race is also part of the package at the Nationals. Yet it's never broadcasted.
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The problem is that others did want to broadcast but can't because of the NOS/organizers/UCI.
 
El Pistolero

El Pistolero

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roundabout said:
It's almost 2 weeks left til the Worlds. Brabantse Pijl was 4 days before Amstel?

Vanendert picks up form quickly. I bet he would be a lot better in a hypothetical race this week than he was in Canada.
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Too bad for him, you cant expect to get picked if you don't show any good results.
 
hrotha

hrotha

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theyoungest said:
No, I'm simply trying to look a little bit past my own horizon. You should try it, it's fun ;)

And no, I don't think "it has always been broadcasted, so it should always be broadcasted" is a valid argument.


I don't think you'll find too many full pros in the U23 category.

The u23 race is also part of the package at the Nationals. Yet it's never broadcasted.
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Tony Gallopin did the Vuelta and then the u23 WC.

Most of the top guys ride for Conti teams where they're practically professionals.
 
Afrank

Afrank

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williamp78 said:
Who's going to be the protected rider for GB? Do we have any real prospects for the road race? Or for big one day races in general?
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Jonathan Tiernan-Locke for the road race, Cav want to defend but there's no way he will win on this course.
 
P

Praetor

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williamp78 said:
Or for big one day races in general?
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Geraint Thomas could achieve nice things on the races that involve cobbles.

Theoretically you might hope to see Froome doing good in the Ardennes, but I don't expect to see him in those races. Or at least not in top form.

Obviously Cavendish in the ones that could end in a sprint, but unfortunately, if Cav can win, then usually those aren't the most interesting races to begin with.
 
D

DominicDecoco

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Can't belive I haven't seen one picture of the profiles in a preview thread:

elite_men_route.jpg


02_wegcircuit_ENG.jpg
 
W

williamp78

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Afrank said:
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke for the road race, Cav want to defend but there's no way he will win on this course.
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Will they really get behind a rider who a) isn't at team sky and b) has been riding for a domestic team this season? It's a huge step up
 
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williamp78

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Praetor said:
Geraint Thomas could achieve nice things on the races that involve cobbles.

Theoretically you might hope to see Froome doing good in the Ardennes, but I don't expect to see him in those races. Or at least not in top form.

Obviously Cavendish in the ones that could end in a sprint, but unfortunately, if Cav can win, then usually those aren't the most interesting races to begin with.
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I'm looking forward to seeing Geraint on the cobbles this year. Hopefully he'll peak for them and be a true team leader (along with EBH i suppose) rather than being second fiddle to flecha

I'm not convinced with froome as a one dayer; he always starts his season really slowly (ie is often sick!)

And Cav's one day record is abysmal even in the sprinter friendly races (i may be over generalising)
 
Afrank

Afrank

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williamp78 said:
Will they really get behind a rider who a) isn't at team sky and b) has been riding for a domestic team this season? It's a huge step up
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He'll likely be riding for a world tour team next season, and Sky is one of the teams that it is rumored he will go to. And if they don't want to ride for him simply because he's not on Sky than that would be a very dumb move in my opinion. At the world championships you ride with your national team for the rider that has a best chance of winning the race. And if team GB doesn't want him to win simply because he is not on Sky than they shouldn't even put him on their worlds team.
 
Forunculo

Forunculo

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Vino as olympic champ, Contador ITT champion and Valverde as road race champion.

A fairytale for Mcquaid:p.


No, the road race it's interesting, Belgium, Spain, Italy and the new cycling power GB. If I were Brailsford I don't play Cavendish card with the Cauberg but who knows
 
T

theyoungest

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Forunculo said:
Vino as olympic champ, Contador ITT champion and Valverde as road race champion.

A fairytale for Mcquaid:p.


No, the road race it's interesting, Belgium, Spain, Italy and the new cycling power GB. If I were Brailsford I don't play Cavendish card with the Cauberg but who knows
Click to expand...
Don't forget Australia. GB don't really have one day race specialists.
 
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