Time to elevate Olympic RR beyond chipper?

Yellow Peril

Ok, if you are British you are unlikely to be happy with today's RR outcome but that aside it has still at the time of starting this thread generated 24 pages on the spoiler.

Having watched most of the classics with the exception of Boonen's P-R brilliance I thought it was just as watchable as say the RVV this year. With that in mind and bearing in mind that it only happens every 4 years (and you get to wear your "golden helmet" (fnar fnar) for a long time thereafter) do you think it has an improving status as a road race? IS it emerging from chipper status?

TheBigBean

Yes, this has happened with lots of sports e.g. tennis. Originally, no one cared about it - now they do.

However, the road race still has trade team vs country issues. They should just award medals to all members of the team, then there would be proper team work and a proper race.

Oh, and you are going to get shouted at for not including spoiler.

finchy

Yellow Peril wrote:

IS it emerging from chipper status?

It has been a top quality race and a major goal for the professional since at least 2004. So no, it emerged from that status 8 years ago.

No_Ta_Doctor

johnfinch wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

IS it emerging from chipper status?

It has been a top quality race and a major goal for the professional since at least 2004. So no, it emerged from that status 8 years ago.

Longer, in fact.

Merckx wanted to win it as a boy

Yellow Peril

No tA Doctor wrote:

johnfinch wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

IS it emerging from chipper status?

It has been a top quality race and a major goal for the professional since at least 2004. So no, it emerged from that status 8 years ago.

Longer, in fact.

Merckx wanted to win it as a boy

Do you think he did or did he just say that to make Axel feel better about getting an Olympic medal which he never got? Christ it must have been difficult living up to your old man's expectations in that household!

No_Ta_Doctor

Yellow Peril wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

johnfinch wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

IS it emerging from chipper status?

It has been a top quality race and a major goal for the professional since at least 2004. So no, it emerged from that status 8 years ago.

Longer, in fact.

Merckx wanted to win it as a boy

Do you think he did or did he just say that to make Axel feel better about getting an Olympic medal which he never got? Christ it must have been difficult living up to your old man's expectations in that household!

In Fotheringham I trust.

Even tougher for the other kids; Spoke, Rim and Crank.

alihisgreat

Yellow Peril wrote:

Ok, if you are British you are unlikely to be happy with today's RR outcome but that aside it has still at the time of starting this thread generated 24 pages on the spoiler.

Having watched most of the classics with the exception of Boonen's P-R brilliance I thought it was just as watchable as say the RVV this year. With that in mind and bearing in mind that it only happens every 4 years (and you get to wear your "golden helmet" (fnar fnar) for a long time thereafter) do you think it has an improving status as a road race? IS it emerging from chipper status?

It needs to be a team race with team medals.. then it differentiates itself from the individual awards in the rest of the racing calender.

8 man teams would also be nice. You feel like you're getting a bit short changed with 5 man teams.

Yellow Peril

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

Ok, if you are British you are unlikely to be happy with today's RR outcome but that aside it has still at the time of starting this thread generated 24 pages on the spoiler.

Having watched most of the classics with the exception of Boonen's P-R brilliance I thought it was just as watchable as say the RVV this year. With that in mind and bearing in mind that it only happens every 4 years (and you get to wear your "golden helmet" (fnar fnar) for a long time thereafter) do you think it has an improving status as a road race? IS it emerging from chipper status?

It needs to be a team race with team medals.. then it differentiates itself from the individual awards in the rest of the racing calender.

8 man teams would also be nice. You feel like you're getting a bit short changed with 5 man teams.

I think this is a good idea. If GB's race plan had of worked today the team would have ridden themselves into the ground and only Cav would have been rewarded.

Le Commentateur

Like that race in Copenhagen.

No_Ta_Doctor

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

Ok, if you are British you are unlikely to be happy with today's RR outcome but that aside it has still at the time of starting this thread generated 24 pages on the spoiler.

Having watched most of the classics with the exception of Boonen's P-R brilliance I thought it was just as watchable as say the RVV this year. With that in mind and bearing in mind that it only happens every 4 years (and you get to wear your "golden helmet" (fnar fnar) for a long time thereafter) do you think it has an improving status as a road race? IS it emerging from chipper status?

It needs to be a team race with team medals.. then it differentiates itself from the individual awards in the rest of the racing calender.

8 man teams would also be nice. You feel like you're getting a bit short changed with 5 man teams.

:shock:

Then it would be a completely different sport.

rick_chasey

No tA Doctor wrote:

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

Ok, if you are British you are unlikely to be happy with today's RR outcome but that aside it has still at the time of starting this thread generated 24 pages on the spoiler.

Having watched most of the classics with the exception of Boonen's P-R brilliance I thought it was just as watchable as say the RVV this year. With that in mind and bearing in mind that it only happens every 4 years (and you get to wear your "golden helmet" (fnar fnar) for a long time thereafter) do you think it has an improving status as a road race? IS it emerging from chipper status?

It needs to be a team race with team medals.. then it differentiates itself from the individual awards in the rest of the racing calender.

8 man teams would also be nice. You feel like you're getting a bit short changed with 5 man teams.

:shock:

Then it would be a completely different sport.

Could call it "which team can best imitate the recently departed radioshack team"

Jez mon

What criteria do we actually use to classify a race?

I think calling it a chipper has been a bit of fun really.

