Wendy Houvenaghel blasts cycling team-mates & coach

plectrum

She is quite demented. No rider has an automatic right to race, it is a team structure with management. They clearly sat down addressed the options and the situation and decided to keep the team together. Dani King & Trott are a very tight team and obviously they feel more comfortable with Rowsell and BC felt that they would improve round on round, which they did.

I think everyone would understand her disappointment but to claim it is down to Shane Sutton as an individual or intimate that it is part of a personal vendetta is just ludicrous.

Pross

TailWindHome wrote:

rockmount wrote:

Pross wrote:

Plenty of athletes work their backsides off over a four year Olympic period, some get to take part and some don't. Look at how ruthless the rowing selectors are for moving people out of boats! However not many of them go off whinging to the press about it. I like Houvenagel but I'm disappointed and surprised at her behaving like this. I'm not saying BC have covered themselves in glory in the way they handled it but a seasoned pro shouldn't react like that.

..perhaps she knows more about the facts of the situation than you do ?

The facts of the situation are IMHO largely irrelevant, going 'slabbering' on TV about your coach/ team mates is bad form

cf Roy Keane

Exactly!

oldwelshman

socrates wrote:

But the team with Wendy in it went even quicker than the WR in practice so I think she has a valid point. Anyhow, it is supposed to be a team so why not give her a ride in one of the heats and al the girls get a medal. Age does not matter if she is good enough. Badly treated.

Going quicker in training is irrelevant, its not the same as under pressure in an olympic event riding several rounds.
Can be dissapoined yes, but not moan in public. Did Tennet moan? No.

MPB

I can totally understand her disappointment but she has handled this very badly and any respect I previously had for her has gone out the window. She obviously didn't gel with her team mates and calling them immature smacks of sour grapes. The team set numerous world records and won the gold - enough said!!

top_bhoy

oldwelshman wrote:

socrates wrote:

But the team with Wendy in it went even quicker than the WR in practice so I think she has a valid point. Anyhow, it is supposed to be a team so why not give her a ride in one of the heats and al the girls get a medal. Age does not matter if she is good enough. Badly treated.

Going quicker in training is irrelevant, its not the same as under pressure in an olympic event riding several rounds.
Can be dissapoined yes, but not moan in public. Did Tennet moan? No.

I cant agree with this argument. I think that with an Olympic gold medal hanging around her neck and numerous other medals won during a distinguished career at the top level, that says she can handle pressure.

If you had said that it maybe because she wasn't the best and age has taken the edge of her in comparison to the younger girls that would have been more of a possibility; alas you didn't. :P

oldwelshman

Top_Bhoy wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

socrates wrote:

But the team with Wendy in it went even quicker than the WR in practice so I think she has a valid point. Anyhow, it is supposed to be a team so why not give her a ride in one of the heats and al the girls get a medal. Age does not matter if she is good enough. Badly treated.

Going quicker in training is irrelevant, its not the same as under pressure in an olympic event riding several rounds.
Can be dissapoined yes, but not moan in public. Did Tennet moan? No.

I cant agree with this argument. I think that with an Olympic gold medal hanging around her neck and numerous other medals won during a distinguished career at the top level, that says she can handle pressure.

If you had said that it maybe because she wasn't the best and age has taken the edge of her in comparison to the younger girls that would have been more of a possibility; alas you didn't. :P

But you convenienetly missed out the important point I made about consecutive rounds !!
During training they do not normally do the actual event distance, mostly slightly shorter distances at full effort, but it is not a selection method or they would be forever trying different cominations of the three, in a different order of riding with different number of lap efforts etc then they would have to do this a few times to make it consistent so this would never happen as they would be fucked by the olympics, not literally of course lol but you get the idea lol. A one of effort does not mean a huge amount and I also suspect they would have posted faster times other than that odd one, same as men did.

rick_chasey

Can imagine Brailsford going a bit Arnie about it all.

jimmythecuckoo

Cue loads of posts about the first cracks appearing in British Cycling Empire.

graeme_s-2

Top_Bhoy wrote:

I think that with an Olympic gold medal hanging around her neck

In what event? :?:

lostboysaint

Graeme_S wrote:

Top_Bhoy wrote:

I think that with an Olympic gold medal hanging around her neck

In what event? :?:

Damn, beaten at the internet. Same question!! I can only think of a silver that she has.

