Wiggone!!

RoadPainter

mm1 wrote:

Daz555 wrote:

It's a disgrace really. UCI need to be pushing IOC much much harder for a larger track program. At the moment the number of events they can hold is tightly restricted by the IOC.

Losing IP and kilo is a shambles - they are events which really showcase the best individuals on the track.

No idea why Phat gave up the guts of the track programme, even he must have known that Coppi, Anquetil, Moser and others were class pursuiters. Of course something has to give to allow goff and anyone for tennis a place in the 'Lympics.

Summer Games are a monster that can't really be expanded much. Athletes village etc means rules like omnium riders must be from TP.

There's a big IOC review in next couple of years and Cookson suggesting track cycling to Winter Olympics is an interesting suggestion. Expansion of track (and new cyclo-cross) would be feasible at Winter Games.

wallace_and_gromit

awavey wrote:

Sky are obviously still in negotiations for a new contract at this point...

Sky needs Wiggins as a team member, even if he does no high profile races for them. Based on anecdotal discussions with those who follow cycling to varying degrees, such loyalty as there is from fans is mainly with Wiggo, rather than with Sky. Without Wiggo, Sky is just another team with the odd British rider.

iainf72

RoadPainter wrote:

There's a big IOC review in next couple of years and Cookson suggesting track cycling to Winter Olympics is an interesting suggestion. Expansion of track (and new cyclo-cross) would be feasible at Winter Games.

Didn't someone from the IOC say there was zero chance of cycling ever being in winter olympics?

I wonder if Sky will have less of a UK focus with the complete take over of the German and Italian Sky organisations. I remember when they started it was important to have Italians on the team because of Sky Italia.

RichN95.

iainf72 wrote:

I wonder if Sky will have less of a UK focus with the complete take over of the German and Italian Sky organisations. I remember when they started it was important to have Italians on the team because of Sky Italia.

I was going to write on another thread that rather than developing a French champion Brailsford should be looking to find a German one.

wallace_and_gromit

mm1 wrote:

No idea why Phat gave up the guts of the track programme...

Wasn't it to stop the women complaining about unequal treatment? There were 10 track events in 2008 and 10 in 2012. The split went from 7-3 for the men to 5-5.

The argument for the 3-2 split sprint vs endurance was that there are already two endurance road based events for cyclists. (Road race and ITT).

The kilo got chopped after 2004 to make way for BMX racing, if memory serves. On sheer weight of numbers, I suspect this would prove popular if put to the vote, even if it offends the purists.

The "1 rider per country per event" is much less easy to explain logistically, as, for example, Hoy and Kenny could have doubled up in the sprint/kierin as they were already competing.

RichN95.

I think that if they only have five events at the Olympics then they should all be individual events - Keirin, Sprint, Pursuit, Points and Omnium. And let up to three riders enter per country per event.

Not many countries have enough strength to put up a credible sprint or pursuit team. And this lets lots of people compete, while keeping the actual numbers down.

Daz555

RoadPainter wrote:

Summer Games are a monster that can't really be expanded much. Athletes village etc means rules like omnium riders must be from TP.

Track program is isolated in one arena so running it for one extra day during the Olympic fortnight would be no big issue. If worrie about rider numbers then simply state that IP and Kilo riders must be in at least one other event - same thing is done for the Keirin.

Or they could drop some events entirely and free up a ton of space for proper sports.

Which ones? Horse dancing should be the first to go.

Daz555

Wallace and Gromit wrote:

The "1 rider per country per event" is much less easy to explain logistically, as, for example, Hoy and Kenny could have doubled up in the sprint/kierin as they were already competing.

That was clearly a knee-jerk "sh*t the Brits are going to polish off 20+ medals in 2012 if we let them have 2 riders per nation."

I'm hearing talk of it being back to 2 riders per event in Rio, is this the case?

Crozza

Daz555 wrote:

Or they could drop some events entirely and free up a ton of space for proper sports.

Which ones? Horse dancing should be the first to go.

the ones that don't give a shoot about the Olympics. Football, Tennis and Golf are obvious candidates, but then so arguably is road cycling (if Iain's chart is to be believed)!

markhewitt1978

I've long said that the summer games should be extended to be run over a month rather than 2 weeks. As it is everything is crowded in on top of everything else meaning things get lost. A month would allow it to be a bit more spread out and for individual sports to get more exposure.

