Hoy's 3 Gold medals or Cav's 4 TdF stage wins?

Brassknocker

...another thread has got me thinking. Both amazing successes / achievements, but what would you rather 'have' or value more highly?


Hoy's 3 Olympic gold medals or Cav's 4 Tour de France stage wins?


I'm guessing that I'll be going against the grain here, but I'd go with the stage wins.

It seems wrong/counter intuitive typing that opinion out, especially considering that the (obviously global!) Olympics comes around every 4 years, and the TdF annually.

...perhaps it's a childhood rooted romantic view of the TdF plus the fact I've never been to a velodrome!?

What's better? standing on top of a podium to your country's national anthem... or yellow jersey, cuddly lion and a peck on the cheeks?

Earthbound

Hey Brassknocker, it's me :evil:

I'd go along with you and say Cav's 4 wins are arguably better than Hoy's 3+3 (but, state of cycling as it is, who else is in Britain is gonna vote for him? sadly)

Come back next year when Cav is wearing the Green jersey And he WILL.

Better still - come back in 201? when Brailsford is masterminding Team GB/Sky to a tour win - yellow not green!

northernneil

in my humble opinion, in pro cycling terms 1 stage win is worth more than 3 gold medals, the TDF is the daddy of all daddys, general members of the public I bet couldnt even name 1 of the events Hoy won his gold for only that he won them at cycling

sloboy

Pro road cycling and top level track cycling are pretty much different events. So Hoy couldn't be a pro road boy even if he wanted to be, he doesn't have the build. To that extent, the achievements aren't comparable, any more than you can compare these two chaps with Ainslie or Redgrave or even Ronaldo, Woods, Federer etc

That said, Cav is at the top of his discipline in a world sport, but it's not the most glamorous part (that would be a TDF winner after all).

Hoy on the other hand and IIRC, is now 2nd most successful British Olympian across any sport, ever.

That would also make him the first Briton to win gold in 4 different events, I think as well as the first to win 3 in a single Olympics for a hundred years.

For me, therefore, Hoy's achievement stands out at a level that transcends cycling.

frenchfighter

Cavendish's wins certainly. (Note that he has actually 19 wins this years, although I know that some of those are in 'lesser' events)

- Track cycling covers so many different races, that like swimming and gymnastics quantity doesn't really count a huge deal.
- Look how many people are competing in each road event - most often over 100, so you need to beat them all (I know that not everyone contests a sprint finish...)
- Wins in stage races are even more impressive as you need to consistently perform well enough to even get to the point of competing for a stage win.
- That is why the sprinter's jersey is such an impressive feat and I think that when Cavendish wins one or more in a grand tour (I think he will) then he will deserve SPY
- Road cycling wins are much more rewarding.
- As for not being glamorous...Cipolini anyone?!

I am not refering to Hoy vs Cav specifically, rather Track Golds vs Road wins. For SPY, I would vote for Hoy over Cav. Cav's time will come, but for now, the consistent, untouchable veteran deserves his respect.

endoman

Hoy won his medals unassisted purely a man on his bike against the clock. Cavs wins were team assisted. Sure he is one of the best if not the best road sprinter in the world and sure there is a gladiatorial feel to his wins but you cannot place his TDF wins ahead of Hoys Golds.

frenchfighter

Hoy has to beat a handful of people with no 'danger' elements. He also has by miles the best equipment, training and backing. His primary focus is spinning his chosen gear as fast as he possibly can. I know he is superb and he is my favourite on track by a long way as well as being a great character (definitely more so than Cav).

Cav has to battle for the last 30k or so to be in a good position, with the assistance of his and other teams then in the last 1k or so make sure he is in prime position then in the last 2-400m beat tens of other riders to get to the line first. Dangers include other riders, wet conditions and road furniture. In addition Cavendish doesn't have the best leadout team (although it is better than some) and is more like Robbie in that he is skillful ussing other people. Finally, some of Cavendish's wins have been where he has been in a bad position and relatively far back in the last 500m only to surge through completely un-assisted by drafting another rider and take the win. See him in the Giro for instance.

Monty Dog

Incomparable - when Cav is sitting there with his four green jerseys we might be up for a debate, but a stage win in the Tour cannot even be compared to a win in a major classic, never mind the chance of Olympic Gold which comes around every four years. What you don't appreciate are the hundreds of riders who tried to qualify for the Olympics. Hoy's up there with the Olympic greats in all sports IMO.