Olympic RR **spoilers**

[thom]

Not much if you read what she was saying on Twitter.

Her tweet:
"Chris's L'Equipe interview was done in Italian, translated to French & now back to English… hope there weren't any mis-quotes…#justsaying"
Anyway, re. her reliability, well to make up a story about the language of an interview you'd need to be a fruit cake. Who knows ?

 

[smutchin]

I'd bet that experienced riders know well enough how they're going, even without SRMs. I think they're a bit of a red herring.

The point is not about the individual riders but the team strategy. Sky approach racing as a numbers game, and that approach has been proven to work in big stage races. Whether or not the individuals are able to ride on instinct, they just aren't allowed to. Sky are the Stepford Cyclists.

Perhaps the writing was on the wall for today's race as long ago as this year's Paris-Roubaix, when Sky's team effort failed to reel in Tom Boonen's solo heroics.

d.

 

[smutchin]

And yes, I do realise I'm talking about Sky here as if they're interchangeable with GB...

 

[crisscross]

Okay, so that didn't go to plan.

But I enjoyed the spectacle and the scenery and the crowds. I doubt there have been that many spectators for a road race in England Britain recently - seemed more than for the TdeF in London to me.

The TV coverage was pretty ropey all around. We have been spoilt for the last three weeks with incredible images and accurate info in France.

Personally I would have liked a GB'er in the break but that would probably have beem impossible for the Get Cav Gold brigade.

It was fun to see Cav let his PR cool slip on the BBC News interview "Do you not know anything about cycling???" - er, well probably not if the BBC has shipped in any pretty boy who can hold a mike and smile at the same time.

Brad tried his damndest but it wasn't going to happen for all the reasons listed above.

So where does it leave us for Wednesday, wounds to lick, but at least we look in better shape than two of the favourites.

So who's looking good for gold in the TT? Got to be Wiggo, if he can recover from this like he performed in France, day in day out.

 

[Chuffy]

Her tweet:
"Chris's L'Equipe interview was done in Italian, translated to French & now back to English… hope there weren't any mis-quotes…#justsaying"
Anyway, re. her reliability, well to make up a story about the language of an interview you'd need to be a fruit cake. Who knows ?

Ah, I wasn't questioning that the interview had been bounced around a bit. I was just suggesting that what he was reported to have said was actually what he did say. Her Tweets were pretty insistent that her man wuz robbed.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

They need to learn how to ride without power meters too. The Sky strategy doesn't really work for long one-day races where racing instinct is worth a lot more than numbers on a screen. Vino proved that today.

d.

Quote from the winner today .... "I study the race from the inside and I don't bother with what the directors tell me. Today, I think especially in the last 10km the fact that the major teams such as Germany didn't have radios played into my favor. If this had been a world championship, it would have been a sprint finish because the teams are more complete. But today was actually a calmer race because the limited number of riders and the fact that there were no team radios."

 

[smutchin]

Quote from the winner today .... "I study the race from the inside and I don't bother with what the directors tell me. "

You'd never guess that was his philosophy from the way he rides...

d.

 

[Chuffy]

The point is not about the individual riders but the team strategy. Sky approach racing as a numbers game, and that approach has been proven to work in big stage races. Whether or not the individuals are able to ride on instinct, they just aren't allowed to. Sky are the Stepford Cyclists.

Perhaps the writing was on the wall for today's race as long ago as this year's Paris-Roubaix, when Sky's team effort failed to reel in Tom Boonen's solo heroics.

d.

Hmmmm. I know that Sky are big on the numbers, but I do think it's overplayed a bit. You can't, just can't, ride a race using your SRM as an audax routesheet. 'Ride 10km @ 76%. At TL, ride at 90% until L @ T' etc. Riders like Rogers and Uran were riding on instinct but that's as opposed to Team GB's Plan A, rather than Team GB riding by numbers.

 

[Noodley]

So, I was right all along that GB shoulda put Millar in the break to be able to control it, or have the option of having a plan other than a sprint for Cav. Millar would have out-Vino'ed Vino in the final stages.

 

[Chuffy]

So, I was right all along that GB shoulda put Millar in the break to be able to control it, or have the option of having a plan other than a sprint for Cav. Millar would have out-Vino'ed Vino in the final stages.

Master Tactician Noodley - your throne awaits.

 

[Boris Bajic]

To the neutral, it wasn't a bad race.

I do like Millar (maybe more now than in Cofidis Superhero days) but I like the way Vino and the Columbian took their chance. Millar is not the rider he used to be and although Vino isn't either, he did have the speed of thought to take his chances. Had that been a 3-man break and stayed at the front, I still think it was Vino's.

I was worrying (but silently) before the race as the press and just about everyone with a UK Passport were assuming that Cav had it in the bag. For the neutral, there is a certain pleasure in seeing the favourite fall.

I hoped and hoped and hoped that the gold would come to the UK, but on reflection I think it was a good 'un.

And while we're on the subject of the RR, wasn't it a good course? Lovely weather too.

 

[iLB]

Interesting to compare how Millar and Froome look in terms of tiredness in the second video on this page http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18909585 if you are questioning Froome's commitment.

 

[ColinJ]

And while we're on the subject of the RR, wasn't it a good course? Lovely weather too.

It was a better course than I expected it to be. It was hard enough without being stupidly hard.

I think it is a pity that the women are only going to climb Box Hill a couple of times.

 

[Chuffy]

Interesting to compare how Millar and Froome look in terms of tiredness in the second video on this page http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18909585 if you are questioning Froome's commitment.

May I refer you to my earlier cop-out - "I reserve the right to change my mind if we get more info".

I know I'm probably being harsh, unfair and slightly irrational but there's just something about Froome that I don't like. And not just his alien ant-weasel fizzog.

 

[zizou]

Disappointed for Cavendish and for cycle sport generally in the UK, would have capped off a momentous week had he managed to get the gold.

However i feel even more sorry for Cancellara - tactically played a blinder, had 3 team mates to help him in the break away and looking so strong and comfortable. It looked like everything was being set up for what would have been an awesome spectacle of him turning the motor on and going for a solo break and going along the mall on his own.

What a disappointment the end turned out to be.... i used to really like Vino, if he had been clean that victory today would have capped off a great career and particularly the come back over the last year from his broken pelvis. But as an unrepentent cheat the victory just leaves a sour taste in the mouth.