If the Football World Cup can take a month for one sport then I'm sure the Olympics could.

tim000

cut out some of the swimming events . far too many. :shock:

markhewitt1978

tim000 wrote:

cut out some of the swimming events . far too many. :shock:

Every time the Olympics is on the first weeks TV coverage seems to consist entirely of swimming. One of those events that doesn't interest me at all. I guess the host city has to spend a fortune on building a new pool so they have to justify that expense somehow.

It was actually refreshing to see in the Commonwealth games that the opening ceremony was in an existing football stadium and the swimming in the local pool; not purpose built everything.

salsiccia1

tim000 wrote:

cut out some of the swimming events . far too many. :shock:

Damn straight. The fact that one swimmer can win 8 gold medals in one games is testament to that.

Daz555

tim000 wrote:

cut out some of the swimming events . far too many. :shock:

There are far too many events certainly. It is certainly a proper sport however and is not subjective like so much crap at the Olympics.

I'd drop equestrian events entirely. This is an event for humans, not animals. We might as well have dog agility and dog dancing at the games - it would be far more accessible that the pure toffery that is horse events.

Modern pentathlon - more toffery.

Synchronised swimming - female only event. Subjective.

Rhythmic gynastics - female only event. Subjective.

There, that would free up plenty of bedrooms for some Kilo and IP riders.

Daz555

tim000 wrote:

cut out some of the swimming events . far too many. :shock:

Bloody hell. 34 events. That is insane!

And cycling is stuck with 18. 10 track, 2 BMX, 2 MTB & 4 road. :?

I'd bring downhill MTB into the Olympics if I could choose anything, after that the IP and the Kilo certainly.

markhewitt1978

Any event which cannot be scored electronically isn't something which should be included.

salsiccia1

They should get rid of any event that is judged, and any event where the the Olympics isn't considered the pinnacle:
Golf (ffs)
Tennis
Football
and dare I say it, Cycling road race

Macaloon

Daz555 wrote:

tim000 wrote:

cut out some of the swimming events . far too many. :shock:

Bloody hell. 34 events. That is insane!

And cycling is stuck with 18. 10 track, 2 BMX, 2 MTB & 4 road. :?

I'd bring downhill MTB into the Olympics if I could choose anything, after that the IP and the Kilo certainly.

There's nothing to stop any sport from breaking free of the TV producers and corporations running the Olympic community. But once you accept their lucre, you're at the mercy of the script writers. TV needs its fix of Spitz, Phelps and the Thorpedo.

r0bh

Daz555 wrote:

Wallace and Gromit wrote:

The "1 rider per country per event" is much less easy to explain logistically, as, for example, Hoy and Kenny could have doubled up in the sprint/kierin as they were already competing.

That was clearly a knee-jerk "sh*t the Brits are going to polish off 20+ medals in 2012 if we let them have 2 riders per nation."

I'm hearing talk of it being back to 2 riders per event in Rio, is this the case?

I think I remember this being announced, but can't find a link just now.

I'd get rid of BMX (boring, whoever gets out of the first corner first normally wins. And the bikes are too small) and replace with downhill and/or 4x. Bring back the IP, could restrict to members of the TP squad (which would likely be the case anyway) so as not to increase numbers.

Paulie W

I've never really forgiven them for dropping the pankration.

Pross

Daz555 wrote:

tim000 wrote:

cut out some of the swimming events . far too many. :shock:

There are far too many events certainly. It is certainly a proper sport however and is not subjective like so much crap at the Olympics.

I'd drop equestrian events entirely. This is an event for humans, not animals. We might as well have dog agility and dog dancing at the games - it would be far more accessible that the pure toffery that is horse events.

Modern pentathlon - more toffery.

Synchronised swimming - female only event. Subjective.

Rhythmic gynastics - female only event. Subjective.

There, that would free up plenty of bedrooms for some Kilo and IP riders.

You've not ridden a horse seriously I guess? I'd drop the dressage (subjective as the others in your list plus it's an element of the 3 day event) but show jumping and 3 day event test a lot of sporting skills. It isn't just sitting on the best horse and hoping for the best. As for the 'toffery' sure it helps to have a bit of money as with many other sports. Charlotte Dujardin (despite the posh sounding name) came up through a fairly ordinary background.

