2016 Olympic Road Races and Time Trials *Spoilers*

[HF2300]

BBC online or the red button, I guess. Looks like I won't be around to watch it live so here are my reactions in advance:

Wow!

Ouch!

Fantastic!

What are they talking about?

He's slowing down!

Go G!

So should we just quote you at what we feel to be the appropriate moments?

 

[oldroadman]

I'm still not quite clear why GB is allowed more than one representative in the TT at this late stage - can someone point me to the specific rule on this?

Edit: ignore this. I checked and the top 10 countries in the World TT championship get a place even if they already have one from the continental rankings. I think they should just allow all countries to have one competitor. They should also stop this silly system of insisting the TT rider should also be part of the road race squad. The two disciplines are different, and this severely disadvantages countries with fewer riders in the RR.

Interesting thoughts. One rider per country would disadvantage the strong nations, imagine being the best ITT rider in Germany when Tony Martin is around!
For GB, Alex Dowsett is clearly one of the best ITT riders, but maybe not suited too much to the course in Rio. I can't agree that they are so different. At pro level the big engine domestiques are usually pretty good TT riders (e.g. Kiryenka). But the Olympic thing is mired in all sorts of interests, you might think the organisers wanted to keep numbers down in what they consider sports which attract less spectator money? So we get equal numbers of male and female races (excellent) but a big chunk of the track programme removed to "make room" for that equality (bad). I didn't notice a reduction in running races when women 5k and 10k were introduced, they were simply added, for example. Maybe the previous UCI management were complicit in this ridiculous situation, they didn't exactly have a shining record in a lot of areas, and at least one of that lot sat on the first class world travelling gravy train (sorry, I meant IOC).

 

[iandg]

I also just found that page but I couldn't remember how I got there.

I have to admit that it was by chance first time round

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

BBC1 just announced that the Women'sTT is on BBC2 from 12:30

 

[brommers]

 

[brommers]

Pooley starts at 12.45

 

[coffeejo]

So should we just quote you at what we feel to be the appropriate moments?

If in doubt, just shout "cake!"

 

[smutchin]

Very wet out there. Those descents are going to be interesting.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Uncertain start for Emma and she's looking very unsettled.

 

[smutchin]

Pooley's off. Seemed to be erring very much on the side of caution off the start ramp and into the first bend.

 

[smutchin]

Oh Simon! Did you really just refer to a Belgian rider as Dutch?

 

[HF2300]

Very wet out there. Those descents are going to be interesting.

Plichta descending very gingerly there...

 

[HF2300]

Uncertain start for Emma and she's looking very unsettled.

Boardman said it was pent up aggression...

She just looked worried to me.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Boardman said it was pent up aggression...

She just looked worried to me.

I don't suppose being half blown of the ramp just before the start helped her settle herself.

 

[smutchin]

Plichta descending very gingerly there...

Kopecky looking very shaky!

There will be crashes.