It's still not in top category of races IMO, but it's obviously a big deal for many of the top riders. I'd rate it below the GTs and Classics, but above the semi-classics.

rick_chasey

When it's on it's bigger than/replaces the worlds happening the same year.

knedlicky

Yellow Peril wrote:

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

It needs to be a team race with team medals.. then it differentiates itself from the individual awards in the rest of the racing calender.
8 man teams would also be nice. You feel like you're getting a bit short changed with 5 man teams.

I think this is a good idea. If GB's race plan had of worked today the team would have ridden themselves into the ground and only Cav would have been rewarded.

I think with 8-man teams it would have been as boring as some Tdf stages. Eitherway, how do you think the winning team would have been decided? Cumulative times of the first 5 of any team over the line, or what?

Yellow Peril

You could do that, alternatively it could be that the whole of the winning rider's team ( second and third as well of course) receives a medal. The point I'm making is that there could be genuine recognition for the team of the winning rider other than a Cav type thank you in the post race interview.

RichN95.

They used to have a team competition until 1956. Rik van Looy was a famous gold medallist. It was based on the times of the first three riders, so Spain would have won gold today (although obviously race dynamics would have changed), and Colombia, with just two riders, would have felt robbed.

dave_1

well, have followed cycling for 28 years and it had a considerable prestige as a race in that time. Only a quite poorly informed fan would dismiss the race as a chipper. The status of this race should be respected!

top_bhoy

Having a 5 man team is fine. There are some countries who may only have one or two capable individuals and struggle for 5; are they to be hindered further because they can't raise a team of 8. For this reason I believe it should remain an individual race. Its not so long ago that GB were one such team who could only muster one or two individuals of genuine quality to make a presence. If a road team event of any description is required, what about the inclusion of a 5 man (4 women) team time trial; would that be a spectacle with ladies and mens events held on the same day? Would there be sufficient interest from countries?

symo

Vino's win turned this into a Gran Fondo, perhaps Ricco should have been there and some people on this board could enjoy their attacking style.

Le Commentateur

If Canc hadn't done that stupid 4th cat style crash he would have out-done Vino's move. Vino's attack (actually it was Uran's, Vino spotted it and went with it) worked because the others started playing cat & mouse with each other a little too early and wouldn't work together to get him back.

Thought it was an interesting race as long as one wasn't handicapped by hubristic patriotism.

I'll get back to this, but right now I've got to go to a beer hall with hundreds of people in orange clothing, for the ladies race.

Yellow Peril

As someone has said elsewhere ona different thread the turn out yesterday was great for cycling. I wonder if the fact that there was no Brit success yesterday will affect turn out today. Are Olympic fans that fickle? Also will the Women's race have the same draw for fans?

No_Ta_Doctor

Yellow Peril wrote:

As someone has said elsewhere ona different thread the turn out yesterday was great for cycling. I wonder if the fact that there was no Brit success yesterday will affect turn out today. Are Olympic fans that fickle? Also will the Women's race have the same draw for fans?

The women's race having the same draw for fans? Are you drunk?

dougzz

Le Commentateur wrote:

If Canc hadn't done that stupid 4th cat style crash he would have out-done Vino's move. Vino's attack (actually it was Uran's, Vino spotted it and went with it) worked because the others started playing cat & mouse with each other a little too early and wouldn't work together to get him back.
Thought it was an interesting race as long as one wasn't handicapped by hubristic patriotism.
I'll get back to this, but right now I've got to go to a beer hall with hundreds of people in orange clothing, for the ladies race.

Tru dat. He'd have dragged the 2nd and possibly 3rd strongest with him, for one or both to pass him the last 100 metres.

Yellow Peril

No tA Doctor wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

As someone has said elsewhere ona different thread the turn out yesterday was great for cycling. I wonder if the fact that there was no Brit success yesterday will affect turn out today. Are Olympic fans that fickle? Also will the Women's race have the same draw for fans?

The women's race having the same draw for fans? Are you drunk?

so is that a yes or a no, or are you going to keep your powder dry and commit to an answer after the race?

carl_p

The max numer of riders per country should be reduced so it becomes more for a race for individuals. If it becomes a 4th Cat race because of it, so be it, but at least it would be a more exciting open race. None of this 'Dream Team' nonsense.

Quite rightly the guy who raced for himself got the Gold yesterday.

Yellow Peril

Great women's race today and the crowds turned out to support in appalling weather. Lots of attacks and a very exciting race to view. Chapeau ladies.

jgsi

Are there any 'rumblings' to make this into an annual British 1 day classic 1.1 or 1.2 race?
The crowds have been there as said...
Hopefully not 250k though...

timoid.

JGSI wrote:

Are there any 'rumblings' to make this into an annual British 1 day classic 1.1 or 1.2 race?
The crowds have been there as said...
Hopefully not 250k though...

Would love that. Don't hold much hope it would happen though.

alihisgreat

Timoid. wrote:

JGSI wrote:

Are there any 'rumblings' to make this into an annual British 1 day classic 1.1 or 1.2 race?
The crowds have been there as said...
Hopefully not 250k though...

Would love that. Don't hold much hope it would happen though.

Yeah I don't think it would happen either... closing the roads in central London would be the main obstacle.

greasedscotsman

And would Box Hill not be a problem as well? I don't think it would make for an interesting race, even if run from central London and including Box Hill. With the larger Pro Teams a break wouldn't have a chance and it would end up in a bunch sprint. Plenty of other places around the country you could come up with a challenging course though.

thegibdog

JGSI wrote:

Are there any 'rumblings' to make this into an annual British 1 day classic 1.1 or 1.2 race?
The crowds have been there as said...
Hopefully not 250k though...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/16749106

Haven't heard any more on this recently.