top_bhoy

Graeme_S wrote:

Top_Bhoy wrote:

I think that with an Olympic gold medal hanging around her neck

In what event? :?:

Gold medal to you sir, well spotted....silver :oops:

Doesn't detract from my point that having won titles and medals at the top level, pressure of racing over several rounds is probably an unlikely reason for her being dropped. I can think of several more plausible reasons. One day someone will write an autobiography and the real story will tumble out.

graeme_s-2

Top_Bhoy wrote:

Doesn't detract from my point that having won titles and medals at the top level, pressure of racing over several rounds is probably an unlikely reason for her being dropped. I can think of several more plausible reasons. One day someone will write an autobiography and the real story will tumble out.

I agree, doesn't detract from your point. I suspect part of the reason she's so upset is she hasn't won an Olympic gold, and now she won't.

Interesting that she said she'd been in a squad that had gone faster than the WR in training. For all we know the team that set the record may have gone even faster than the time her squad did in training.

I completely understand why she's upset. But she's bang out of order going public with it - totally unprofessional.

t.m.h.n.e.t

Graeme_S wrote:

Top_Bhoy wrote:

Doesn't detract from my point that having won titles and medals at the top level, pressure of racing over several rounds is probably an unlikely reason for her being dropped. I can think of several more plausible reasons. One day someone will write an autobiography and the real story will tumble out.

I agree, doesn't detract from your point. I suspect part of the reason she's so upset is she hasn't won an Olympic gold, and now she won't.

Interesting that she said she'd been in a squad that had gone faster than the WR in training. For all we know the team that set the record may have gone even faster than the time her squad did in training.

I completely understand why she's upset. But she's bang out of order going public with it - totally unprofessional.

It's a shame because she had nothing to gain at that point,all she could have done and did do was drag Sutton/Trott/King and Rowsell into the media and quite possibly sensationalize what is really a non-story(the DailyMail laps these up)

I'm quite sure if a squad faster than the current trio existed, then the "names on the trophy" if you will would probably have all been different. BC aren't stupid enough to field a slower or weakened squad just to give one old hand a last hooray and an early retirement pressie just for the sake of it.

Business is business and it was taken care of on the boards. Sucks to be Wendy..

mattshrops

As usual nothing is black and white.

I heard an interview on five live after they won the gold and Dani and Laura, endearing and lovely girls that they are-as well as being supremely talented, weeell they were a pair of giggling maniacs. some less charitable could even call them immature

On t'other side of the coin hasnt Wendy got a bit of a reputation for being a loner/maverick anyway?

Then add in a few facts we dont know yet.....

Anyhoo i agree- desperately disappointing for her, but she should have kept her gob shut.

aspender

Purely from observing Twitter, King, Trott, Rowsell and even Storey are all very pally and have been constantly tweeting each other during the games. Meanwhile Houvenaghel had a couple of tweets around the time they all went to Newport, but then hasn't tweeted at all since 23rd July - four days before the games started.

Not sure if anything can really be read into that, afterall Brailsford & co would make decisions based purely on performance I suspect. However it does paint her as the outsider to an extent, even before the final decision was supposedly made.

knedlicky

Top_Bhoy wrote:

I can think of several more plausible reasons.

I don't imagine Shane Sutton is the easiest person to work with, especially if you are old enough to have your own ideas, like Houvenaghel. One of the reasons Brailsford brought in his psychology dept was probably because Sutton was too hard in his manner with the riders.
In his own riding days Sutton apparently often behaved the caricature Australian - loud extrovert, chirpy practical joker, boozer, brawler - and despite all his years in the UK I imagine he must still have the strong personality which goes along with those traits, even if his own behaviour has matured.

RichN95.

knedlicky wrote:

Top_Bhoy wrote:

I can think of several more plausible reasons.

I don't imagine Shane Sutton is the easiest person to work with, especially if you are old enough to have your own ideas, like Houvenaghel. One of the reasons Brailsford brought in his psychology dept was probably because Sutton was too hard in his manner with the riders.
In his own riding days Sutton apparently often behaved the caricature Australian - loud extrovert, chirpy practical joker, boozer, brawler - and despite all his years in the UK I imagine he must still have the strong personality which goes along with those traits, even if his own behaviour has matured.

