The Olympic Road Race 2016. Rio de Janeiro. 253km

[Arked]

Re:

Actually Nibali and Henao crashing cost Majka a chance of a gold medal. Once he had to ride alone for the last 10kms it left him susceptible to any late attack - It was a curse for majka.

Exactly. He had no chance to make it alone to the finish line.

Also Majka would surely do turns at the front on flat section of the course (as he always do when riding in the break, but this forum weirdly stay blind when this happens). On the climb he was absolutely at his limit and on the descent Nibali and Henao went crazy fast (no wonder they crashed).

 

[Warhawk]

Re:

I got to say I had it up to my ears with Froome today

For one thing Elingworth and himself making him leader when race wasmore suited to Thomas ( who had to bring Froome back from peeing) Cummings (who has to ride on the front)and even Yates ( who had to go back to car for bottles)

Does he not beleive in sharign the glory and giving something back

Why was he attacking with Allphillipe on his wheel with Thomas up the road...seen that before
Stop hogging the limelight ...even sprinting at the end....give others a chance Froome
Thomas rides his ar** off for you ...let him take some glory and be leader FFS

Seems like only yesterday that this forum was complaining about how Wiggins was taking all the glory when Froome looked like the stronger ride. My how the turns have tabled. :lol:

 

[deValtos]

Re:

I got to say I had it up to my ears with Froome today

For one thing Elingworth and himself making him leader when race wasmore suited to Thomas ( who had to bring Froome back from peeing) Cummings (who has to ride on the front)and even Yates ( who had to go back to car for bottles)

Does he not beleive in sharign the glory and giving something back

Why was he attacking with Allphillipe on his wheel with Thomas up the road...seen that before
Stop hogging the limelight ...even sprinting at the end....give others a chance Froome
Thomas rides his ar** off for you ...let him take some glory and be leader FFS

Lol what, those tactics were fine by GB. I think they rode the race very well tbh.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

I love that there are people still refusing to accept that one day racing is a very different thing after a "climbers race" won by Greg Van Avermaet.

Riders can be both GC climbers and good one day racers. It is not an either or choice. But the two abilities are to a considerable extent independent of each other. There is often nonsense talked about how GC riders with no significant classics pedigree would be super strong in one day races if only they targeted them. They wouldn't be. One day races involve different physical and mental skills. It is possible to be an excellent GC climber and an excellent hilly classics rider, but being one does not imply the other in either direction.

Yep, and it was the first part of the race which was actually as decisive as the final climb. Pure GC riders just can't handle the changes of pace and constantly going into the red. They like sitting nice and steady in a peloton and then riding threshold up a climb. It's a different type of racing.

 

[IndianCyclist]

I hope most of the WCRR are designed in this way. Gives a very open chance to almost everybody except the sprinters. As GVA showed only need the will to win and the tenacity to survive and not give up.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

On paper, this race was suited to Froome more than anyone else for GB

No it wasn't. On paper and in reality it was a hilly one day race. And Froome has no record to speak of in those.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Re: Re:

Nibali's downfall was presumably failing to drop Henao on the last stretch of the climb: he knew he would have been outsprinted by him, and overcooked it in trying to get away from him in the descent.

GvA so nearly lost the wheels of the lead group on the first half of the final ascent: a brilliant recovery. But although he did contribute to the chasedown of Majka, it was Fuglsang's strength that won him his gold medal.

Henao, the famous sprinter?
Yeah sure.

You consider Nibali to be a better sprinter?

 

[doperhopper]

Re: Re:

Can Brazil get savvy and utilize that spectacular course for a World Tour race?

With 9 men teams and radios?

I hope after this even UCI has to realize the future is 5-man teams and no radios.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Re:

Can Brazil get savvy and utilize that spectacular course for a World Tour race?

With 9 men teams and radios?

I hope after this even UCI has to realize the future is 5-man teams and no radios.

5 is excessive. But 7 with no radios is the way to go

 

[Alexandre B.]

It's strange to see a guy like Valverde completely blow up in the two most important classics of the year for him.

 

[Rollthedice]

A sad day for me, a great day for cycling. Grande Van Avermaet, big congrats and to all top 10-15.

 

[Warhawk]

Re: Re:

Can Brazil get savvy and utilize that spectacular course for a World Tour race?

With 9 men teams and radios?

I hope after this even UCI has to realize the future is 5-man teams and no radios.

Can we compromise at 6.5 man teams and smoke signals?

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Love the pictures of GVA and Jakob hugging each other after the finish

 

[elfed68]

Re: Re:

Can Brazil get savvy and utilize that spectacular course for a World Tour race?

With 9 men teams and radios?

I hope after this even UCI has to realize the future is 5-man teams and no radios.

5 is excessive. But 7 with no radios is the way to go

Obviously six with only text messaging as a means of communication...

 

[ice&fire]

Re: Re:

Can Brazil get savvy and utilize that spectacular course for a World Tour race?

With 9 men teams and radios?

I hope after this even UCI has to realize the future is 5-man teams and no radios.

5 is excessive. But 7 with no radios is the way to go

5 for 1-day races, 7 for stage races.

 

[luckyboy]

Re: Re:

Taaramae just stopped 50 metres from end and climber over the ad boards to abandon

 

[Gigs_98]

On another note, what was wrong with Valverde. The big pre race favorite not even close to get a medal?

 

[SKSemtex]

Easy to say. This race was much much better then whole TDF.For me it is another proof, that one day racing is much better then stage racing.

 

[burning]

Re: Re:

Nibali's downfall was presumably failing to drop Henao on the last stretch of the climb: he knew he would have been outsprinted by him, and overcooked it in trying to get away from him in the descent.

GvA so nearly lost the wheels of the lead group on the first half of the final ascent: a brilliant recovery. But although he did contribute to the chasedown of Majka, it was Fuglsang's strength that won him his gold medal.

Henao, the famous sprinter?
Yeah sure.

Nibali, who could not outsprint his teammate when he was trying to give him bonus seconds?
Yeah sure.

 

[Jagartrott]

Re: Re:

Lets never hear people say that GC climbers would be great at one day racing if they tried it again. One day racing is different.

Indeed. All those anaerobic efforts early in the race killed the likes of Froome and Bardet.

Plenty of people didn't give 2 cents for Belgium or Denmark, thought Alaphillippe wouldn't make it across the hills, and that Froome and Bardet etc. would fight it out. They were wrong. Too bad the English and French coaches were also thinking along those lines (English for letting Thomas slave for Froome after the latter had to take a sh*t, the French for not bringing Gallopin).

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Someone predicted earlier in this thread that Reichenbach would be 19th. Eventually he was .... 19th

 

[ice&fire]

On another note, what was wrong with Valverde. The big pre race favorite not even close to get a medal?

3rd in the Giro and 6th in the Tour. Clearly overraced.

 

[BlackWhiteEagle]

Purito just cost Majka the gold medal... F***!

 

[luckyboy]

Re:

Someone predicted earlier in this thread that Reichenbach would be 19th. Eventually he was .... 19th

lol. Thanks god for that Cancellara work

 

[Põhja Konn]

I would still rate Roubaix higher this year than today's race. That was one for the ages, despite having race radios and nine men teams.

Based on today, 6-7 men teams (depending on types of races) and no race radios must be the way forward. Sadly, in reality it is not likely to happen any time soon.