whats hapened to Geraint Thomas?
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It's his career but for my money he's wasting his talent on the track - he could make far more of a name for himself and far more money if he figured out what kind of road rider he wants to be and started winning big races. As I say though his career and if he values and Olympic gold above that fair enough.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
I think he'd happily have given up more than one year on the road to be a part of the whole London Olympics extravaganza.
He's still only 26. He has plenty of years ahead to challenge in the classics. Starting in 2013.0 -
+1Richmond Racer wrote:Troll alert, back under the nearest rock with youYou 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 -
Tom Butcher wrote:It's his career but for my money he's wasting his talent on the track - he could make far more of a name for himself and far more money if he figured out what kind of road rider he wants to be and started winning big races. As I say though his career and if he values and Olympic gold above that fair enough.
He's already said that after the Olympics he's going to focus on the road again. Wanting to take the opportunity to win an Olympic gold at you "home" Olympics is perfectly understandable."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
Winning Olympics medals on the track is simply a case of turning up and going full gas for a bit, isn't it?0
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andyp wrote:Winning Olympics medals on the track is simply a case of turning up and going full gas for a bit, isn't it?
You're a DS in the making.
(kinda nicked from somewhere else, not sure where)
"So guyz, we ride hard, make sure *team leader* iss protected, keep an eye out voor anysing dangerous, and go full gas for the last 10kilos to go. Okaay?"0 -
looked up uvula, dyslexia autocorrect used most of the same letters and got a different body part
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Rick Chasey wrote:andyp wrote:Winning Olympics medals on the track is simply a case of turning up and going full gas for a bit, isn't it?
You're a DS in the making.
(kinda nicked from somewhere else, not sure where)
"So guyz, we ride hard, make sure *team leader* iss protected, keep an eye out voor anysing dangerous, and go full gas for the last 10kilos to go. Okaay?"
You are Giancarlo Feretti AICMFP"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
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inkyfingers wrote:Tom Butcher wrote:It's his career but for my money he's wasting his talent on the track - he could make far more of a name for himself and far more money if he figured out what kind of road rider he wants to be and started winning big races. As I say though his career and if he values and Olympic gold above that fair enough.
He's already said that after the Olympics he's going to focus on the road again. Wanting to take the opportunity to win an Olympic gold at you "home" Olympics is perfectly understandable.
Yeah sure if he values that more then it's his choice - you can't really focus on both and he's chosen the track - who knows if BC/Sky were keen to push him that direction because their funding partly depends on medals but ultimately he's free to ride for whatever team he likes.
I think he is a potential winner of major classics though and for me those are far bigger prizes than an Olympic gold - those are the things that people remember and earn you the big money - but what he values most is up to him not me.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
Tom Butcher wrote:inkyfingers wrote:Tom Butcher wrote:It's his career but for my money he's wasting his talent on the track - he could make far more of a name for himself and far more money if he figured out what kind of road rider he wants to be and started winning big races. As I say though his career and if he values and Olympic gold above that fair enough.
He's already said that after the Olympics he's going to focus on the road again. Wanting to take the opportunity to win an Olympic gold at you "home" Olympics is perfectly understandable.
Yeah sure if he values that more then it's his choice - you can't really focus on both and he's chosen the track - who knows if BC/Sky were keen to push him that direction because their funding partly depends on medals but ultimately he's free to ride for whatever team he likes.
I think he is a potential winner of major classics though and for me those are far bigger prizes than an Olympic gold - those are the things that people remember and earn you the big money - but what he values most is up to him not me.
Winning a classic would undoubtedly put his wages up, but it won't win him that much mainstream publicity in the UK - just in the cycling press. He's more likely to get publicity and subsquent endorsements from being a 2012 gold medallist, and being better known amongst the UK public generally will also mean more likelihood of TV engagements, so there's a bit of compensation there to balance out the missed opportunity on wages.
Personally, I'd rather win a classic, but if someone told me I had a better (more predictable) chance of a gold medal at my home olympics, I'd probably settle on that
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step-hent wrote:Tom Butcher wrote:inkyfingers wrote:Tom Butcher wrote:It's his career but for my money he's wasting his talent on the track - he could make far more of a name for himself and far more money if he figured out what kind of road rider he wants to be and started winning big races. As I say though his career and if he values and Olympic gold above that fair enough.
He's already said that after the Olympics he's going to focus on the road again. Wanting to take the opportunity to win an Olympic gold at you "home" Olympics is perfectly understandable.
Yeah sure if he values that more then it's his choice - you can't really focus on both and he's chosen the track - who knows if BC/Sky were keen to push him that direction because their funding partly depends on medals but ultimately he's free to ride for whatever team he likes.
I think he is a potential winner of major classics though and for me those are far bigger prizes than an Olympic gold - those are the things that people remember and earn you the big money - but what he values most is up to him not me.
Winning a classic would undoubtedly put his wages up, but it won't win him that much mainstream publicity in the UK - just in the cycling press. He's more likely to get publicity and subsquent endorsements from being a 2012 gold medallist, and being better known amongst the UK public generally will also mean more likelihood of TV engagements, so there's a bit of compensation there to balance out the missed opportunity on wages.
