TEAMLottoNL

[Dekker_Tifosi]

during and close to olympic years actually more countries care. It's more international than cyclocross at least

 

[ILovecycling]

during and close to olympic years actually more countries care. It's more international than cyclocross at least

doubt that, ...but still, dutch make it bigger thing than cycling, which is not.

 

[Arredondo]

doubt that, ...but still, dutch make it bigger thing than cycling, which is not.

Which Dutch?

I don't care about speed skating. But in Germany, China, Japan and Canada/US, it's not 100% unpopulair.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

doubt that, ...but still, dutch make it bigger thing than cycling, which is not.

It is in the Netherlands obviously.

It's a stupid interview, but it's made by Dutch people, in Dutch, for a Dutch audience. Obviously they care more about skating, because in general skating is bigger than cycling in the Netherlands. Imagine if all the talent we have would go cycling, instead of being usurped by skating.

Oh and by the way, it's a lot easier to be charismatic and self-confident when you've been dominating your sport for years, compared to being a pretty talented guy who's been haunted by bad luck and has therefore been underachieving most of his career and a young guy who barely did anything because he's still young.

 

[ILovecycling]

Which Dutch?

I don't care about speed skating. But in Germany, China, Japan and Canada/US, it's not 100% unpopulair.

I meant generally,dutch people.

It is in the Netherlands obviously.

It's a stupid interview, but it's made by Dutch people, in Dutch, for a Dutch audience. Obviously they care more about skating, because in general skating is bigger than cycling in the Netherlands. Imagine if all the talent we have would go cycling, instead of being usurped by skating.

Oh and by the way, it's a lot easier to be charismatic and self-confident when you've been dominating your sport for years, compared to being a pretty talented guy who's been haunted by bad luck and has therefore been underachieving most of his career and a young guy who barely did anything because he's still young.

this...and thats the thing I was wondering about

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

I meant generally,dutch people.

this...and thats the thing I was wondering about

Why do the Belgians care about CX? (because it's awesome of course) Why do the British care about cricket? Why do the Americans care about american football? Why do the Kenyans care about marathons? Why do the Jamaicans care about 100m sprint? Why do the Chinese care about table tennis?

Why do the Dutch care about skating?

 

[ILovecycling]

Why do the Belgians care about CX? (because it's awesome of course) Why do the British care about cricket? Why do the Americans care about american football? Why do the Kenyans care about marathons? Why do the Jamaicans care about 100m sprint? Why do the Chinese care about table tennis?

Why do the Dutch care about skating?

I know why,but its weird that only because they are so dominant,this sport is so popular there.
all those sports you wrote are much more popular than speed skating imo,so no wonder they follow this sport so much,at least imo.

its like if in my country there were very good fencers then it would be popular? I dont think so ...and its almost the same thing with dutch people and skating.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Why do the Belgians care about CX? (because it's awesome of course) Why do the British care about cricket? Why do the Americans care about american football? Why do the Kenyans care about marathons? Why do the Jamaicans care about 100m sprint? Why do the Chinese care about table tennis?

Why do the Dutch care about skating?

The Americans care about american football because it comes from that country

 

[ILovecycling]

The Americans care about american football because it comes from that country

yeah,but the common point is/was different

 

[del1962]

Why do the Belgians care about CX? (because it's awesome of course) Why do the British care about cricket? Why do the Americans care about american football? Why do the Kenyans care about marathons? Why do the Jamaicans care about 100m sprint? Why do the Chinese care about table tennis?

Why do the Dutch care about skating?

Probably because plenty of people acually have an understanding of the game in Britain and have played it at some level, not really to do with success against their main opponents which is somewhat sporadic.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

The Americans care about american football because it comes from that country

And cricket comes from the UK and the first true ice skates were developed in the Netherlands before America was discovered.

Probably because plenty of people acually have an understanding of the game in Britain and have played it at some level, not really to do with success against their main opponents which is somewhat sporadic.

And virtually everybody in the Netherlands has practiced skating, though not necessarily in a competition or anything. But when we have a cold winter, every frozen lake somewhat near an inhabited area will have hundreds if not thousands of people skating on it every day. I mean; to put it bluntly; you're not Dutch if you can't skate. Skating has been very popular in the Netherlands since the end of the middle ages. It's a part of Dutch culture. It has been for centuries

I know why,but its weird that only because they are so dominant,this sport is so popular there.
all those sports you wrote are much more popular than speed skating imo,so no wonder they follow this sport so much,at least imo.

You're overestimating the Dutch dominance because of Sochi, which wasn't very representative. In recent years there have always been riders from Norway and the US who competed with the Dutch and also guys like Skobrev from Russia, or Fabris from Italy. The shorter distances aren't dominated by the Dutch at all, but rather by the Koreans and the Japanese. Skating is quite popular in Korea; I think successful Korean skaters are actually famous in their own country.

Also, as I explained above, it's not just the dominance, it's also just a part of Dutch culture. Has been for centuries.

 

[Echoes]

Such an interesting read, Maarten.

Though I fail to see the link between TeamLotto and ice-skating.

