Olympic BMX Final Race
KentPuncheur
Posts: 246
Can't help but feel a little bemused by the BMX final. All those heats and semi finals comes down to one 450m dash. All you need is to get a good start and come out of the first corner first, avoid falling off and the victory is yours... :roll:
2011 Trek Madone 3.1c
2012 Ribble 7005 Winter Trainer
Dolor transit, gloria aeterna est.
2012 Ribble 7005 Winter Trainer
Dolor transit, gloria aeterna est.
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Comments
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KentPuncheur wrote:Can't help but feel a little bemused by the BMX final. All those heats and semi finals comes down to one 450m dash. All you need is to get a good start and come out of the first corner first, avoid falling off and the victory is yours... :roll:
Yep, seems a bit odd when each round has several rides but the final is a one off.0 -
ddraver wrote:hmm - akin to saying all you need to do to win the tour is pedal a bit harder to the next guy and not crash....
Not really, virtually every race has a crash and I've even seen the person lagging behind in last place take a race win when everyone else crashed. Sure, there's a huge amount of skill but luck plays too high a part in influencing a lot of the races in my opinion.0 -
I just watched it, first time i've ever watched a BMX race. It's fast and fun, but a bit too short for my liking, though in that sense it's no different to a Keirin or a track sprint.
Would be better if the course was a bit longer or they did a couple of laps, would open it up a little."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
I didn't watch much of it, but for any sport to be taken seriously you need a situation where the very best would win on most, if not all occasions. The impression I get is that it could finish in any order on any single run and therefore winning doesn't really mean as much.0
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Pross wrote:ddraver wrote:hmm - akin to saying all you need to do to win the tour is pedal a bit harder to the next guy and not crash....
Not really, virtually every race has a crash and I've even seen the person lagging behind in last place take a race win when everyone else crashed. Sure, there's a huge amount of skill but luck plays too high a part in influencing a lot of the races in my opinion.
There's a crash on every stage too...We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
squired wrote:I didn't watch much of it, but for any sport to be taken seriously you need a situation where the very best would win on most, if not all occasions. The impression I get is that it could finish in any order on any single run and therefore winning doesn't really mean as much.
Yep. They go out of their way to ensure the best riders make the final, then just roll the dice once. Makes for the final being a good spectacle, but that's it.
Found it all a lot duller than I expected due to the almost total lack of overtaking and it all being decided by the first corner. Racing, but without any racing.
Is that a feature of this track, or is it always like that?0 -
In all honesty, just a bit dull
probably should have been
http://www.redbull.co.uk/cs/Satellite/e ... 31837025220 -
Contador is the Greatest0 -
It's a mickey mouse event, even moreso than 4-Cross MTB. Exciting to watch, but not (IMHO) worthy of an Olympic event.Remember that you are an Englishman and thus have won first prize in the lottery of life.0
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squired wrote:I didn't watch much of it, but for any sport to be taken seriously you need a situation where the very best would win on most, if not all occasions. The impression I get is that it could finish in any order on any single run and therefore winning doesn't really mean as much.
The British rider (who crashed out) said as much, that next week if you did the race it would be a completely different result. I dont know why they dont have a course where you can do 5 laps or something, it would maybe stop it from being a crashfest where everyone tries their hardest to get in a good position off the very first corner.0 -
It’s a bit like a summer version of cross-snowboard, but by far not as exciting.OffTheBackAdam wrote:It's a mickey mouse event, even moreso than 4-Cross MTB. Exciting to watch, but not (IMHO) worthy of an Olympic event.0 -
Jamie Staff said something to the effect that if you ran the final race again tomorrow you'd get a different result. Certainly this sprint event is highly dependent on chance. Not impressed.T Farr0
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It certainly deserves its place as much as say, keirin, or one of the bazillion swimming events. I'd make it shorter not longer - the race is a sprint to the corner plus some cool looking bits after that don't really affect the result. There were a few occasions when someone excelled on the rollers enough to gain a place, but that was about it.0
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But isn't Keirin a big money spinner for the UCI? 8)PuttyKnees wrote:It certainly deserves its place as much as say, keirin0 -
Was looking forward to it but not impressed at all - agree it is all about the sprint to get out of the first corner in first but that's not enough to make a sport.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
PuttyKnees wrote:It certainly deserves its place as much as say, keirin, or one of the bazillion swimming events. I'd make it shorter not longer - the race is a sprint to the corner plus some cool looking bits after that don't really affect the result. There were a few occasions when someone excelled on the rollers enough to gain a place, but that was about it.
What's wrong with the keirin?! More interesting tactics and more exciting than the sprint - BMX doesn't even come close!0 -
If you have a bad start in the 100 metres, you're likely to lose the race. If, in taekwondo, in those rare moments in which something resembling actual combat occurs, your thrashing limbs don't make contact with your opponent's sensors, you'll probably lose the match. If, in gymnastics, you fall over performing a skill you stick ninety-nine times out of a hundred, you probably won't medal. The same goes for diving, and probably many other sports.