The new sports they have introduced are a big part of the problem. Tennis and now golf have no real place there. I would even see the back of the road race in order to get more track events which I feel fit in more with the Olympic 'ideal'.

Pross

RichN95 wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

I wonder if Sky will have less of a UK focus with the complete take over of the German and Italian Sky organisations. I remember when they started it was important to have Italians on the team because of Sky Italia.

I was going to write on another thread that rather than developing a French champion Brailsford should be looking to find a German one.

That would be a very good PR move considering the lack of German sponsored teams. Maybe even have a German based Pro Conti feeder team. All the German talent coming through seems to be big, powerful sprinters though.

RichN95.

Pross wrote:

That would be a very good PR move considering the lack of German sponsored teams. Maybe even have a German based Pro Conti feeder team. All the German talent coming through seems to be big, powerful sprinters though.

There's a guy called Silvio Herklotz. Look out for him.

mike6

RichN95 wrote:

Pross wrote:

That would be a very good PR move considering the lack of German sponsored teams. Maybe even have a German based Pro Conti feeder team. All the German talent coming through seems to be big, powerful sprinters though.

There's a guy called Silvio Herklotz. Look out for him.

He was in "Alo Alo" was he not?

above_the_cows

Pross wrote:

Daz555 wrote:

tim000 wrote:

cut out some of the swimming events . far too many. :shock:

There are far too many events certainly. It is certainly a proper sport however and is not subjective like so much crap at the Olympics.

I'd drop equestrian events entirely. This is an event for humans, not animals. We might as well have dog agility and dog dancing at the games - it would be far more accessible that the pure toffery that is horse events.

Modern pentathlon - more toffery.

Synchronised swimming - female only event. Subjective.

Rhythmic gynastics - female only event. Subjective.

There, that would free up plenty of bedrooms for some Kilo and IP riders.

You've not ridden a horse seriously I guess? I'd drop the dressage (subjective as the others in your list plus it's an element of the 3 day event) but show jumping and 3 day event test a lot of sporting skills. It isn't just sitting on the best horse and hoping for the best. As for the 'toffery' sure it helps to have a bit of money as with many other sports. Charlotte Dujardin (despite the posh sounding name) came up through a fairly ordinary background.

^This.

mike6

They could get rid of BMX, in my view its just adults bouncing up and down on kids bikes. I'll get my coat. :oops:

wombly_knees

Pross wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

I wonder if Sky will have less of a UK focus with the complete take over of the German and Italian Sky organisations. I remember when they started it was important to have Italians on the team because of Sky Italia.

I was going to write on another thread that rather than developing a French champion Brailsford should be looking to find a German one.

That would be a very good PR move considering the lack of German sponsored teams. Maybe even have a German based Pro Conti feeder team. All the German talent coming through seems to be big, powerful sprinters though.

Stolting's trying to go pro continental next year. They've Herklotz as their leader.

Daz555

Pross wrote:

You've not ridden a horse seriously I guess? I'd drop the dressage (subjective as the others in your list plus it's an element of the 3 day event) but show jumping and 3 day event test a lot of sporting skills.

I have ridden a horse or two - not seriously of course. However I do know enough horsey-people to know that the horse is far too big a part of the package.

You need a good rider on an exceptional horse to win gold. We are really giving gold medals to horses.

Motorsport would be a better fit than horse-nonsense for the Olympics. At least it is 100% human endeavour.

markhewitt1978

Daz555 wrote:

Motorsport would be a better fit than horse-nonsense for the Olympics. At least it is 100% human endeavour.

Rallying would be a good fit for the winter games!

Pross

Daz555 wrote:

Pross wrote:

You've not ridden a horse seriously I guess? I'd drop the dressage (subjective as the others in your list plus it's an element of the 3 day event) but show jumping and 3 day event test a lot of sporting skills.

I have ridden a horse or two - not seriously of course. However I do know enough horsey-people to know that the horse is far too big a part of the package.

You need a good rider on an exceptional horse to win gold. We are really giving gold medals to horses.

Motorsport would be a better fit than horse-nonsense for the Olympics. At least it is 100% human endeavour.

In many cases the horses are schooled and trained by the rider though so not only are they having to prepare themselves they also have to prepare the animal.