And yeah I like the idea that different countries have different cultures and different national sports. If I were Dutch I'd be interested in ice-skating and I have respect for Dutchies' passion for it.
If I were a Brit I'd be interested in snooker. If I were an American I'd be interested in rodeo. I'm a Belgian and interested in cycling and in cyclocross.

A globalized world with undifferentiated individuals is nothing for me.

By the way, you all know that ice-skaters have always been good at cycling, it's part of their training.

Sven Kramer is a cyclist who raced the Olympia's Tour, isn't he?

Eric Heiden famously turned to road cycling. Jaap Eden was a Dutch cyclist and ice-skater in the late 19th century.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

The link is that TEAMLottoNL has both a cycling team and an ice skating team. In fact, Sven Kramer has signed for TeamLotto. A few posts back somebody posted a link with an interview at a team presentation of TeamLotto, both the cycling and the skating team, where the interviewer was trying to troll the cyclists in a stupid attempt to be funny. And then the discussion about skating started.

And yes, skaters always train on the bike during the summer. I don't know exactly how it works, but somehow you use more or less the same muscles in skating and cycling. Sven Kramer was 2nd in the junior Dutch TT championship behind Gesink in 2004. If he chose to be a cyclist, he would probably have been a good TTist. And Jaap Eden became the first official all-round world champion in skating in 1893 (winning again in 1895 and 1896) and he also won events in the cycling world championship in 1894 and 1895 - although those championships were very different from how it is now of course. They were raced on a track and there was a 1 mile race, a 10km race and a 100km race. Eden won the 10km in 1894 and the mile in 1895.

Anyway, I agree, different cultures with different traditions and different sports are nice and interesting.

 

[Arnout]

I hate speed skating. Tried it once, didn't see the point

As a spectator sport it's even worse.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I hate speed skating. Tried it once, didn't see the point

As a spectator sport it's even worse.

Long distance ice skating is pretty fun, but perfect conditions are rare.

Otherwise, I agree going around a rink with speed is dull.

 

[Akuryo]

I hate speed skating. Tried it once, didn't see the point

As a spectator sport it's even worse.

As a hobby in the winter I think it is quite fun. But I agree on the spectator-point. I guess every nation has one or a few sports where they pride themselves in.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Yeah, I think it's very nice to do in cold winters on natural ice; much more fun than on a rink. Though probably if I'd do it often and got better at it, skating in a rink would be fun for athletic and competitive purposes. But now I only skate when we have a good winter so I never got any good at it.

Just for the non-Dutch people, to get an idea how much Dutch people like skating. In 2012 we had a very cold winter and there was a frozen lake close to me where you could do a 10km lap. Now when I went there, the entire 10km lap was filled with people. There must have been several thousands of people on the ice. In a cold winter there's places like that all over the Netherlands.

 

[El Pistolero]

And cricket comes from the UK and the first true ice skates were developed in the Netherlands before America was discovered.

Actually

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7919429.stm

 

[theyoungest]

Cycling team getting owned so ****ing hard by pownews

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxMDj41FZp0&list=UUHTtspK-G7Wt68awRpTSkiw

You call that being owned? I guess you're part of the reaguurder generation. Rutger is an utter moron, who doesn't prepare his interviews, thus deeply grieving Gesink by commenting on his wife, who happens to be in hospital. Very funny indeed...

Kelderman even subtly makes a fool of him, although that's mostly edited in Rutger's favour (of course).

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I like Kelderman's reaction, Rutger doesn't even notice he is being reverse trolled

 

[Red Rick]

You call that being owned? I guess you're part of the reaguurder generation. Rutger is an utter moron, who doesn't prepare his interviews, thus deeply grieving Gesink by commenting on his wife, who happens to be in hospital. Very funny indeed...

Kelderman even subtly makes a fool of him, although that's mostly edited in Rutger's favour (of course).

He was talking about Kramer's wife obviously.

I don't get the fact that on these boards rabo/belkin and in particular Gesink is always made fun of cause he crashes/fails his big targets and always targets a top 10 spot and when a journalist comes in and kinda does the same he's a huge fool

Anyway, didn't really mean to spark the whole skating debate

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Otherwise, I agree going around a rink with speed is dull.

How do you feel about track cycling?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

How do you feel about track cycling?

I've tried it and I find it dull (the riding part).

The only part of track racing I find really interesting to watch is the Madison.

Seeing a six day on location requires booze and cigars for me and hence I'm no longer going. There isn't enough sex, drugs and rock&roll these days, not even in Gent.

Watching a track world cup is way down the priorities. Only if nothing else going on.

 

[theyoungest]

He was talking about Kramer's wife obviously.

I don't get the fact that on these boards rabo/belkin and in particular Gesink is always made fun of cause he crashes/fails his big targets and always targets a top 10 spot and when a journalist comes in and kinda does the same he's a huge fool

Anyway, didn't really mean to spark the whole skating debate

He's talking about Kramer's wife as compared to Gesink's wife, otherwise the "joke" makes no sense. The fact that there's some trolling going on regarding Gesink doesn't mean that a "journalist" should troll him in his face, that way you can make everyone look like a loser, even the great Sven Kramer.