Why hardly any mtb racing at Olympics?

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Ludwig

Hopeless romantic
Location
Lissingdown
Given that mountain biking is one of the most popular participation sports in Britain, far more popular than road and track riding, why is there hardly anything at the Olympics? We have the deadly dull track racing and the turgid road events but about one or two token mtb races. It is nearly impossible to take up track or road racing even if one wanted to but mtb-ing has mass appeal. Another lost opportunity and politics and vested interests etc coming ahead of common sense.
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
Another lost opportunity?

We can't even raise world standard teams for the mtb events there they have at the moment. Again in Beijing there will be no GB women's mtb team, despite some desperate effort by BC to find and train decent riders over the past 10 years. Mass participation maybe, but it would seem that they might like hanging around the cafes at prepared mtb centres talking the talk, but youngsters don't want to put in the graft to actually race.
 

Losidan

New Member
John the Monkey said:
Looking forward to it - I have no idea what it's like at all (other than that the bikes are quite small).

you are in for a treat. massive jumps, huge speeds and we have a real chance of winning the womens..
BMX racing today is NOT what the old perception of it is.
I cant wait
 

Renard

Guest
Mtb ing hasn't the same variety of events as some of the track events and the road only had the race and the TT. The XC races are on fri and sat. Other than DH and maybe 4x what are you looking for?
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
Ludwig said:
Given that mountain biking is one of the most popular participation sports in Britain, far more popular than road and track riding, why is there hardly anything at the Olympics? We have the deadly dull track racing and the turgid road events but about one or two token mtb races. It is nearly impossible to take up track or road racing even if one wanted to but mtb-ing has mass appeal. Another lost opportunity and politics and vested interests etc coming ahead of common sense.

1. It may amaze you, but Britain's national interests do not count in the selection of Olympic sports.

2. Track cycling is, in any case, the only sport in which we are clearly the best in the world.

3. MTBing does not have long-term mass appeal - it is briefly fashionable. Olympic MTBing is not about titting about on bikes, which is what is popular in the UK on MTBs.

4. It's stupidly easy to take up road cycling - all you need is a bike and a road. Most people have the second going past their front door. It is much more difficult to take up mountain biking, as most people don't live on a mountain.
 
Yes, I picked-up on this bit about 'it's popular in Britain so why isn't there more of it at the Olympics'.

But anyway I'm puzzled quite what Ludwig thinks moaning about it on a cycling forum is going to achieve.

Much better to contact the Olympics directly.

Write to Jacques Rogge, The Olympics, Geneva, Switzerland.

He might be a bit busy in Beijing for a week or two but are bound to respond when he gets home.
 
U

User482

Guest
srw said:
1. It may amaze you, but Britain's national interests do not count in the selection of Olympic sports.

2. Track cycling is, in any case, the only sport in which we are clearly the best in the world.

3. MTBing does not have long-term mass appeal - it is briefly fashionable. Olympic MTBing is not about titting about on bikes, which is what is popular in the UK on MTBs.

4. It's stupidly easy to take up road cycling - all you need is a bike and a road. Most people have the second going past their front door. It is much more difficult to take up mountain biking, as most people don't live on a mountain.

1. We have some of the very best MTB downhillers in the world - both men and women. Steve Peat, the Athertons, Tracey Mosely and many more. Rachel Atherton is the current World Champion. Steve Peat is a 3 time world cup winner. Sadly we're not as good at XC, particularly the women.

2. MTB has been a mass participation activity for over 15 years - hardly brief. And Rough Stuff was happening for decades before that.

3. You don't need a mountain, you need some off-road tracks. Plenty of people live near those.
 

barq

Senior Member
Location
Birmingham, UK
User482 said:
1. We have some of the very best MTB downhillers in the world - both men and women. Steve Peat, the Athertons, Tracey Mosely and many more. Rachel Atherton is the current World Champion. Steve Peat is a 3 time world cup winner. Sadly we're not as good at XC, particularly the women.

2. MTB has been a mass participation activity for over 15 years - hardly brief. And Rough Stuff was happening for decades before that.

3. You don't need a mountain, you need some off-road tracks. Plenty of people live near those.

I pretty much agree with all that. Perhaps downhilling will eventually make it in as an olympic sport - maybe it needs to be established for a bit longer. XC isn't currently very fashionable among young people so I'm not holding my breath for the next generation. Once certain people get over the whole 'gay/jey boy XC' thing the better!

On your last point, I think 'mountain bike' is a misnomer because like you say it doesn't require mountains (or even significant hills). I have a vague memory of it originally referring to a specific model which I think someone like Gary Fisher tried to trademark.
 
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