Personally, I'd rather win a classic, but if someone told me I had a better (more predictable) chance of a gold medal at my home olympics, I'd probably settle on that
He's still got plenty of time left in his career. Better to win a major classic AND Olympic gold!"I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
Couple of seasons he'll be taking over from Wiggins as the GC man."A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"
PTP Runner Up 20150 -
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Why so dismissive, Rick? It's his call, given his versatility, but I think he could either focus on Classics and short time trials or consider going for the GC in stage races.0
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andyp wrote:Why so dismissive, Rick? It's his call, given his versatility, but I think he could either focus on Classics and short time trials or consider going for the GC in stage races.
1 dayers - for sure. He'll be in either tier one or two.
GC?...no.
I don't think we'll ever see a transition like Wiggins again.0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:andyp wrote:Why so dismissive, Rick? It's his call, given his versatility, but I think he could either focus on Classics and short time trials or consider going for the GC in stage races.
1 dayers - for sure. He'll be in either tier one or two.
GC?...no.
I don't think we'll ever see a transition like Wiggins again.
When it comes to a young Brit in the current Sky set-up there's also a fair bit of anticipation around Peter Kennaugh. I think Sky'll be bringing him on carefully0 -
2013 is the year of Pete Kennaugh. Big breakthrough coming up.0
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Turfle wrote:2013 is the year of Pete Kennaugh. Big breakthrough coming up.
I'd like to thinkso but when I see riders such as Sagan tearing it up in the TdF already I do wonder whether wrapping little Pete in cotton wool has been the best way forward.0 -
Only one way of finding out. He's concentrating on the road now for at least the next couple of years rather than back and forth between road and the boards, so let's see0
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Yellow Peril wrote:Turfle wrote:2013 is the year of Pete Kennaugh. Big breakthrough coming up.
I'd like to thinkso but when I see riders such as Sagan tearing it up in the TdF already I do wonder whether wrapping little Pete in cotton wool has been the best way forward.
To quote the fantastic expression used by somebody else earlier, he needs to s**t or get off the pot."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
I'd love to see Steve Birks on the road again too."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:I'd love to see Steve Birks on the road again too.
What's Burkey like on the road? I've seen him race so little over the last couple of years that I just dont know0 -
I have complete faith in Kennaugh. He was really, really good in 2011 - Poland, attacking on climbs in the Giro as a 21 year old, 3rd in the Route du Sud (including a Col d'Aspin, Tourmalet stage). It was just a bit of a shame that the Olympics came the following year.
Next year I'm expecting lots of noise.0 -
Richmond Racer wrote:disgruntledgoat wrote:I'd love to see Steve Birks on the road again too.
What's Burkey like on the road? I've seen him race so little over the last couple of years that I just dont know
Raced with him a lot when he was a junior and he was awesome then... One such example was riding up to the front of a bunch halfway thorugh a seriously hilly and badly surfaced 2/3/4 race and asking "anyone off the front?", there was a group of 4 with a 3 minute gap, I told him. He immediately shot off on his own, bridged across, dropped them and won solo.
Brian Cookson came all the way to West Cumbria just to watch him that day and insisted on doing the prize giving."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Turfle wrote:I have complete faith in Kennaugh. He was really, really good in 2011 - Poland, attacking on climbs in the Giro as a 21 year old, 3rd in the Route du Sud (including a Col d'Aspin, Tourmalet stage). It was just a bit of a shame that the Olympics came the following year.
Next year I'm expecting lots of noise.
Do you think they'll give him the reigns in a one weeker somewhere?0 -
Yellow Peril wrote:Turfle wrote:I have complete faith in Kennaugh. He was really, really good in 2011 - Poland, attacking on climbs in the Giro as a 21 year old, 3rd in the Route du Sud (including a Col d'Aspin, Tourmalet stage). It was just a bit of a shame that the Olympics came the following year.
Next year I'm expecting lots of noise.
Do you think they'll give him the reigns in a one weeker somewhere?
With that squad it'll be hard.
I reckon he'll do a similar early season schedule to the one Nordhaug did this year. Some combination of early Spanish one dayers, Algarve, Crit Int, Pais Vasco, Ardennes, Giro. If this year is anything to go by, Sky will approach most of those with 3 or 4 riders getting the chance to go for the win if they're strong enough.0 -
He is not riding the Worlds. He has no form. He says so himself. Article on cnews......Contador is the Greatest0
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Look forward to seeing you win gold in rio then?andyp wrote:Winning Olympics medals on the track is simply a case of turning up and going full gas for a bit, isn't it? 0 -
He may have done that in a chiopoper but he would not cut it at pro conti level, let alon pro tour, good crit rider though.disgruntledgoat wrote:Richmond Racer wrote:disgruntledgoat wrote:I'd love to see Steve Birks on the road again too.
What's Burkey like on the road? I've seen him race so little over the last couple of years that I just dont know
Raced with him a lot when he was a junior and he was awesome then... One such example was riding up to the front of a bunch halfway thorugh a seriously hilly and badly surfaced 2/3/4 race and asking "anyone off the front?", there was a group of 4 with a 3 minute gap, I told him. He immediately shot off on his own, bridged across, dropped them and won solo.
Brian Cookson came all the way to West Cumbria just to watch him that day and insisted on doing the prize giving.0