And, has anyone ever considered how odd the steeplechase is? Hurdles and a pond? Mickey mouse shit, certainly. :roll:
Shit's subjective, innit? Have your tastes, but let everyone else have theirs.Abdoujaparov wrote:PuttyKnees wrote:It certainly deserves its place as much as say, keirin, or one of the bazillion swimming events. I'd make it shorter not longer - the race is a sprint to the corner plus some cool looking bits after that don't really affect the result. There were a few occasions when someone excelled on the rollers enough to gain a place, but that was about it.
What's wrong with the keirin?! More interesting tactics and more exciting than the sprint - BMX doesn't even come close!1968, human content on bitumen.0 -
I think there should be 3 finals with the same points allocation as in the earlier rounds- just like the omnium. I would also draw out of a hat for the lane you start in to even it out a bit.
I like watching it, but it still seems like adults on kids bikes, I think I would like it more if it was on a mountain bike sized bike as it would not look so strange.
As for the Kieran, I think it was once a lot more exciting when you could jostle for position a lot more, I am led to believe that it was made a bit safer to stop crashes and restarts, but I dont remember this, maybe someoen older would know?0 -
Final should be held over 3-5 races in order for a consistent top rider to be found.
Some say the Keirin is a bit random but the number of races that Hoy has won shows that it does allow the best to do well consistently.You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.0 -
I really enjoyed the bmxing-it is very skillful and really exciting.....you can debate whether or not it is worthy of an olympic medal, but then is dressage/any of the horsey shite anymoore worthy? At least the rider is doing the work in the bmxing
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One of the commentators did say that the same group of riders could line up next week and you would get a completely different mix of riders on the podium.squired wrote:I didn't watch much of it, but for any sport to be taken seriously you need a situation where the very best would win on most, if not all occasions. The impression I get is that it could finish in any order on any single run and therefore winning doesn't really mean as much.0 -
Le Commentateur wrote:
One of the commentators did say that the same group of riders could line up next week and you would get a completely different mix of riders on the podium.squired wrote:I didn't watch much of it, but for any sport to be taken seriously you need a situation where the very best would win on most, if not all occasions. The impression I get is that it could finish in any order on any single run and therefore winning doesn't really mean as much.
Maybe, but the guy who won gold in 2008 won gold again in 2012.
BTW, Maris rides a road bike, too. I’ve met and ridden with him a couple times here in CA.Infinite diversity, infinte variations0 -
Dressage no, jumps and cross country no.Tom BB wrote:I really enjoyed the bmxing-it is very skillful and really exciting.....you can debate whether or not it is worthy of an olympic medal, but then is dressage/any of the horsey shite anymoore worthy? At least the rider is doing the work in the bmxing
I personally would not have any events that require a judge to apply a score to a performance based on their opinion. I would only include events with a judge that has a black and white rule as to what constitutes a point being given/scored0 -
It's all cycling guys, stop being so blimmin' childish. To suggest that any event requires less fitness or less skill is pathetic roadie elitism. If you have my tried anything else go and do it, you ll have a great time and your riding will improve!We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
I'm sure it's a great participation sport for kids - just as a spectacle it fell far short and I was expecting it to be a better watch. There's no suspense at all - first out of the first corner wins - maybe if they didn't start down a ski slope it'd be a better contest . Same with XC MTB - I enjoy riding off road but it's about as interesting as watching paint dry to watch - just for balance it is marginally more interesting than time trialling.
For me I'd have the track, the road race, downhill and a city centre crit - scrub the BMX and XC.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
Final seemed a bit of a lottery. Especially given all the stages beforehand to let the cream rise to the top.0
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The female Colombian gold medal winner Mariana Pajon won all 3 of her Semi's then the final so not really too much of a lottery!
FWIW. I still don't think it's much of an Olympic sport.0 -
ddraver wrote:It's all cycling guys, stop being so blimmin' childish. To suggest that any event requires less fitness or less skill is pathetic roadie elitism. If you have my tried anything else go and do it, you ll have a great time and your riding will improve!
All cycling is good, but everyone makes a decision on what they like more than something else. BMX is pretty low on my list of cycling0 -
Flasher wrote:The female Colombian gold medal winner Mariana Pajon won all 3 of her Semi's then the final so not really too much of a lottery!
FWIW. I still don't think it's much of an Olympic sport.
You know what I mean though.
The 3 race semis makes sense - stops some monkey taking half the field out and ruining a load of olympic chances, but still rewards people who keep their nose out of trouble and does well - and is consistent.
Can't see why they don't bring that format to the final.
Also, are all BMX races that short?0