Also his brother is the coach of the Aussie Women's Pursuit team, so I image he was pretty keen to win that event.

bockers

In defence of Wendy (and I can't believe I am typing this as how I felt when I first read the story). This is a a prime example of a work email I have written to my senior management many times, in frustration.

The differences is I wait until the following morning before deciding if to hit the send button, and most time I delete button rather than send.

I bet Wendy wishes she did likewise.

Mike Healey

You've all missed the real, political, reason why she was left out. She's from Northern Ireland and that's not in Great Britain, so she couldn't be selected for Team GB

oldwelshman

Mike Healey wrote:

You've all missed the real, political, reason why she was left out. She's from Northern Ireland and that's not in Great Britain, so she couldn't be selected for Team GB

Thats bollox as you know, you had the ansers to this in your post in track.

Pross

Mike Healey wrote:

You've all missed the real, political, reason why she was left out. She's from Northern Ireland and that's not in Great Britain, so she couldn't be selected for Team GB

What, you mean the team officially known as Great Britain & Northern Ireland? Yes, that figures.

ddraver

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Cue loads of posts about the first cracks appearing in British Cycling Empire.

Miss Trott has just tweeted that her and Jason Kenny are dating...Poor Shane is gonna have a headache when he gets back to Manchester! Can't really move Kenny over to swimming

NWLondoner

Mike Healey wrote:

You've all missed the real, political, reason why she was left out. She's from Northern Ireland and that's not in Great Britain, so she couldn't be selected for Team GB

So in that case how the hell was Cav picked then. He's from the IOM which is NOT even part of the UK!!!


TeamGB is the Team of Great Britain and Northern Ireland plus Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories (which do not have their own NOC)

NWLondoner

It does seem like sour grapes and totally unprofessional to be saying all of this to the media.

If BC were prepared to choose Kenny over Hoy how the hell did she think she would be picked over 3 talented young girls who are the future of BC??

We seem to know that Shane Sutton is a typical aussie ball breaker but thats what BC needed. None of this "it's the taking part that counts"

I've got a feeling that BC will be glad that both Wendy and Vicky are retiring as it does seem that they are/were the mavericks who need more attention than the others.

NWLondoner

ddraver wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Cue loads of posts about the first cracks appearing in British Cycling Empire.

Miss Trott has just tweeted that her and Jason Kenny are dating...Poor Shane is gonna have a headache when he gets back to Manchester! Can't really move Kenny over to swimming

While not ideal it's not nearly as bad as coach/athelete (Vicky P) so i'd imagine his blood pressure will be okay

oldwelshman

NWLondoner wrote:

ddraver wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Cue loads of posts about the first cracks appearing in British Cycling Empire.

Miss Trott has just tweeted that her and Jason Kenny are dating...Poor Shane is gonna have a headache when he gets back to Manchester! Can't really move Kenny over to swimming

While not ideal it's not nearly as bad as coach/athelete (Vicky P) so i'd imagine his blood pressure will be okay

Err what happened to Sam Harrison ?

DeadCalm

oldwelshman wrote:

NWLondoner wrote:

ddraver wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Cue loads of posts about the first cracks appearing in British Cycling Empire.

Miss Trott has just tweeted that her and Jason Kenny are dating...Poor Shane is gonna have a headache when he gets back to Manchester! Can't really move Kenny over to swimming

While not ideal it's not nearly as bad as coach/athelete (Vicky P) so i'd imagine his blood pressure will be okay

Err what happened to Sam Harrison ?

Sam Harrison ‏@_SamHarrison_
Dear journalists, I'm in holland. And my 18 year old brother is the only person at home so don't bother knocking/ringing please...

Sam Harrison ‏@_SamHarrison_
He's pretty bulky and a bit of a chav so do so at your own risk #headbutts

Sam Harrison ‏@_SamHarrison_
As for me iv got nothing to say on the matter, so ur wasting ur time

nweststeyn

Nooooooooooooooooooo

ddraver

Oh that's who Sam Harrisson is...


Wow this must be how normal people feel when they read Heat magazine!!

Jambes de Fer

Miss Trott has just tweeted that her and Jason Kenny are dating.

Brailsford's team already working on the team for the 2036 olympics. That guy is some f**king planner! He's probably already had tiny bicycles injected into Kenny's nads to make the little Kennys extra potent.